Side Saddle

So all the ladies in Phnom Penh ride side-saddle on the mopeds. And they also wear elbow length gloves to protect their skin from sun damage and ageing, along with the visor down on their helmets.Very glamorous really. 

Today at lunchtime I had a few errands to run, to the pharmacy and to the shoe-maker. When I went to get on the moped I realsied that I was wearing a skirt and would have to go side saddle, rather than hitching it up. So I did it. It's quite tough, strong stomach muscles are required to prevent wobbling and falling off. It was great fun! Except that the shoes I wanted the cobbler to make for me were copies of a pair of Fendi E800 heels, which they said they could not do. What kind of shoemakers are they?!

Photos of Vann Molyvann's Capitol Theatre

The roof space

   

 

    

  

Phonm Penh Stinks

Ever see the Labyrinth movie with David Bowie? Well the writer must have gotten his idea for The Ball of Eternal Stench from this city. This city was certainly not built on Rock and Roll, it was built on rubbish and sewer smells. We have to keep the windows open in the Studio to keep the fans working well and the smell actually gets blown around the room. There is no escape. Except my upstairs bedroom which is lovely. Anyway I no worries, I'll just buy some fresh flowers tomorrow and pray the bin-men come.

There is lots to do here. Every evening there is something to do. Lots of cultural Apsara dancing by sort of charity schools who try to keep the kids off the street. One of the cafés on the riverfront shows Kymer history movies throughout the day. I can't wait to go to a Cambodian Shadow Puppet show. Never mind the outdoor aerobics everywhere. There is a photographer who gives day tours to temples combined with photography lessons, so I'll do that on my next day off. We worked hard all weekend. Some Finnish Architectural lecturers were to come into us this afternoon. We are in return going to their presentation on Thursday at the Architectural college. Gotta get my business cards printed before then! Not for seeking employment, but everyone gives them out here for friendship or networking or coffee dates or ...outdoor aerobics.

 I went for a walk the other morning and got lost only to find myself at 'Small Bikes' motor bike rental shop. Indiana Jones upstairs told me that an Irish guy owned it with his wife so I went to say hello and get directions. Big fella called Ronan from Tallaght. He told me all the stories about the building sites in Dublin and cool things he said to people and how right he was about everything and how he was taught in school by a CIE bus conductor who knew nothin about n-e-tin. I don't know how I kept a straight face. In fairness he knew all about the buildings I was studying. Can't wait to go for a beer with him. 

Now, last night when I was actually on Skype to Amanda, the power went. It usually (usually?!) goes for about 15 minutes but it was out for 2 hours. We took our chairs and sat on the stoop. Indiana Jones came down and an american girl chatted too. She playes frizbee everyday, all day from 9am. Ultimate Frizbee. It's 37 degrees here. I think she's a sicko with a death wish. I can't move for the heat, I hardly know my own name.

Woman's Day is massive here, it's a matriarchal society. The men move into the women's family homes, God love them. The Ancient Queens carried the royal blood line. They just let the men they married rule, or think they were ruling. Clever ladies.

Being Woman's day Today the Boss and I went to see some of the buildings I'm supposed to be drawing. It was great. They were so fantastic. One was a theatre converted to a pool hall / table tennis hall, packed out with the ever energetic Cambodians. We snook around and walked up stairs we were not supposed to. He actually knocked a padlock off a gammy door and we almost got locked into the University. Well he does have an ID card. I'm getting one tomorrow.  

Some pictures to follow. 

This time of night, around 10pm a guy walks up and down the street and side alleys beating a tune on a bamboo stick. He's doing it right now. A little rhythm, but it's different every night. Tic, tica tic tic,  tic tica tic tic. It means The Noodles are Ready. Where? I don't know. Maybe at the end of the street. 

I'm looking forward to my fresh flowers in the morning already now.

