I realize that for most of this trip I have viewed this blog as a "travelogue." It was a journal of my outward experiences. As I reached a new place I described what I saw and how I felt about what I was experiencing. Now, being stationary in Chiang mai I have not seen many new things so i chose not to describe the experience I was having. What i have experienced here is not an external journey but an internal one. Sitting in contemplation has led me to experience that which comes from within me, or more precisely that which resides within me. With very few external experiences I have instead faced aspects and truths about myself on a daily, hourly and even minute by minute basis.
In reading the teachings of the Buddha I have come to understand the reality of "the hungry ghost." This is the part of me, and every person if you choose to beleive the Buddha, that desires ever more and more but can never be truly satisfied. Coming from a culture that tends to present me with the idea that "more is better," I never truly faced the reality of this ghost. Through daily meditation focused on mindfulness I have begun to grasp the reality of this ghost in my life. I have looked at that which I desire and realized that there could never truly be an end to those desires. Instead I have begun to learn to acknowledge these desires, accepting them as part of my natural self, and to simply let them be. No attempts to control them or satiate them, simply being aware of their presences and then practicing letting go of my desire to fulfill them.
Now I find myself in a constant state of relaxed acceptance. I can't begin to explain my personal experience of watching a desire or emotion come up, acknowledging it and then letting go. I still find myself amazed and a bit sceptical. How could i have always had this capacity for peaceful living and never truly found a way to experience it in my daily life? I am in constant thankfulness that I have begun to feel this lightness of being, slowly becoming free of so many jumbled, incessant thoughts.
During my trip it was often a ritual that I would arrive in a town and find a nice watering hole to get a beer and make friends. In fact one of the main pass times of travelers I found is drinking, especially (but not exclusively) among the younger generation. Yet since I have arrived in Chiang mai I have not had a drop of alcohol. This too has been a new experience on my journey. I chose to do this initially for my training, seeing alcohol as unneccesary and harmful to what I arrived here for. Now, more and more, I find that the urge to drink is reduced or nearly gone by simply allowing myself to be in the moment and experience what is really happening without clouding it with an intoxicant.
I don't write all of this to sound like i have all the answers, in fact I probably still have a million more questions compared to any answers. I write this to share what has transpired for me internally on this leg of my journey. Even my muay thai training has become secondary to the experience of just being. In fact, I find it easier to practice every day with this new found awareness. Before I might be tempted to compare myself to the others training at the gym or imagining what I was "supposed" to be experiencing or accomplishing. Now I am content to experience what is actually happening at the moment it is happening. I can listen to my body so much clearer without the constant drone of my own thoughts, desires, fears and ambitions. I find myself much more capable of enjoying, accepting and being part of the amazing experience I've been having.
Which leads me to a thought about what I have been experiencing at the gym. First, I have learned that a key element, if not the key element, of Muay thai is a strong body. I've learned a few new things technically speaking, developed a more balanced stance and so forth. What I've really learned is the simple fact that these kick boxers are is great shape! Of course there is strategy involved and little tricks to pick up but most of all the true power of muay thai comes from developing a body that is strong in all aspects. Developing strong muscles is only a part of this training. Flexibility, endurance, speed and rythm are equally developed, if not more so. I've really come to enjoy simply working out on a daily basis, something I often forgot or chose not to do in the past. The time at this gym has re-awakened a part of me that simply enjoys the act of developing myself as a whole person. Combine with that the new awareness I have gained internally and I think it's safe to say, "I will not be the same person I was when I left." Which, by the way, feels like a lifetime ago. In some ways, it may have been a different life.
On a different note, I am very excited for the next two days. I have to get my visa renewed before the 3rd of september or I will get a 500 baht($15) fine for every day I go over. In thailand that means you have to leave the country, get an exit visa, get stamped on the other border and return. Once at the border it only takes about 10 minutes. The problem most people have is getting to the border. Many people, even as far south as Bangkok, go to the town of Mae sai which is the farthest northern town in thailand. This border town sits across a small bridge from the Burmese border and only a few kilometers from the Golden triangle, where Thailand, Burma and Laos meet. From Chiang mai it is about 300 kilometers (180 miles) to Mae sai. I looked on a map and read a few reveiws that talk about driving a motorbike to this town. I've decided to take the Saturday and Sunday to go to Mae sai by motorbike. The ride will take me through mountain passes and small villages that rarely see tourists. Having come to love the experience of driving on Thai roads I look forward to this journey like you wouldn't believe. I will do in 2 days what I did in vietnam in four, so I might be a bit sore but no worse for ware.
