Going to the ocean

Cambodia is such a beautiful and amazing country!  The road to the ocean was bumpy then smooth and bumpy again.  There was a sea of rice fields, water lilies and more rice fields.  As we drove, mountains appeared on both sides.  They were spectacular to say the least.

The first stop of the day was at a mountain where we went through a cave.  It is known here as Kompong Trach Resort.  It was by far the worst road we have travelled on yet.  I think we all flew off our seats at one point.  As we pulled up, we were greeted by a bunch of kids with flashlights.  They said they would guide us through the cave.  Upon entering the cave, we saw formations of stalagtites and stalagmites.  They formed various images, a turtle, an elephant, an eagle, a dragon and a Buddha image.  The guides were pointing out the bats and Annie and Sara said no thanks to that one.  As we climbed back outside, we were at the base of the mountain.  There were many rocks of mica there.  The crystal formations are a beautiful amber color.  We each are bringing some home with us, our own piece of Cambodia.

Back on the road again, the mountains just grew in shades of green and then you would see sections of brown on them in various locations.  They are being stripped down.  It appears that the Chinese have bought rights to some of the mountains to take away the stone.  It was sad to hear this.  Not only does it take away from the beauty of the mountains and change the habitat of the wildlife but it also affects the environment.

We reached Kep and saw the ocean.  In actuality it is the Gulf of Thailand.  The first order of business was to have lunch and a bathroom break.  After lunch we walked across the street and walked into the water.  Ana and Maddie went swimming while Annie waded in the water.  The girls found some shells and a tooth of an animal there to bring back also.

The drive back was on a different highway.  We saw Bokor Mountain.  This is the second highest mountain in Cambodia.  It was just breathtaking.

We drove through Kampot.  They are know for the best fruit in the country and for their pepper.  This is where the kampot black pepper is grown.  We are bringing some back to use in our Cambodian cooking.  Another thing we saw was the salt factory.

Coming back to Phnom Penh it was the end of the work day.  The factory workers were coming back home.  They ride in the back end of an open truck, standing up and packed together like sardines.  Another travel option is in and on a van.  People sit on the top of the van as it goes down the highway.  There are no OSHA or transportation laws against it.  We knew you wouldn’t believe this so we took photos for you.

We went out to dinner with Yoen, Nevy and their three sons, Hong, Har and Hai tonight.  The boys wanted burgers and pizza.  Everywhere we went, they were packed and you couldn’t get in.  After going to the second mall, we were able to get in at Lucky Burgers.  They had everything there, fried chicken, hamburgers and pizza.  It was like McDonald’s, Pizza Hut and KFC all rolled into one.  We had ice cream in waffle cones and cups for dessert.

Heading back to the hotel was a trip and a half.  Yoen is the best driver in the world and has the patience of a saint!  Traffic was so heavy and people were driving in and out.  The people that were really moving were those on motos.  As we passed by Diamond Island, we saw that they were having a concert.  People were everywhere.  The police confiscated seven motos and were hauling them off.  The reason for the unbelieveable traffic is that everyone was trying to get to the water front as they are having fireworks this evening.  Our hotel is having a big celebration.  We are watching it on TV and hearing it out our window.  The girls have already fallen asleep but we will wake them up to watch the fireworks from our room.

We wish you all a Happy New Year as 2011 counts down!

                                            The awesome mountains

                                      Buddha shrine inside the cave
                            
                                               The Gulf of Thailand

Factory workers on top of a van

Heading back to the hotel was a trip and a half.  Yoen is the best driver in the world and has the patience of a saint!  Traffic was so heavy and people were driving in and out.  The people that were really moving were those on motos.  As we passed by Diamond Island, we saw that they were having a concert.  People were everywhere.  The police confiscated seven motos and were hauling them off.  The reason for the unbelieveable traffic is that everyone was trying to get to the water front as they are having fireworks this evening.  Our hotel is having a big celebration.  We are watching it on TV and hearing it out our window.  The girls have already fallen asleep but we will wake them up to watch the fireworks from our room.

We wish you all a Happy New Year as 2011 counts down!