Maeve in Cambodia

Here's Whom I'm working, volunteering for in Cambodia:

http://www.vannmolyvannproject.org/Home_Page.html

http://www.vannmolyvannproject.org/IMAGES.html

After an overnight sham of a bus journey form Koh Samui to Bangkok, we were dropped close to but not at the landmark Koh San Road at 5am. A torrent of taxi drivers tried to scam us into non-metered taxi's to here there and everywhere. Funnily enough when Amanda and I were in Bangkok, taxi's and tuk-tuk drivers often refused to take us to where we asked. If our money wasn't good enough for them then, it's not good enough for them now! (that's awful, they are pretty poor, bad Maeve).
So I walked a little bit with some other lost tourists, found a tourist bus to the airport for E3, instead of the E20 in a taxi. The first bus was leaving at 7am. A french guy and a girl were waiting too so I asked them if they wanted to play some pool. It got us over the language barrier and passed the time. It was neck and neck to the black ball everytime! Worthy opponents. One or two sneaky 'hand of God' hand balls was just pay back for you-know-what. They were French.

The waiting around the airport was fine except for the continuous urge to shop. I have no money. I have never had any money. Where does this 'Queen of Sheeba' attitude come from? Who knows. I fought my battle through duty-free and came out unscathed, wallet firmly closed.
Did I mention the 'Support' link on the Vann Molyvann project webpage for donations? Seriously. I love rice but for breakfast lunch and dinner. Oooh maybe I'll put some tomato ketchup with my rice for dinner and spoil myself.

Anyway, everytime I checked the big screen to see which gate I needed to go to, it changed. So I would walk down to F1 and then the screen would say E6. I'd trudge to E6 and it was F1. They'll mess with you mind those Thais. Mess with your mind. Luckily with my steely sense of what planes look like through windows I found it eventually at F3. A Russian Roulette style of airport experience. 


I have to thank my Mum and Dad for giving me the confidence for traveling alone so easily. When I was 16 they let me fly from ballet school in Lyon to meet them in Nantes. I felt so grown up! When I passed through the gates in Phonm Penh to see my tuk-tuk driver waiting for me with my name on a card, I greeted him with almost with the same elation as seeing my Mum and Dad in Nantes all those years ago. Off we whizzed to meet my new boss Billl Greaves at the storefront architecture studio. He is a lovely Canadian New Yorker. At the moment it's Bill, myself and two Cambodian architecture students working on surveying and drawing these amazing buildings. 
Some Finnish architects students were in town so we went to their exhibition where I met some lovely people. A Sweedish lady Freija gave me her card with the view to meeting up. She lives here with her sister while they run an Interior Design Business. Their last client was the Prime Minister's daughter so quite a La Di Da clientele. Another  'hot shot' Cambodian Architect gave me his card too. I better get some printed! Back of a beer mat, would that do? (refer to donations section earlier). It was a fun night and everyone seemed to LOVE living here. It's kinda skanky but it definitely has it charms. 
I have a simple ensuite bedroom above the studio. The boss lives on the ground floor, a motorbike driving archaeologist (complete Indiana Jones - 'I'm so sick of biking around looking at ruined temples!')and his family live above and a German couple on the top floor. Our neighbours are some locals and also some born again Christians who are trying to convert the tuk-tuk drivers to the one 'true' God. The Kymer heritage is so beautiful with it's mix of Hinduism and Buddism I cannot understand this. Why does charity always seems to come at a price? After the tsunami in Thailand certain religious organisations only offered support in exchange for conversion. Horrible.
(refer to donations section above) Only kidding.

Maeve:

So Amanda and I have separated. We'll have to split custody of our newly acquired pet Maingy Dog Ralph. I hope he is  not emotionaly scarred,  if even aware that we have left our honeymoon retreat Bo Phut Fisherrman Village, Koh Samui.

I am about to board a flight back to Cambodia. While in Pheonm Pehn a few weeks ago I made contact with a local programme to survey and document some FrenchCambodian Buildings in danger of demolishment.

The Vann Molyvann Project. Google knows it.

I scheduled a skype interview from Thailand and was asked to come and help. It is volunteer work but I have free accommodation above the drawing studio. I'm so happy and excited about it.