Writing this post has been a new experience for me as well. I'm not ussually one to talk about what truly goes inside my head or heart with just anyone. Writing this has left me feeling very exposed yet I feel I have only spoken the truth and this knowledge makes the act much easier. Again, thank all of you who read this and have traveled with me through my journey. I am so thankful to be surrounded by all of the amazing people I am gifted to know. I cherish my loving family, friends, teachers and students. This journey has showed me what a gift it is to simply be around so many people of such great quality. Wish me luck on this last little leg of my journey and I'll post again soon, whether or not I've "done" anything. :-P
Namaste,
Adam
Friday, August 29, 2008
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
More training and a trip to Pai
Well, that knee problem I had got a bit worse last week as i was training and I was unable to continue running or jumping rope. Even today, a week later, I am restricted to just boxing and light kicking technique. The coaches are understanding and take it easy on my leg while demanding more from my boxing technique and power. Just yesterday I was in the ring with one of the coaches, Chelsea, who is a champion himself. As we were working on the simple technique of Jab-Cross he was yelling "no, more power. KNOCK OUT! KNOCK OUT!" It's a very intense way to train to say the least and I was drained by the time practice ended.
I am hoping to get a chance to practice clenching with the coaches after I saw what Be did in the ring. He fought last Thursday night at Thapae stadium and was scheduled to fight the next night as well at a different stadium. He wanted to finish the fight quickly so he would have energy for the next day. In the first round he went against tradition and came out strong and fast, as opposed to slow like most boxers do in the first two rounds. By the end of the first round he was rushing to the clinch again and again, driving his knees into his opponents chest with ridiculous speed and power. The bell rang and he barely took a break. As soon as the second round started he pushed his opponent into the corner and knocked him out from knees within 20 seconds. Afterwards he ran over to make sure his opponent was ok, paid his respects and checked if there was anything he could do.
Over the weekend I took Saturday and Sunday to drive out to Pai, 60 some miles from Chiang mai. The road to get there goes through about 30 miles of winding mountain pass with tight hairpin turns and mercurial weather. On the back of my little scooter I blasted into the mountains and had some of the most fun in a while. Going up hill my scooter was lucky to do 25 mph but coming down I would often end up doing 40 mph through tight corners. The best part was being able to stop when ever I wanted to take pictures, chill out and get coffee. I found a neat little cafe where i talked with the owner for an hour or more coming and going. We walked about his farm and his daughter who went to college in England. He asked me about home and I told him about the Northwest. Pai was a sleepy little town until recently but now expensive resorts dot the hill- and riverside. I found a little guest house out of the way that had every thing I needed, namely a bed and a shower. I took my time getting back Sunday, spending many hours up in the mountains and stopping at amazing vistas of the valleys below.
I am finally starting to upload pictures on Flicker.com. Just look for Adam shilling and you should be able to see some of my pictures. Sadly, the Internet is so slow that i can only get about 5 pictures on per hour and I have about 1000 in total. I will have to put the rest up when i get home but this should give you an idea of the beginning of my trip back in June. Anyway, I'm going to go get ready for more practice. My knee is no longer inflamed and I hope to be able to spend the last week going at full strength. Hope all is well and I'll write again soon.
Adam
I am hoping to get a chance to practice clenching with the coaches after I saw what Be did in the ring. He fought last Thursday night at Thapae stadium and was scheduled to fight the next night as well at a different stadium. He wanted to finish the fight quickly so he would have energy for the next day. In the first round he went against tradition and came out strong and fast, as opposed to slow like most boxers do in the first two rounds. By the end of the first round he was rushing to the clinch again and again, driving his knees into his opponents chest with ridiculous speed and power. The bell rang and he barely took a break. As soon as the second round started he pushed his opponent into the corner and knocked him out from knees within 20 seconds. Afterwards he ran over to make sure his opponent was ok, paid his respects and checked if there was anything he could do.
Over the weekend I took Saturday and Sunday to drive out to Pai, 60 some miles from Chiang mai. The road to get there goes through about 30 miles of winding mountain pass with tight hairpin turns and mercurial weather. On the back of my little scooter I blasted into the mountains and had some of the most fun in a while. Going up hill my scooter was lucky to do 25 mph but coming down I would often end up doing 40 mph through tight corners. The best part was being able to stop when ever I wanted to take pictures, chill out and get coffee. I found a neat little cafe where i talked with the owner for an hour or more coming and going. We walked about his farm and his daughter who went to college in England. He asked me about home and I told him about the Northwest. Pai was a sleepy little town until recently but now expensive resorts dot the hill- and riverside. I found a little guest house out of the way that had every thing I needed, namely a bed and a shower. I took my time getting back Sunday, spending many hours up in the mountains and stopping at amazing vistas of the valleys below.
