Copyright 2005 -- Rachel Saunders
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The Road to Udong--> Previous --> Next --> Home --> More Adventures --> cambodia Index |
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May
11th, 2005: |
| Journal
Continued: The kids spoke enough English to ask us our names, ages, and origin. They knew enough to answer the same questions about themselves. I later took a series of photos of the flag waving in the wind. The kids heard my camera snapping away 5 pictures a second and they started giggling away. Then Cristel and I did a series with the kids where they did cartwheels, danced, jumped around, and more. Then they would excitedly run over to see the outcome of the photographic series. In each series that got more and more creative and more and more excited. Laughing, falling down with giggles. |
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Journal
Continued: Akbar's tomb was quite peaceful and very pretty. It is made of white marble and red carved sandstone. It isn't on the super tourist route so I guess I was one of the few visitors in a while. But this is the sort of flexibility that I have with my own driver. I can stop whenever I like. |
Above: A full view of Akbar's tomb. It was originally designed by Akbar himself, but the plans were altered considerably by his devout muslim son Jehangir.
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Left: Contemplating life no doubt, two gentlemen sit outside of the tomb amongst the pleasant grounds. : |
| Right: A closeup
of a baby monkey who resides full time on the verdant grounds of Akbar's
tomb. Not a bad place to grow up... |
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Right: A closeup
of a baby monkey who resides full time on the verdant grounds of Akbar's
tomb. Not a bad place to grow up... ce to grow up... |
| Left:
Contemplating life no doubt, two gentlemen sit outside of the tomb amongst
the pleasant grounds. |
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Left: Contemplating life no doubt, two gentlemen sit outside of the tomb amongst the pleasant grounds. : |
| Right: Bayon
at Angkor Thom A closeup of a baby monkey who resides full time on the
verdant grounds of Akbar's tomb. Not a bad place to grow up... |
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Left: Contemplating life no doubt, two gentlemen sit outside of the tomb amongst the pleasant grounds. : |
| Left: Contemplating life no doubt, two gentlemen sit outside of the tomb amongst the pleasant grounds. : | 
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| Left:
Contemplating life no doubt, two gentlemen sit outside of the tomb amongst
the pleasant grounds. : |
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Left: Contemplating life no doubt, two gentlemen sit outside of the tomb amongst the pleasant grounds. : |
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Left: Contemplating
life no doubt, two gentlemen sit outside of the tomb amongst the pleasant
grounds. : Right: Terrace of the Elephants A closeup of a baby monkey who resides full time on the verdant grounds of Akbar's tomb. Not a bad place to grow up... |
| Right: Monks
day out. A closeup of a baby monkey who resides full time on the verdant
grounds of Akbar's tomb. Not a bad place to grow up... |
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Left:
Terrace of the Elephants A
closeup of a baby monkey who resides full time on the verdant grounds
of Akbar's tomb. Not a bad place to grow up... |
| Left:
Terrace of the Leper Kings |
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Left: Terrace of the Leper Kings |
| Journal
Continued: Later, Cristel and I followed the sound of more giggles to a bright yellow school where the children were running wild in the playground unsupervised by any teachers or adults. We walked into the playground and the children surrounded us smiling and laughing. We walked over to the classrooms where the older kids were seated, waiting patiently for their teacher to return from the siesta. We walked in and started talking to the kids. They were so respectful and answered our questions, read from the blackboard what was written up there, translate what they could. Meanwhile, the younger kids were peeking through the window, listening intently to all we had to say. |
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Left:
Terrace of the Elephants A
closeup of a baby monkey who resides full time on the verdant grounds
of Akbar's tomb. Not a bad place to grow up... |
| Journal
Continued: They also posed for heaps of pictures. They were literally falling out of the windows of the classroom, hoping to get in the picture. Each one wanted to see their digital photo on the back of my camera. I need to make some prints and send them to the school. That is my next challenge ;-). The school was low tech. They had their desks, the chalkboard, and their notebooks. Yet, the children were serious, respectful and ready to learn. The teacher hadn't even arrived and all of those ten year olds were already seated, waiting for their teacher. |
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Journal
Continued: The younger kids, who don't have class in the afternoon, would peak through the window... but would stay quiet. In fact, there wasn't even glass in the window, and the children in the class wouldn't be distracted. It was amazing. It reminded me of my conversation with this Brit who spent a year teaching in Thailand. He said he liked teaching, but could never do it in England because the students had no respect. Well, he might like to teach in Cambodia. It is like some episode of "Little House on the Prairie." |
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Continued: What made the visit to the school even more poignant, was that it was situated just a hundred feet away from the killing fields. The children's laughter dominating the silence of the dead, as if to say... "Life goes on." Yes, life does go on, and these smiling, happy children, who were straight down to business when their teacher walked in, suggest a bright future for Cambodia. At least, I hope so. |
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Left: Terrace of the Leper Kings |
| Right:
Ta Keo A
closeup of a baby monkey who resides full time on the verdant grounds
of Akbar's tomb. Not a bad place to grow up... --> Previous --> Next --> Home --> More Adventures --> cambodia Index |
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