A Death in the Family

We have a new roommate and a day off. Sandra has joined us from England by way of several small islands in Thailand. She will teach some yoga at the studio and do some work at an orphanage. Her tales and pictures of Thai islands have added them to our December travels.

I propose we hire Tsang to take us to Phnom Chisor, about 50 km south of the city and the Tamao Animal Sanctuary, a kind of zoo for animals rescued from poachers and more natural disasters.

Phnom Chisor is an ancient wat atop a small mountain (about 500 steps up) over looking the Tonlé Bassic, one of the three rivers that meet at Phnom Penh, and a lake, Tonlé Om. This is a glittering, silver strip to the southeast of Phnom Chisor, but described as a sacred pond. The view is spectacular, of rice fields, water, and palms. As we’ve seen before, the hilltop is a combination of ancient ruins and modern wonders. There is a functioning temple beside the ruins, and the usual accompanying monastic infrastructure. There are three or four small shrines, sleeping quarters, a large gold reclining buddha sheltered by a roof and one solid wall, a kitchen, a DJ stand with MP3 player and a monk “spinning platters,” locals selling food, pop, juice, and beer. And concrete benches donated by a group in Canada.

The concrete steps up have been finely illustrated by school children. Drawn into the concrete when it was fresh are pictures of tigers, monkeys, elephants, alligators, airplanes, ninja warriors, and princesses.

On the climb up the stairs my camera begins to die. It has died before, which would make it a remarkable living thing, but it is merely a typical modern electronic device. Several times in Cuba it has given up on life. The humidity fries its circuitry. And while it has recovered from its Cuba deaths, once it required surgery in Mississauga. Since arriving in Cambodia I have been anticipating this day, and am really quite impressed with how long it held out. This, I am sure, is the end of it. It has been emoting badly over the last few days, and while it has temporary moments of lucidity, after each it settles into a worse state—as illustrated.

There will I fear be few photographs of the remainder of our trip.