I am finally starting to upload pictures on Flicker.com. Just look for Adam shilling and you should be able to see some of my pictures. Sadly, the Internet is so slow that i can only get about 5 pictures on per hour and I have about 1000 in total. I will have to put the rest up when i get home but this should give you an idea of the beginning of my trip back in June. Anyway, I'm going to go get ready for more practice. My knee is no longer inflamed and I hope to be able to spend the last week going at full strength. Hope all is well and I'll write again soon.
Adam
Monday, August 18, 2008
Lessons in and out of the ring.
A week has passed and I have some new insights into Muay thai as it's practiced in Thailand. I was talking with a German guy named Andy who trains here at the gym. He finished his service in the German military and has now spent two months straight doing muay thai. I say "straight" because he does all the classes and works out on the sunday off. Oh, I should mention he says all of three sentences in any training session, a man of few words. Anyway, I mentioned that my knee was really bothering me and he looked at me and said more than normal, "Something always hurts, that's muay thai here." How right he is. Now, as I talk to the other people training here, the general concensus is that something will always hurt. If my knee stops hurting then something else will start. I'm not saying all this to complain or sound tough. I just mention it to point out a huge flaw in the Thai system of training. They don't give the body enough time to heal and strengthen properly. This is probably why most fighters are at the end of their careers in their early twenties.
Still, I am having some of the best experiences every day. After 4 days of general conditioning I was put in the ring where the more experienced students train. I put on 16 oz gloves and shin guard while my coach put on a punching mitt, forearm muay thai pad and belly pad. We then went through basic combinations of punches, kicks, knees and elbows. They expect you to go at full strength on them and are rarely caught of guard when you inevitably make a mistake from misunderstanding them. Since the coaches speak "little English" and we speak "nee noy Thai" it's often a case of trial and air. Many times they will yell for me to do a combination and when I don't understand them, they will do the combination on me. I've now learned to cover my ribs and head even during a training session after the first couple kicks and punches landed with solid force.
After this training the coach often puts on gloves and shin guards and spars with me. The sparring is done lightly but with great speed and control on their part. If I land a kick or punch to hard they'll often smile a little and then rattle of a blinding combo yelling out the points they're landing on me. After the first few times like this I learned to respond as if it was real and have now seen some pretty cool combos from them. The better I defend the more creative and intense they get. I have no doubt that my form is better in even this short time and know by the end that I'll have added substantially to my own style as well as my understanding of strict Thai boxing as opposed to the more MMA style I'm used to.
Still, six days of boxing is monotonous and I took last Sunday to drive into the country side. I drove north about 50 miles to the tiny, teak wood town of Chiang doa. I traveled up into the caves set in the mountain (3rd largest in Thailand) and spent hours driving the back roads without running into a single Thai or tourist. The trip really rejuvenated me for the week and, even with the monsoon I drove through on the way home, my spirits were up from where they had been. I think it's important to change ones surroundings every so often to avoid getting in a mental, physical or emotional rut. Fortunately I am in a country that has breath-taking splendor within half an hour in every direction. This weekend I'm probably going to take an extra day to drive out to Pai to raft the river and spend some time hiking. I keep reminding myself that this is still my vacation and even though I'm training I still need to take this last month to really absorb the culture and landscape of this amazing country. Well, I'm going to go put some ointment on my knee and jog to get ready for class. I'll write again when I have something to say. Until then, I hope everyone has a great week.
Adam
Still, I am having some of the best experiences every day. After 4 days of general conditioning I was put in the ring where the more experienced students train. I put on 16 oz gloves and shin guard while my coach put on a punching mitt, forearm muay thai pad and belly pad. We then went through basic combinations of punches, kicks, knees and elbows. They expect you to go at full strength on them and are rarely caught of guard when you inevitably make a mistake from misunderstanding them. Since the coaches speak "little English" and we speak "nee noy Thai" it's often a case of trial and air. Many times they will yell for me to do a combination and when I don't understand them, they will do the combination on me. I've now learned to cover my ribs and head even during a training session after the first couple kicks and punches landed with solid force.
