Wednesday, June 07, 2006
tomb raiderokay. it's time for the Cambodia story i mentioned in the previous entry.
first of all, i loved Cambodia. it made me feel like Angelina Jolie. haha. well, not the big boobs and the pouty lips, the affinity for all things Cambodian. there's just something about the whole place that really makes you catch your elusive soul.
so we were walking around Angkor Thom when it began to rain like crazy. i mean cats and dogs and goats crazy. when it rains as hard as that, even the huge, 50-foot trees towering around like temple guardians won't provide enough shelter for you. and so, we went around in the rain like maniacs, looking for shelter until this Cambodian family running an open-air yet roofed tiangge shop somewhere close offered their closed shop. so there we were, listening to the angry rain on their plastic roof. it was kind of awkward since we couldn't talk all that much with them. we were just there, waiting for the rain to stop, glancing every now and then at the family, feeding their small baby. after a while, i decided to look around their small, dark shop. i decided to buy a few things. it was the least we could do. haha. after around 20-30 minutes, the rain still wouldn't let up and our car was nohwere to be found, and so, the family offered to let us use some of their umbrellas to get to our car. but in the moment, our car suddenly pulled over right in front of us. haha. what luck. but then again, i may be sentimental and cheesy, but i'm grateful for the kindness offered to us by that family. haha.
this was one of the kids of the Cambodian family, dancing in the rain.okay, so the next day, we were going around one of the other temples around the area when i decided i was exhausted and sat down. out of nowhere, as if a ghost, this little girl comes out and starts selling me some bracelets. she was quite persistent even though i told her i didn't want any bracelets. she was smart and could speak english well. after a few minutes of small talking with her [apparently, they're all taught how to ask "where are you from, sir?" to be able to relate with their customers better. marketing strategists, these kids], she opened up her little bag and produced a small piece of paper with a drawing of the cambodian flag on it, she handed it to me and told me i could have it for free. well, after that, i just had to buy her bracelets. i didn't have any money at the time so i told her that i'd look for my dad and then i'd come back for her. i promised her that i'd buy her bracelets. i guess she figured a lot of other tourists use that line to get little-girl-souvenir-sellers away from them. she walked away. haha. and so, after obtaining a dollar [yes, i didn't even have a dollar with me], i searched the temple for the little girl. the look on her face when i found her and bought her bracelets was priceless. haha. argh. umm. yeah. once again, i know it's nothing much, but it's these little things that get to you, you know?
the little girl
so there it is. two short chapters from the book of my adventures in Cambodia. a lot more happened, of course. more rain. elephants. shows. blessings and prayers from a Buddhist monk. lots. bottom line, did i find my soul during the trip? did i complete the change? well, i was able to do a LOT, and i mean A LOT of thinking during the trip [and just as much writing].
pages filled.so yes, i think i was able to see myself from another standpoint. a glimpse of my soul. it's like you're given ten thousand pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. and they're yours in the most random, messed up manner ever. you have no idea what you're trying to make. but then, you still try to piece it all together. suddenly, even though no form has taken, some divine intervention tells you what the big picture is. so now, you can't see it, but you know what it is. and you still hafta work on it. so now, i guess can see the big picture a lot more clearly. haha.
piece by piece baby.
the adventure ended at 8:54 PM
