It’s not all about sight seeing when we travel.
What I really love is those colourful sparks from the combustion of different cultures as people mingle.
During my stay in Cambodia, there were times when a few funny incidents left me growing roots to the ground or chuckling away by myself on the tuk tuk.
You Good!
I was done with the sunset at Pre Rup.
As I crossed the road to look for Soc Phean, I saw him chatting with another tuk tuk driver. Both of them flashed me that famous ‘Cambodian grin’.
I whipped up my happiest grin back at Soc Phean and his mate. I was really happy, for the sunset at Pre Rup is oh-so-satisfying!
And without a word, I started climbing into the tuk tuk.
His mate started laughing. “No! No!”
Then I realized I climbed into the wrong vehicle. Soc Phean, who was already ahead, turned back in amusement.
Those who knew me since young know that I have this nickname “Big Head Prawn“. That in mandarin or Cantonese refers to someone ultra blur.
That’s me. And this trait has been with me even today.
That kind tuk tuk friend of Soc Phean walked me to the Real McCoy. All of us couldn’t stop laughing.
“You good!” Uncle Tuk Tuk lifted up his thumb at me.
I thought he was teasing my blur-ness.
“You good too!” I teased back. “Maybe you give me good discount, I sit in your tuk tuk!”
“No, you good!” he repeated again a few more times. This time, another tuk tuk driver joined us. I started to feel a little baffled, not sure which gist have I not gotten right.
“What is good? Pre Rup? Yes, very very good!” I returned with a sincere compliment.
“He meant to say you are very beautiful.” Soc Phean was chuckling away at our conversation.
“Your driver loves you!” The second tuk tuk driver looked at me cheekily.
“Really? But he was always late!” I wanted to say “I love my driver too!” but I thought it could sound too cheesy. I held back my tongue last minute and diverted to a mean tease instead.
All of us laughed.
“Bye!!” I waved at the two tuk tuk drivers as Soc Phean and I rode off in the earthy, reddish gold of the sunset.
I dunno what’s the definition of beautiful’ in Cambodian culture because I am certainly not by our oriental standard. I read somewhere that the Apsaras are supposedly very beautiful. Maybe with my flat nose and slight angular face, I reminded them of an Apsara??
I dun mind having that figure of the Apsara though ;P
Why do Asians love to be cute?
I met Christine from Munich during breakfast in the guesthouse cafe. Finally I see a lone traveller and decided to ‘pounce’ on my victim…initiate a conversation and make some friends.
Turned out that Christine was very interested in humanitarian work and so I invited her to join me and Aris from Concert Cambodia at our dinner discussion.
After our dinner, we went off to do what girls need to do – shopping!!
We checked out the Night Market. There are so many handicrafts and beautiful souvenirs.
The vendor was cajoling me over a cute Betty Boob purse when Christine asked me as a matter-of-factly,
“Why Asians always love to be cute?”
Seriously, I was caught off guard. Maybe even a little embarrassed.
“Ermm…I dunno….maybe because of the influences from Japanese ”kawaii” pop culture?” Inwardly I reckon I am guilty of trying to be “kawaii” as well, even at this age. Guilty as charged. *Blush*
Where is Singapore?
Once more I played the ambassador of Singapore.
While there has been increasing number of visitors from Singapore in Cambodia these years, the proportion is relatively smaller compared to tourists from other nations.
I was waiting for my food at the guesthouse cafe when the waitress came over to chat with me.
“Where are you from? China?”
“No, Singapore”
“Ooohhhh…..!”
I smiled. Nice to be acknowledged.
“Is it part of Malaysia?” She asked kind heartedly.
I nearly flipped on my seat. But years of training in China has taught me well about one thing – Singapore is really not that well known.
Yup, not well known to even our S.E.A. neighbour as I can see now, as much as our government likes to publicise that we are World No. 1 in just about everything.
“No, it’s a country by itself.”
“Owww….” Her eyes glazed over, stupefied by the thought that Singapore is actually a country. “Where is that?”
“It is in this region. We are at the southern most tip of Malaysia.” I drew an imaginary map in the air for her, tracing along Cambodia to Vietnam, Malaysia, then finally Singapore.
“I seeeeee…..!” She exclaimed in her Cambodian accented English and thanked me for the information.
Yup, one more person in this world knows the existence of Singapore now all because of me. ;P
Singapore…..where?
Hey babe, I think the “kawaii” look was created by men for women to seduce men! Got a feeling that there are a lot of men with hidden paedophilic tendencies in Asia .. you know.. a lot of men “hunt” for under-aged n virgin gals all over Asia .. all the way from Batam to Singapore to india, china and of cos, where the “kawaii” culture originates.
Hmm…interesting insight! Wouldn’t it be interesting to dig further into this kawaii culture? Who knows, we could even write a thesis on the pretext of anthropology!