Boarding now. Missing Amannda and David. Life works in funny ways.

xx

Maeve

Koh Samui Pics

Hopping from longtail boat onto Krabi ferry mid-crossing

Ang Thong National Park

Vertical climb with a rope. Essential Health and Safety

Romantic Honeymooon dinner for Amanda and Maeve

 

I wanted to buy the monkey and set him free, only 800 Batt, but he would just run back to his owner for dinner!

Koh Samui - A fisherman's village & a speedboat

Koh Samui airport is so dinky. Upon arrival, a small and colourful train-like vehicle takes passengers from the plane to baggage claim. Maeve & I decided to stay in BoPhut while on the island. BoPhut is a little fisherman's village on the north-east coast of Koh Samui. We arrived at our accommodation, aptly named Eden, to find orchids strewn over our pillows and pretty flowers adorning the shelves. It was a far cry from our pixie-pad living arrangements in Koh Jum. So, delighted with ourselves, we headed out for dinner. We found a pretty restaurant over-looking the sea. It was ever so rosemantic, soft ballad music, candlelight, orchids bringing a pop of colour to every table. We came to the conclusion that we were in honeymoon heaven. After a lovely meal we decided to skedaddle into Chaweng (or as we like to say "schwing, Wayne's World, party time"). Chaweng is the biggest town on the island. It is well known for its nightlife. Maeve felt it was quite like Ibiza. We found ourselves a bar on the beach that had low-lounger-like-seating. A man walked past and put a monkey on my shoulder and said we could pay to have our pictures taken with it. Maeve was so upset for the little monkey; she asked the man if she could buy the monkey and set him free, the man said 8,000 baht.... I guess everything has a price. I told Maeve that the monkey would probably run back to the man anyway; the monkey still cuddled his owner and held onto him for protection. It's sad considering the man is cruel bringing a little monkey out to loud bars when all the monkey wants to do is sleep.

The following day we came across (our soon to be favourite restaurant) The Happy Elephant. This restaurant is amazing, beautiful dark teak timber, intricate stained glass chandelier, and an abundance of elephant themed decor. The staff are so helpful, happy, and polite. We loved the restaurant so much we actually bought their t-shirt! (no kidding). There was an elderly Thai man singing Elvis songs in the restaurant. Maeve and I put in a request for a couple of Elvis ballads. We clapped and smiled after he finished each song. He was delighted with our enthusiasm. He then broke into the Roy Orbison classic, Pretty Women, and was pointing at us and smiling. After he finished his set he came over and thanked us as it was his first night singing in the restaurant. 'Ah! Bless!

For our activity, we joined a tour going to Angthong National Marine Park. We had an early start and the itinerary included breakfast on the ferry. Maeve was up, eyes open, walking around but she really wasn't awake. The women can't function without breakfast, it's like breakfast is her batteries and she needs some battery fuel before her engine fires up. Two croissants, a banana, and two cups of coffee and bing... Maeve was awake! We met a bunch of Kiwi lads on the boat, they were similar minded and just laughed and joked and took the piss out of everyone. It was 8am and the guys were a barrel of laughs. A German was on the boat drinking beer for breakfast with the full Bayern Munich strip on, he was a sure target for ridicule. It was a fantastic day; we kayaked, climbed a 500m vertical height, and snorkeled. Did I mention we climbed a 500m vertical height..... I'm not kidding it was so difficult and dangerous. We had to hang onto a rope the whole way to leverage ourselves up. The climb got increasingly difficult as we got closer to the summit. Thankfully, we made it in one piece and the view was phenomenal.

We were due to travel to Koh Phangnan for the full moon party but we discovered we could stay on Koh Samui and take a speedboat to the party. We loved our honeymoon land so much we decided to stay. Lucky for us we did, as we met the loveliest couple that evening. Luke and Vicky are from Brighton. We were seated next to them for dinner. Maeve & I had decided to try a carafe of Thai white wine. We got what we ordered and it was utter plonk. I said we'll just pretend that it was the Australian wine we ordered and pour this muck back in the carafe. Luke was sitting beside us laughing, seeing the brazenness of our actions. We got our Australian wine and from there we struck up conversation with our new buddies. We all decided to meet at The Happy Elephant (but, of course) for dinner the next evening and then catch the speedboat to the Full Moon Party in Koh Phangnan.