After this training the coach often puts on gloves and shin guards and spars with me. The sparring is done lightly but with great speed and control on their part. If I land a kick or punch to hard they'll often smile a little and then rattle of a blinding combo yelling out the points they're landing on me. After the first few times like this I learned to respond as if it was real and have now seen some pretty cool combos from them. The better I defend the more creative and intense they get. I have no doubt that my form is better in even this short time and know by the end that I'll have added substantially to my own style as well as my understanding of strict Thai boxing as opposed to the more MMA style I'm used to.
Still, six days of boxing is monotonous and I took last Sunday to drive into the country side. I drove north about 50 miles to the tiny, teak wood town of Chiang doa. I traveled up into the caves set in the mountain (3rd largest in Thailand) and spent hours driving the back roads without running into a single Thai or tourist. The trip really rejuvenated me for the week and, even with the monsoon I drove through on the way home, my spirits were up from where they had been. I think it's important to change ones surroundings every so often to avoid getting in a mental, physical or emotional rut. Fortunately I am in a country that has breath-taking splendor within half an hour in every direction. This weekend I'm probably going to take an extra day to drive out to Pai to raft the river and spend some time hiking. I keep reminding myself that this is still my vacation and even though I'm training I still need to take this last month to really absorb the culture and landscape of this amazing country. Well, I'm going to go put some ointment on my knee and jog to get ready for class. I'll write again when I have something to say. Until then, I hope everyone has a great week.
Adam
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Muay thai is hard. Period.
I'm sitting in an Internet cafe down the road from where I'm staying for the next month. I'm sore all over and looking forward to bed soon even though it's only 8:30 PM. Let me back up a little to explain how I got here, shall I?
When I arrived in Chiang mai on the night train I was just going into to my first day of antibiotics from something I'd gotten in Cambodia. I wanted to find the gym that Joel had told me about, Chay yai, and then rest for the weekend before training began. I got a tuk-tuk (after the usual 5 minute argument that $4 was to much for 6 km's) and he took me right to the gym. I use the term "gym" loosely, as it was really just an old boxing ring covered with a metal roof, with heavy bags hanging on metal bars in the open. I met the manager, whose name is pronounced noom, who was presently suffering from a head cold. He took me to a guest house and got me all set up with the owners for an extremely reasonable price (about $3 a day) and then got me a scooter so I could get around for the month. Then he told me he'd see me at 4 at the gym.
I went to the gym expecting to watch practice or maybe sign something but actually found myself trying on Thai shorts and soon I was jumping rope with the rest of the group. They use a rope called a "heavy rope," which lives up to it's name. Within 5 minutes I was having trouble keeping a rhythm going and my arms were killing me. I was then put through all the paces with a trainer for about 45 minutes straight, followed by 30 minutes on the heavy bag and then weight lifting and ab work. The only break I was given was when I would grab a little glass of water from the communal tub, rest for 20 seconds or so, and then jump back into the training. Since there are enough instructors to go around the 8 students I was never asked to hold pads for anyone. This is good in terms of quality and quantity of training and bad in terms of getting a chance to catch your breath. I was spent by the end of an hour and a half and did stretching and ab work until the end of class half an hour later. I repeated the process the next morning at 8am and between the two classes and my stomach trouble I was bedridden for the day.
The next day was Sunday and the gym is closed Sunday. I spent most of the day in my room, ill and broken. Since then things have gone up and up dramatically. I have been able to finish training sessions now and I'm beginning to acclimate to the level of work required for every class. The other students tell me that soon all of this will become rote, as every day follows the same pattern. I should say how grateful I am for the other students practicing here. Each one is extremely skilled and fit, most of them several months into training here in Thailand. Yet each one has reminded me to drop my ego and just work as hard as my body allows. They remind me that no one is watching me and that my training is my own, so don't worry about anyone else. It feels like being back at MKG with the sign that says "no ego" right at the top of the gym rules.
It is a little hard to go from traveling constantly with not a care in the world to staying in one place and training from 8am-10am and again at 4-6pm. In fact I was thinking about this today, my fourth training day, and asked myself what I would tell a student in the same situation. I realized that I had my goal laid out and the will to see it through but I hadn't yet asked anyone to support me in sticking to my goal. In my youth classes we call this person a "success coach." So I thought I would ask all of you wonderful people reading my blog to be my success coach. If you feel like it I would love to have some words of encouragement as the days go by and I keep trying to keep my spirits up. You can leave a comment on this site if you'd like or email me at abshilling@gmail.com. I love to hear from you guys at home and I know even a few words will push me on through a rough day of training.
