Bokor/Kep - updated

Next stop was Kep - specifically Kep Lodge (again). I was really looking forward to some fresh prawns and crab in the famous Kampot pepper in the KimLy shack by the sea. I wasn't disappointed. Still as as delicious and cheap as ever. Worth the 4 hour bus journey!

After a few days of aimlessly wandering/cycling around Kep I decided to face the bus back to Phnom Penh. This meant that I could splurge on a trip to Bokor Mountain in Kampot. I have been trying to get up Bokor mountain ever since I arrived in Cambodia. The last time I tried the bribe was just too big. Bokor is is an abandoned French town was built as a resort to offer an escape from the heat of the capital city.

he focal point of the hill station resort was the grand Bokor Palace Hotel & Casino - Other ruins also remain - shops, a post office, a church....

The tour began in the traditional Khmer way - late. I was picked up in a tuk tuk which i thought would take me from Kep to Kampot to meet the others on the tour. Wrong. The tuk tuk took me to a shop/waiting place. Here I had my most successful Khmer conversation (with a stranger) to date! I managed to explain where I was from my job and so forth and even manged to explain that I was not involved in the Khmer Rouge Tribunals as he was suggesting (as he worked out I was a lawyer...). It kept me amused for a while. Then a mini bus turned up - this took me to Kampot.... I then was asked to get on a motorbike which took me to the foot of Bokor Mountain where the rest of the group were waiting. 3 modes of transport in an hour with no explanation about what on earth was happening! Patience required

About 15 of us were then herded into trucks which took us part of the way up the hill into the jungle. We then faced an hour and a half of walking in the jungle spotting strange creatures - snakes, beetles and moneys mainly.

Apparently the company developing the site would not let us go up all the way in the trucks because the road was not developed enough in the middle...seemed strange but I have long learnt to accept Cambodian logic. Basically, we could ride in the truck to the middle - get out walk for an hour and half in the baking heat and then ride the rest of the way in the truck. Ummmm - don't ask!

The tour guide was not impressed with my walking footwear - basically slip on pumps (now ruined by the torrent of rain later in the day). I didn't point out that the Ranger accompanying us with the gun was wearing flip flops....

The guide had a particular need to tell the worlds longest jokes. Did I tell you the one about the tourists who wouldn't pay because they were called monkeys by their tuk tuk driver? He also explained his view on a variety of different plants - including what we know as rattan/wicker - apparently the Cambodians eat this. I would imagine it is not very tasty but that said Cambodians do tend to eat everything which they can pick off any plant or tree!

After an hour and a half of walking we were back in the trucks taking us to the summit. Surrounded in mist we suddenly became aware we were actually up high and it was cold (!) outside (!) in Cambodia (!).

As we twisted our way up the mountain the development was apparent. The site is owned by the government but is now under 99–year lease to the Sokimex Group who have undertaken to repair the road and redevelop the site, repairing the old hotel and casino along with new buildings (mainly as casino/hotel). The road was very new and the cuttings at the side of the road were lined with new turf and were being mowed! - a strange thing in Cambodia! As we approached the ghost town we could see the foundations of the new building by Sokimex - It will completely destroy the atmosphere of Bokor and transform it from an adventure to a ghost city to a easy ride to a bling/eyesore of a hotel.

At least for the time being the abandoned buildings have been untouched. The abandoned buildings are truly amazing - Ignoring the DANGER sign and exploring the casino was a great experience - old bathrooms; orange moss growing on the building; cracked windows - a real air of the colonial French. Free to explore the building, which was clearly liable to collapse in part at any time, - Open access, that is what is great about Cambodian health and safety!

There were a number of spiral staircases which had just fallen apart sticking to the main stairs it was clear that in its prime the building would have been an amazing place. The view at the back of the building was utterly breathtaking and one of the best I had seen in Cambodia - the coast line looked beautiful sweeping below us.

While we were munching on a lunch of rice and vegetables trying to look around the casino the guide was intent on telling us a potted history of everything Cambodian in a completely incoherent way. He didn't seem to convey to the tour group that the organisation who was building on the site and who was granted the ability to rip apart the national park which Bokor is situated in is closely related to the governing party here in Cambodia.... basically they are in it together - I filled in a few blanks for the group. I often find it really surprising how unaware people are of the political situation in this country even if they have lived here for a while.

....I then asked if I could make my way to the abandoned church which was about a 10 minute walk away.

I don't think the guide understood why I could possibly want to go to see the church in the pouring rain. But I guess I couldn't understand why the guide thought that we all wanted to hear his ramblings (which would have been good if they were focused on the history of Bokor rather than the whole of Cambodian history) for 30 minutes when we only had 2 hours to explore (after about 4 hours of travel just to get there). Cultural differences eh!

