The Jungle Invades

Even though my hotel is a nice one, I still find a variety of different types of bugs in my room every day as my room opens to an outdoor corridor. Geckos dart in to feast on the small black crickets that know no boundaries. Smoke from adjacent property seeps through the cracks in the old wood door, and I have one coughing fit a night, brought on by a combination of dust and smoke. I don’t really mind, just have to remember to keep my bag zipped but I appreciate the mosquito net provided, keeps all the critters off me at night!

At the temples, kids selling postcards, scarves, water and books keep their eyes peeled for foreigners and assault the tuk-tuks as soon as they pull up. Yesterday I succumbed to a tiny girl selling bracelets woven from bamboo. She gave me a big smile and made me a deal, in English.

I have noticed that a lot more people here in Cambodia speak English than in Thailand, using tourist areas as comparison. Like Burma, people seem to like to practice their English; in Thailand, Ed said that given the option, Thais would rather speak Thai.

Another day of looking at ruins and temples, appreciating the art and architecture. Mr. Mean, tuk-tuk driver (yes, that’s his name but he is very nice and it is pronounced “min”), suggested that I visit the Cambodian Cultural Village, which turned out to be a flop. Stage shows and fake rocks, miniature replicas of temples and a wax museum. Not my thing.