As usual, I hope all is well at home and that everyone is happy and healthy. I'm gonna head to bed now since my eyelids are closing and my muscles are aching. Talk to you soon and look forward to hearing from you.
Namaste,
Adam
When I arrived in Chiang mai on the night train I was just going into to my first day of antibiotics from something I'd gotten in Cambodia. I wanted to find the gym that Joel had told me about, Chay yai, and then rest for the weekend before training began. I got a tuk-tuk (after the usual 5 minute argument that $4 was to much for 6 km's) and he took me right to the gym. I use the term "gym" loosely, as it was really just an old boxing ring covered with a metal roof, with heavy bags hanging on metal bars in the open. I met the manager, whose name is pronounced noom, who was presently suffering from a head cold. He took me to a guest house and got me all set up with the owners for an extremely reasonable price (about $3 a day) and then got me a scooter so I could get around for the month. Then he told me he'd see me at 4 at the gym.
I went to the gym expecting to watch practice or maybe sign something but actually found myself trying on Thai shorts and soon I was jumping rope with the rest of the group. They use a rope called a "heavy rope," which lives up to it's name. Within 5 minutes I was having trouble keeping a rhythm going and my arms were killing me. I was then put through all the paces with a trainer for about 45 minutes straight, followed by 30 minutes on the heavy bag and then weight lifting and ab work. The only break I was given was when I would grab a little glass of water from the communal tub, rest for 20 seconds or so, and then jump back into the training. Since there are enough instructors to go around the 8 students I was never asked to hold pads for anyone. This is good in terms of quality and quantity of training and bad in terms of getting a chance to catch your breath. I was spent by the end of an hour and a half and did stretching and ab work until the end of class half an hour later. I repeated the process the next morning at 8am and between the two classes and my stomach trouble I was bedridden for the day.
The next day was Sunday and the gym is closed Sunday. I spent most of the day in my room, ill and broken. Since then things have gone up and up dramatically. I have been able to finish training sessions now and I'm beginning to acclimate to the level of work required for every class. The other students tell me that soon all of this will become rote, as every day follows the same pattern. I should say how grateful I am for the other students practicing here. Each one is extremely skilled and fit, most of them several months into training here in Thailand. Yet each one has reminded me to drop my ego and just work as hard as my body allows. They remind me that no one is watching me and that my training is my own, so don't worry about anyone else. It feels like being back at MKG with the sign that says "no ego" right at the top of the gym rules.
It is a little hard to go from traveling constantly with not a care in the world to staying in one place and training from 8am-10am and again at 4-6pm. In fact I was thinking about this today, my fourth training day, and asked myself what I would tell a student in the same situation. I realized that I had my goal laid out and the will to see it through but I hadn't yet asked anyone to support me in sticking to my goal. In my youth classes we call this person a "success coach." So I thought I would ask all of you wonderful people reading my blog to be my success coach. If you feel like it I would love to have some words of encouragement as the days go by and I keep trying to keep my spirits up. You can leave a comment on this site if you'd like or email me at abshilling@gmail.com. I love to hear from you guys at home and I know even a few words will push me on through a rough day of training.
As usual, I hope all is well at home and that everyone is happy and healthy. I'm gonna head to bed now since my eyelids are closing and my muscles are aching. Talk to you soon and look forward to hearing from you.
Namaste,
Adam
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Thoughts on the temples
Just a quick update on my experience in Seam Reap visiting the temples surrounding Angkor Wat. When I first was told by others to visit Angkor Wat I thought it was a single temple but once I got there I found that it was a whole complex of temples, palaces, grave and other remnants of the ancient Khmer Empire. The most intriguing part of the temples was the mixture of Hindu and Buddhist statues and bas reliefs. This is due to the fact that for the first half of a millennium the temples were all dedicated to Hindu gods like Vishnu and Shiva. Later, as Buddhism was introduced, the temples were dedicated to Buddha. Yet they never removed the old Hindu parts of the temples and many temples, including Angkor Wat, have both influences throughout the halls and antechambers.
All in all I found that I really loved looking at the temples that were still consumed by jungle as opposed to the fully restored temples. Angkor Thom was fascinating in this respect because you walked through massive swaths of jungle as you traveled between temples within the complex. Angkor Thom was once a vast city that dominated the region, spanning many kilometers in every direction. It was hard to imagine the reality of this massive walled city containing a bustling and lively culture so long ago. It was easy to avoid other tourists in this area as I spent time walking through paths and around fallen monuments.
