Deep Breath

 After my funk of last weekend, I'm happy to say that my sense of adventure was rekindled. It helped that Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday last week were local holidays and so I had ample opportunity to get out and explore. 

What holiday, you might ask? Pchum Ben, or Ancestor's Day, is a Buddhist holiday wherein Cambodians make offerings to monks and/or directly to their ancestors. My language teacher here had me read an article about the history of Pchum Ben, and it surprised me: it's a story of a famous monk who went to Hell, threw down a flower that turned into a floating conveyance for him that sped so quickly through Hell that the breeze cooled and protected him, and spoke to the suffering denizens of Hell. He asked how he could help them, and they asked that he tell their living families to send food and good wishes to them to alleviate their suffering. 

Tuesday

I slept in, and then made a little wandering plan for myself: looking at Google maps, I decided to explore the green strips of park near my apartment. Turns out these, parks are long wide boulevards of white pavement and strips of grass, very few trees, and some lovely monuments. I must have wandered for about an hour, reading inscriptions and peering at the stores across the street on either side. Finally, when the heat became too much and my clothing damp from sweat, I headed towards a cafe that a friend told me was lovely. It was across a tree lined side street from a temple complex, and boasted air conditioning that made me smile. Backyard Cafe has vegetarian and vegan options, as well as some meat dishes, and plenty of smoothie options. 

I sat for awhile just soaking it in, before a text message alerted me that a neighbor and friend of mine had seen me enter the cafe from his perch on the upstairs balcony. I joined him there and we chatted, watching a brief rain swing through as we sipped our cold drinks and I ate a salad. 

After walking home, I relaxed for the rest of the day: watching tv, reading a book, and napping. For dinner, I joined a few of my single friends for dinner at a steak restaurant called Mara Steak, Wok and Roll. I had beef lok lak, a local dish that includes chunks of beef in a tasty gravy. It was nice to socialize, but boy oh boy was I ready for bed that night!

Wednesday

After a night of sweaty sleep (my ACs stopped working), I rousted myself early to go for a bike ride with friends M&M, who bike a lot and even have those fancy pedal-click shoes. 

We rode to Big Silk Island, where I took in the views of Cambodians dressed in clean, bright clothing and going to the local wat or pagoda with their canisters of rice to make offerings to the monks. It was quite something to see - festive and happy. 

About twenty some-odd miles later, I got home and took a long cold shower and a nap. In the evening, I joined some newly arrived colleagues for dinner at Khmer Surin, where we enjoyed Cambodian food and an open air second floor all to ourselves. 

Thursday

The ACs were working so I had a good night's sleep, thank goodness. I awoke feeling like a nice breakfast out, so off I went to La Croisette, which is located right across the street from the river. There I enjoyed the view from the plant be-decked terrace and a plate of eggs, toast, and prosciutto-topped arugula salad, along with a smoothie. 

Next up was a wander up the riverside, checking out passing boats, a festive atmosphere of Cambodian families out for the last day of Pchum Ben, picnics, and sunshine. I kept walking, stopping to chat with a American jazz musician and, later, a Cambodian woman who wanted to practice her English. I continued north until finally, the heat won and I caught a tuk-tuk home. 

After a few minutes of cooling off, it was time to change into a swimsuit and head over to Plantation, a hotel nearby that has a lovely oasis of trees, cabanas, and a pool. There I spent four glorious hours, swimming, nibbling, reading, watching a rain shower blow through, and chat with some friends that had the same great idea I did. 

All in all, it was an excellent couple of days. I found my sense of adventure and was nice to myself, and feel like I've got my groove back now. Thank goodness!