Day Trip in Phnom Penh
Trip Start
Oct 30, 2007
1
28
99
Trip End
Ongoing
Phnom Penh,
Cambodia
Saturday, December 29, 2007
Our tour started at The Killing Fields and then the Genocide Museum, both documenting the "Cambodian Holocaust" under the Khmer Rouge regime. I found it fascinating to see how a group of people with an utopic vision of a united nation of people living simply from the land ended up mascaraing its own members.
Once I had enough of sculls, torture instruments and hoards of tourists we continued our tour to the Boeung Kak Lake for lunch. Ya already ate and wanted to chill out with his friend who lives next to the lakefront restaurant so I sit on the beautiful deck by myself, loving the beautiful view. A little boy comes from the lake (more like a giant shallow pond with patches of morning glory- a local food staple) and offers me a boat ride for one dollar.
The "boat" is shallow and tiny and can barely squeeze in three people. One wrong move and you are in the murky water. The two of us float slowly through the morning glory patches and have a friendly conversation.
My 12 years old boat captain is named Bamba. He lives with his parents in a shack on the other side of the lake. He is sweet and gentle and eager to communicate. I'm aware that from my Western perspective I'm somewhat making it "wrong" for a 12 years old to work instead of being in school but I'm also fascinated by the beautiful energy flow of his body and his ability to master effortless balance on the tipsy boat. Here I am with years of education and yoga practice and I have not mastered such balance. who's to say that my life journey is more valid than his?