My driver convinced me to got o Angkor Wat to see the sunrise, saying I would avoid the later crowds. Sadly, every driver told their customer this and I found myself facing Angkor Wat with another 1,000 people waiting for the same thing. Once I'd snapped a few pictures of the sunrise across the reflecting pool I went inside to see what all the fuss was about. The whole time I looked around I found myself asking, "Is this it?" It was impressive in it's own way but I truly felt that it wasn't as great as it had been made out to be. Later i traveled to a temple that had great elephant trees growing through rock walls and temples. The sites were breathtaking and I clicked 4 times as many pictures of this small temple as compared to Angkor Wat.
The third day we got up early again but this time drove 50 miles out of the city to an old temple called Buenge Maele (sp?). This massive temple was still completely given over to jungle. My guide and I climbed over fallen walls, under vast tree roots and through old religious buildings and libraries. It took 45 minutes to traverse and I kept thinking of Indiana Jones as I climbed up crumbling walls into dry moats and old walk ways. In that whole time I saw only one other tourist, as opposed to the mass of humanity I had left behind in the Angkor Wat area. I realized that I enjoyed experiencing these kinds of places in solitude and silence. It allowed me to stop and truly marvel at the architecture and layout of these beautiful ruins. The silence was meditative and my minds slowed down as I let me self "be" instead of "do."
Anyway, that's the short description of what I felt about the Angkor Wat area. I took over 400 pictures in 3 days and I am currently working with my family to set up a flick'r account to show my pictures. Long story short, I can't use my credit card to do anything online because I no longer have a billing address while I'm away. So, hopefully, I will have this account set up sooner rather than later but who knows what other snags I'll run into. I'm writing this in Bangkok as I'm waiting for the screening of "The Dark Knight" on IMAX. In a day I will leave on the night train for Chang Mai to sign up for 30 days of Muay Thai madness. I'm a bit nervous because my level of conditioning is way down from where it was two months ago. No doubt the first time in the ring will show me how much I've lost in terms of stamina on this trip. Oh well, that's why I'm going there for intense training. Wish me luck!
Namaste,
Adam
All in all I found that I really loved looking at the temples that were still consumed by jungle as opposed to the fully restored temples. Angkor Thom was fascinating in this respect because you walked through massive swaths of jungle as you traveled between temples within the complex. Angkor Thom was once a vast city that dominated the region, spanning many kilometers in every direction. It was hard to imagine the reality of this massive walled city containing a bustling and lively culture so long ago. It was easy to avoid other tourists in this area as I spent time walking through paths and around fallen monuments.
My driver convinced me to got o Angkor Wat to see the sunrise, saying I would avoid the later crowds. Sadly, every driver told their customer this and I found myself facing Angkor Wat with another 1,000 people waiting for the same thing. Once I'd snapped a few pictures of the sunrise across the reflecting pool I went inside to see what all the fuss was about. The whole time I looked around I found myself asking, "Is this it?" It was impressive in it's own way but I truly felt that it wasn't as great as it had been made out to be. Later i traveled to a temple that had great elephant trees growing through rock walls and temples. The sites were breathtaking and I clicked 4 times as many pictures of this small temple as compared to Angkor Wat.
The third day we got up early again but this time drove 50 miles out of the city to an old temple called Buenge Maele (sp?). This massive temple was still completely given over to jungle. My guide and I climbed over fallen walls, under vast tree roots and through old religious buildings and libraries. It took 45 minutes to traverse and I kept thinking of Indiana Jones as I climbed up crumbling walls into dry moats and old walk ways. In that whole time I saw only one other tourist, as opposed to the mass of humanity I had left behind in the Angkor Wat area. I realized that I enjoyed experiencing these kinds of places in solitude and silence. It allowed me to stop and truly marvel at the architecture and layout of these beautiful ruins. The silence was meditative and my minds slowed down as I let me self "be" instead of "do."
Anyway, that's the short description of what I felt about the Angkor Wat area. I took over 400 pictures in 3 days and I am currently working with my family to set up a flick'r account to show my pictures. Long story short, I can't use my credit card to do anything online because I no longer have a billing address while I'm away. So, hopefully, I will have this account set up sooner rather than later but who knows what other snags I'll run into. I'm writing this in Bangkok as I'm waiting for the screening of "The Dark Knight" on IMAX. In a day I will leave on the night train for Chang Mai to sign up for 30 days of Muay Thai madness. I'm a bit nervous because my level of conditioning is way down from where it was two months ago. No doubt the first time in the ring will show me how much I've lost in terms of stamina on this trip. Oh well, that's why I'm going there for intense training. Wish me luck!