The group followed over to the church and all too soon we were herded back into the back of the truck for the trip to the spot where we had to walk for an hour and a half again. By this point I wasn't sure whether this walking part was actually due to the limitations of the road as we were told or because the tour guides wanted to make the trip longer or what..... Anyway, one woman (wearing appropriate footwear I should point out) slipped and sprained her ankle - She had to ride down, all the way, in the truck. Turns out driving on the middle portion of the road can be purchased for an additional $1.... ha!

By this stage (a) people were complaining about how tough the walk was (b) the guide was still asking me over and over where my "sneakers" were. I had to stop myself from loudly expressing that: (a) this is a JUNGLE walk PEOPLE - Did you people expect it to have a concrete path? (b) I do not own sensible shoes and (c) if I did I would not be wearing them out of the house even in the jungle and (d) I didn't fall over. HUH!

The day rounded off with a boat trip down the river in kampot and a moto ride back to Kep. Phew!

More photos to come...

Kampot break

This week I had a break from school (half term) and so went back to one of my favourite places to visit in Cambodia - Kampot.

Kampot is a beautiful small town with lots of character and lovely old colonial buildings. My first impression of Kampot, nearly a year ago left me unimpressed but the charm of the town has grown on me and now I think it is great!

The old bridge in Kampot was bombed and so what remains is 3 different bridges all put together.

It rained! - The first rain since the end of the wet season sometime in October

The main reason to go was to try (again) to get up Bokor Mountain. Bokor is a National Park with a deserted old hill station built by the French including ruins of a casino and a church. A large chunk of Bokor has however been sold to a developer and for a while access has been refused to tourists.

Last time I visited Kampot it was still possible to walk up but as it was a two day hike I didn't fancy it... This time I was prepared to hike but now the developer's security guards have stopped people even walking up to visit the ruins. No doubt when its open again it will have turned into a tacky resort rather than an "abandoned hill station".

So, with Bokor being impossible the alternatives were lazing about with a book, cycling through the nearby villages and a sunset river cruise.

The cycling was great. The sun however was scorching. I have forgotten how fierce the Cambodian sun can be because its the start of the hot season again and also because when I'm in Phnom Penh you are never outside for a long period of time.

The roads were not too dusty thanks to the strange rain but it was hot and rough in parts.

Over 2 days we cycled over rocky roads and into Muslim Communities (known as Cham in Khmer). "Hellohowareyouwhatisyourname!" was called at least every 10 metres by kids and adults alike. Most Cambodians in the rural areas do not know what this even means so (in true teacher format) I try to throw back the answer in Khmer hoping they might start to understand what they are saying! After 3 hours this gets a little waring though.

One group of kids were particularly amusing though. About 10 children returning from school screamed in joy when they saw foreigners. I spoke to them in broken Khmer and they looked at me as though I was an alien - to the extent that I wondered whether they spoke Khmer at all! Eventually there was a break through and then my camera was an object of delight for them.

Tort Roop? [photograph?]

We then came to the end of the road. The trucks carrying stone up to the new resort came thundering past over a bridge that looked like it might break any moment. Rocks perched high on the trucks looked like they could just plop off any second and flatten anyone nearby. Returning the way we came we came back to the school kids again who ran with the bikes holding hands (try cycling with 10 kids all wanting to grab you).

A welcome drink at this oddly placed roadside stall with the trucks hurtling past - The driver was very busy staring at the white people but he managed to keep it on the road

Later the cruise up the river, through the fishing village to the ocean. In order to get onto the boat we had to climb down a make shift ladder (a piece of wood with a few nails) onto the boat (ominously partially filled with water) Our driver then nearly caused us to crash into a moored police boat - never a good idea. He did not appear to understand the dynamics of a rudder.

My confidence was not increased by the fact that 5 minutes into the journey he let out a sound that "said" - "ohhh - how could I have been so foolish as to forget to put on my helmet!"... and then he picked up his motorcycle helmet and put it on - Yes, he put it on, without a hint that it was more than a little odd, even though we were on a boat in the middle of a river. Ummmm - After so long here you do just generally stop asking yourself the question "why?" when you see something strange but sometimes you just can't help but wonder!!

Anyway, the fishing village was interesting and we went out to a sand bank in the ocean and had a paddle before returning for sundowners.

Now where did I put my helmet?

Fisherfolk

Our boat with Bokor in the distance

Kep and Kampot

Wednesday was a holiday in Cambodia - Constitution Day. I started to show Mum some of the Cambodian countryside. I had already promised Sambo and Ravuth, 2 of my photo students, I would take them in our taxi to their village as it was on the way to Kep, our first seaside stop. I had been to their village before with the photo project. It is amazing how the people in rural Cambodia live. We dropped off a thank you letter to the palace and were on our way - after a quick 1 and a half hour journey through busy roads crawling with motorbikes stacked with people and goods and over bumpy open roads through rice fields, lotus fields and orchards we arrived.


I had printed out pictures from the last time the "barang was in town" and gave them out to the villagers. What was particularly moving was the small child who could not have been more than 3 who looked at her pictures with complete amazement and laugh lots at her own image!

