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Where in the world is Little Henry? . | .
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![]() Maybe if I wake this guy up, he will know how it works? |
![]() He sometimes sells the whole coconut, but usually people ask him to chop off just the top so they can get the sweet juice out. He is very skilled at this. As you can see he has already prepared a lot of the coconuts by cutting away most of the outer husk around the top. When there is an order, he lays the coconut on its side, one quick chop with his chopper and straight through the shell, neatly cutting a little scallop lid off the top to put the straw into. It is called tuk daung. The juice of the coconut. |
![]() These guys try and cram as much onto the motorcycle as they can. They are hired by other people to deliver goods around town, so the more they can carry, the more they can get paid. So this man has put a few extra boxes between his legs and over the handlebars. This pushes the knees out a bit and makes it hard to use the brakes, but hey, who's stopping anyway? |
![]() You have to watch the trunk though, he likes to explore with the tip, especially small things. He is looking for bits of food I think. The mahoot feeds him mainly on sugar cane and that gets a bit monotonous. The trick with elephants is not to be on the ground when they are around, espcially when you are my size! |
![]() This is the rambutan seller. She walks the streets all day with her basket of fruit on her head. If you want some, just call her over and she takes it down and lifts up a bunch and tells you her price. I think you are supposed to act surprised and tell her a lower price. This goes on for a bit until they agree to swap fruit for money or else she puts the basket back up and keeps going. The trick here is not to get sold along with the fruit! |
![]() On top of the hill is a stupa - that's the grey thing in the background. And beside it (behind the tree) is the Wat Phnom wat (or pagoda). Lots of cheeky little monkeys live in the trees and are always messing about. But they don't eat grass, so there is plenty for me. Go to top of page |
![]() This trolley man is alright, but a little bit slow and he seems to complain a lot. I can't understand most of what he says, but there is something about a camel and some straw...but I've searched the load and I can't see any straw anywhere. He must be dreaming about another life. I wonder why he doesn't have a motorcycle, like the other guys? |
![]() Dried fish are a very common food source in Cambodia. They are dried right out and sometimes salted as well, and so they can keep for many months without refrigeration. But it takes a lot of work. The drying takes several days, so you have to take them in and put them out again daily, and if it looks like rain, you have to take them in again.... I think I'd just eat them fresh. |
![]() When the people give something, they do a little chanting, nod their heads and head on out. I've figured out the coloured robes all right, but I have to get one of those cute little yellow umbrellas, the sun is so hot here. They even walk barefooted, like me! But I have to study the way they stand, it looks hard. The way this guy splays his feet out - ow, I don't think I can do that without dislocating something.... When they get back to GHQ (that's general headquarters) - it is a pagoda! And all these other guys, all dressed the same, have been out all doing the same thing - there's plenty of food. So, they put it all together and share among themselves and to the people who did not go out and to some students living at the pagoda too. I found out these guys are called monks. I wonder if they are related to monkeys? |
![]() I'm not a turtle. I might end up as someone's pet. Yerrgh! Or worse - in the soup! Go to top of page |
![]() But what sort of paradise is this, where you can just walk outside and pick the fresh fruit straight off the tree? And if you are not picking it yourself, someone will walk past the front gate with fruit in a basket balanced on their head and will gladly sell it to you at a very reasonable price. This does, indeed, seem to be a land of plenty. Why then are the people described as poor? What more could they want? Can you see me? |
![]() Also in the oxcart is a lot of grass he has cut during the day for his cows to munch on when they get home to rest for the night. Luckily he doesn't travel at night, he has two heads at the front but where are the headlights? |
![]() It's up the front end. |
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![]() They might have their own flock and all, but I am not sure that they are supposed to fraternise with sheep.... |
![]() They call it Angkor Wat. I said 'What?" Yes, Angkor Wat. |
![]() Even the windows. Although this one is broken. Let's see, there must be a cricket ball here somewhere.... |
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![]() Would somebody get me down please! |
![]() Even when you are polite, they don't say anything. But you would think that after 900 years in the one place, that they would know their way around. This is one of the demons guarding the south entrance to Angkor Thom and the Bayon - one of the quiet ones. |
![]() I stood back a bit when the cleaver was produced, I can tell you. |
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![]() The outer wall you can see here in miniature is really a rectangle that is 215 metres by 187 metres! |
![]() Since my shroud was getting a bit too hot to wear here, I have opted for the local fashion which is a scarf that they call a kramar. A kramar is a very useful thing. It can be used to cover your head to keep the sun off. You can tie it around your neck. You can tie it over your shoulder and carry things in it. You can wear it like a skirt. You can wrap it in a tight knot to put on top of your head to balance a tray. You can even clean the floor with it, blow your nose on it.... |
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![]() This is the naga. Luckily it is mythological (that means that it is not real) and it is often used on very decorated buildings and was used often in the temples at Angkor Wat. This one is guarding the steps leading up to the pavilion that is used for dancing. But there were no dancers there today. Go to top of page |
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![]() I wonder if they would give me a job? |
![]() Well, I listened for a while and I heard my name mentioned but I also heard the words 'go away' mentioned too, so I am not sure where the sentiments lay exactly. Her real job is to pray for the protection and preservation of the palace. But who could she be praying to? It can't be the christian god, because the country is Buddhist. Yet, it can't be Buddha either because his teaching does not contain any reference to treating him like a god. Maybe it is just a recognised action whose purpose is immediately obvious. It's obvious to me, I'm off. |
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![]() Maybe if I knew what it said I might learn something? Perhaps I could learn to read it? After all, if a ten-year old Cambodian can read it, why can't I? |
![]() In order, they read 's', 'h', 't', 'k' and 'l'. They are pronounced as 'saw', 'haw', 'taw', 'kaw' and 'low'. The Khmer language has 33 consonants in its alphabet. |
![]() These ones are pronounced as 'say', 'sai-i', 'sew', 'sou' and 'sow'. The Khmer language has 23 vowels in its alphabet. |
![]() The numbers one through nine, then zero. |
![]() If you show this to a Cambodian, they will be able to say 'Little Henry', almost perfectly! |
![]() I'd really like some of that lettuce. I'm getting hungry. What? I have to pay for it? I can't beg unless I'm poor, handicapped or a monk? Well, I don't want to be poor and I don't want to be handicapped if it means stepping on a landmine, so I'll to look further into this monk business. |
![]() This pagoda is well protected by a line of devils and a naga. I should be safe here. Go to top of page |
![]() I wonder if the recruiting officer is in...? |
![]() Do you like my new outfit? Now I can get some lettuce for free. I wonder if there is anything else I have to do? Maybe a bit of study, learning all those chants and some meditation - that should be alright. |
![]() What an easy life. I might just stay here.... |
![]() But whatever I do, or whatever you do with your own lives, just remember - it is a jungle out there! Bye from me. It's been fun. Go to top of page |
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