Namaste,
Adam
Saturday, August 2, 2008
The Cambodian experience
After that hastily written blog in Saigon I jumped on a bus to the capital of Cambodia, Phnom Phen. (seriously, I ran from the Internet cafe with about half an hour to pack and eat before the ride.) The crossing went by pretty smoothly. The border guards had a bag scanner like they do for airport security but it was more like "Use it if you want. Or don't. Just don't wake the sleeping guard." This pretty much describes the attitude of Cambodians and their police force.
I took the first 3 days to sit around. I did nothing and just let my body recoup after 3 straight weeks of traveling. I estimate (hastily) that I did 2,500 to 3,000 Km in that time and maybe more. The guest house I stayed at was on a lake and the living area was on stilts in the middle. We watched movies, listened to Ipod's connected to house speakers and generally hung out. I felt my brain start to come back together in that time and wrote copiously in my personal and creative journal, which was a relief after how much I had to think about and digest from the month prior.
For those who do not know, Cambodia is still recovering from a horrendous genocide that took place in 1975-1978. During this time a group known as the Khmer Rouge, led by Pol Pot, killed about a 1/3 of the population through torture, starvation and mass killing fields. He taught children to hate their parents and to be the agents of their demise. It is one of the most horrific things I have heard of and I was greatly affected when i went to view the memorial. The first stop was S-21, toul sleng prison. This is the high school turned prison that the Khmer Rouge used to torture, interrogate and execute an person that might disagree with what was going on. The whole complex is set up to show the surviving pictures of 16,000 prisoners and the conditions they stayed in. The peoples expressions in the photos ranged from scared and petrified to defiant and even humorous. To walk through three buildings covering one city block took me three hours.
We traveled to the killing fields next to see where the people were taken for mass death. We arrived at a tiny stretch of land sandwiched between a pasture for cows and field of rice. Nothing seemed odd or special about the place and it would be easy to miss if you didn't know what to look for. Once inside you see a monument standing 15 meters high. Within this hollow obelisk are the skulls of thousands found in the nearby graves. Many of the graves were no larger than two cars side by side and no deeper than the height of a post office box. In these tiny holes up to 1,000 men, women and children would be brutally killed and dumped.
Many of the Cambodians I spent time with would mention the experience they had with the Khmer Rouge in passing, as a detail of their life. Ra, the guest house owner, mentioned to me over a game of cards that his grandfather and father had been killed during those three awful years, while he ran to the countryside to hide as a Khmer farmer. A teacher, Mr. Chem, told us how his family was brutally murdered when he was 11 and how he grew up in the rice field. His story is truly amazing and very inspiring.
He was given an English-Khmer dictionary by another worker and told "read this if you want a better life." He had no idea why this was the case but chose to follow the instructions he was given. I should note that to be seen with this dictionary by a Khmer Rouge guard meant instant death, right there in the field. Well, he would climb a tree and read the words quietly and then practice saying them when no one was around. Over time he learned to speak a little English and became a Tuk-tuk driver in phnom phen. After 6 years of living in his tuk-tuk and working every day he had dilegently saved $350. He returned to his home in Takeo province and opened a Non-government organization known as E.T.O. He know teaches peasant children english and math for free. He estimates that over 3,000 children are currently enrolled. He has almost no money to pay teachers, so most are volunteers. He still travels to his rice paddies 20 km's away at 1 am to gather crops to sell for chalk and paper for students. He laughs often about his pronunciation of words, saying "I don't know, I just read in book, I don't know how you say."
The Cambodian people are an amazing and resilient people. After all they've gone through they are still the most playful people I have run into in SE Asia. They are eager to laugh, play fight, tickle and run around even during business and other "important" activities. They seem to recognize the need to have a young heart in order to get the best out of life. I am currently in Seam Reap visiting Angkor Wat. Today I went around looking at these 800 year old monuments and it is truly breathtaking. Even though enormous trees grow through some structures, others are still preserved as they were 8 centuries ago. I will let everyone know more about these when I blog again. I should be in Thailand by then, getting ready to travel to Chang mai to do Muay thai. To all of my students, I just want to let you know how proud I am of all of you. Audrey and Danny have kept me very up to date and it sound like everything is going well at the school. I knew I could count on you guys to show Audrey the same respect you give me. Here's a challenge for you though: I want you to show her more respect than you show me. While I go and learn respect for my Thai instructors I want all of you to show Audrey and Danny what you can do. To my family, I want to say thank you for the birthday wishes, the ones I received and the ones merely thought of. I love you all and hope everyone is well.