Ravuth and his mum

We bought cakes as a gift for Sambo and Ravuth's mothers. The children wolfed them down! Here is Sambo and her brother and sister.

Sambo's little brother

The little girl, her father and the dog looking at the pictures I bought back to the village

And they made us a chicken lunch as well....

Mum at the village

We were then on our way to Kep where we stayed at the Kep Lodge - my favourite place to stay. Kep Lodge has great individual bungalows, stunning sea views and a new addition: a swimming pool!!

We checked in and much to everyone's reluctance I insisted we get on a bike and cycle around the coastal road. After some persuasion off we went in the baking humidity to see the derelict mansions and the variety of concrete sculptures that are dotted over the small town. Mum with the bike.. (although not riding it) on the journey back!

Me and mum take a break to pose for a photo and watch a kid collecting rocks (?!) from the bottom of the sea and collect them in a floating polystyrene box!

A lizard I spotted by the bungalow, mum and her bungalow and the dramatic sunsets which seem to be always amazing in Kep.

The next day saw us take an afternoon trip to Rabbit Island. Rabbit Island is just a 20 minute boat ride from Kep's pier and leads you to a delightful tropical island beach with not a lot going on. despite not having any swim wear mum and I decided a swim was in order so in we went, Cambodian style, all clothes on and into the water.

Our boat to the Island

Back at the lodge

Some of the plants around our bungalow

After relaxing at Kep we travelled by tuk tuk for about a hour to the riverside town of Kampot. Kampot is a sleepy town which is full of colonial buildings but not much else.

Last time I was in Kampot I was so impressed. This time I appreciated it more - Our hotel was far nicer (Bokor Mountain Lodge) and I was happy to be out of smelly, polluted Phnom Penh! In addition to that, the next day we were going to go on my first jungle trek in Cambodia to see waterfalls. Ideally, it would have been best to drive up to the deserted old town of Bokor on the top of the nearby mountain but since development works have been going on the access is restricted unless you pay bribes of disproportionate amounts... so in its place we were trekking up part of the mountain. For our first day a walk along the Riverfront and a trip to the Epic Arts Cafe (an organisation that assists disabled people in Cambodia) followed by beer and sunset was enough.

Walk, sunset and our hotel

The next day we were picked up at 7.30am to start our jungle trek. The tuk tuk drove for about 20 minutes down a country lane towards the mountain. The lane was very reminiscent of an English country lane with big hedgerows. The rice fields and people living in stick houses though meant that you could not feel you were in the UK for long! We then became trapped in the mud so we got out of the tuk tuk and pushed... we travelled some more and then came to a "lake" in the road that the driver was not prepared to navigate. Suddenly our walk had just turned about a hour longer... We walked along the road towards the mountain.

Our guide was a man called "Trey/Tree(?)". This man told us of his life. His family had all been killed by the Khmer Rouge because they were educated and when he saw their fate he hid himself in the jungles around Bokor. He lived in the jungle for a year avoiding people because he had no clothes. He made clothes from leaves and lived off things he could find. Eventually, he joined in the war and when the Khmer Rouge were defeated he became a mine clearer for the US. He cleared mines just using a knife!!!! He nearly lost his leg in an accident and so gave that up and eventually he is now a tour guide in the jungle.

The road to the mountain "sorry tutk tuk cannot"

On the road we came across a field that had been cleared of all trees. There was evidence of logging and burning the ground. There is a lot of illegal logging in Cambodia and now we were seeing it first hand.

Rare moments - me smiling on a walk (!) with my Mum, Trey and the mountain in the background

After the road we entered the jungle... wow! This was no walk in the park. We hacked our way through vines and scrambled up rock faces for about 2 hours. We sweated buckets!

And then tired but smiling we made it to the waterfalls! First of all a stop at a smaller fall. We stood on the surrounding rocks which were exceptionally slippy - like walking on ice - and then made our way to the main waterfall below.

The main waterfall was stunning. It was so secluded. It was surrounded by ancient trees with their fingerlike roots clasping the rocks around it. The pool was really deep and you could swim right up to the waterfall itself and drag yourself onto a big tree that had fallen in and lodged itself in the pool. The force of the fall was amazing - you could bearly swim to the base of it.

We then made our way back slowly through the jungle and back down the road to make the journey back to the hotel. I would definately recommend the journey to the waterfall in Boker Mountain. Next time perhaps I will go right the way to the top itself and stay overnight in the ranger's station!

Some jungle life

Some of the colonial buildings still standing in Kampot

We then spent a few nights in Sihanoukville. Cambodia's developing "resort". After an afternoon on the beach we were bored so the next day took a canoe out onto the sea! The aim was to make it from Serendipity Beach to Ream National Park beach. We ended up not quite making it because of a storm approaching but did spend 7 hours out at sea. The results: a worried canoe owner thinking we had drowned and ringing around other bars to see if they had seen us, blisters from the oars, burns from the sun... ummm but all good fun. No pictures of that (we turned over more than once losing various items including my shorts(!) so a camera was not a good idea) but here are some night shots