Namaste,
Adam
I took the first 3 days to sit around. I did nothing and just let my body recoup after 3 straight weeks of traveling. I estimate (hastily) that I did 2,500 to 3,000 Km in that time and maybe more. The guest house I stayed at was on a lake and the living area was on stilts in the middle. We watched movies, listened to Ipod's connected to house speakers and generally hung out. I felt my brain start to come back together in that time and wrote copiously in my personal and creative journal, which was a relief after how much I had to think about and digest from the month prior.
For those who do not know, Cambodia is still recovering from a horrendous genocide that took place in 1975-1978. During this time a group known as the Khmer Rouge, led by Pol Pot, killed about a 1/3 of the population through torture, starvation and mass killing fields. He taught children to hate their parents and to be the agents of their demise. It is one of the most horrific things I have heard of and I was greatly affected when i went to view the memorial. The first stop was S-21, toul sleng prison. This is the high school turned prison that the Khmer Rouge used to torture, interrogate and execute an person that might disagree with what was going on. The whole complex is set up to show the surviving pictures of 16,000 prisoners and the conditions they stayed in. The peoples expressions in the photos ranged from scared and petrified to defiant and even humorous. To walk through three buildings covering one city block took me three hours.
We traveled to the killing fields next to see where the people were taken for mass death. We arrived at a tiny stretch of land sandwiched between a pasture for cows and field of rice. Nothing seemed odd or special about the place and it would be easy to miss if you didn't know what to look for. Once inside you see a monument standing 15 meters high. Within this hollow obelisk are the skulls of thousands found in the nearby graves. Many of the graves were no larger than two cars side by side and no deeper than the height of a post office box. In these tiny holes up to 1,000 men, women and children would be brutally killed and dumped.
Many of the Cambodians I spent time with would mention the experience they had with the Khmer Rouge in passing, as a detail of their life. Ra, the guest house owner, mentioned to me over a game of cards that his grandfather and father had been killed during those three awful years, while he ran to the countryside to hide as a Khmer farmer. A teacher, Mr. Chem, told us how his family was brutally murdered when he was 11 and how he grew up in the rice field. His story is truly amazing and very inspiring.
He was given an English-Khmer dictionary by another worker and told "read this if you want a better life." He had no idea why this was the case but chose to follow the instructions he was given. I should note that to be seen with this dictionary by a Khmer Rouge guard meant instant death, right there in the field. Well, he would climb a tree and read the words quietly and then practice saying them when no one was around. Over time he learned to speak a little English and became a Tuk-tuk driver in phnom phen. After 6 years of living in his tuk-tuk and working every day he had dilegently saved $350. He returned to his home in Takeo province and opened a Non-government organization known as E.T.O. He know teaches peasant children english and math for free. He estimates that over 3,000 children are currently enrolled. He has almost no money to pay teachers, so most are volunteers. He still travels to his rice paddies 20 km's away at 1 am to gather crops to sell for chalk and paper for students. He laughs often about his pronunciation of words, saying "I don't know, I just read in book, I don't know how you say."
The Cambodian people are an amazing and resilient people. After all they've gone through they are still the most playful people I have run into in SE Asia. They are eager to laugh, play fight, tickle and run around even during business and other "important" activities. They seem to recognize the need to have a young heart in order to get the best out of life. I am currently in Seam Reap visiting Angkor Wat. Today I went around looking at these 800 year old monuments and it is truly breathtaking. Even though enormous trees grow through some structures, others are still preserved as they were 8 centuries ago. I will let everyone know more about these when I blog again. I should be in Thailand by then, getting ready to travel to Chang mai to do Muay thai. To all of my students, I just want to let you know how proud I am of all of you. Audrey and Danny have kept me very up to date and it sound like everything is going well at the school. I knew I could count on you guys to show Audrey the same respect you give me. Here's a challenge for you though: I want you to show her more respect than you show me. While I go and learn respect for my Thai instructors I want all of you to show Audrey and Danny what you can do. To my family, I want to say thank you for the birthday wishes, the ones I received and the ones merely thought of. I love you all and hope everyone is well.
Namaste,
Adam
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