“You falangs, you love sunset, you can't wait to see it! – for Cambodians its different. We are scared of them....When its dark we can't see what is out there. What is coming, creeping out of the shadows. The Khmer Rouge - they hide in the jungle, and when the sun goes down, they come out...”
April and Laura – my Ausse friends from the Elephant santuary have joined me on a day trip to discover what else this hidden little gem of Eastern Cambodia has to offer. Our guide – the ebullient Mr Sam is looking all boy about town, in fashionable denims, jaunty white baseball cap, and cheeky dimples.
Originally from Kampot, he moved here seventeen years ago when the Khmer Rouge were still hiding in the hills – coming down after sunset to car jack, rob and terrorise the locals. It is only very recently that proper road infrastructure was built to connect this province to Phnom Penh and the rest of the country – Mondulkiri, is as a result, still relatively undiscovered. Its beautiful, off the beaten tourist trail and the sunsets are awesome.
After the obligaory waterfall visit – we head out to
Macheting a papayaa rural village to see how the locals live. There are rice fields on either side of us gradually growing golden under the huge cloudless sky. Amongst the long shafts stand a farmer with his wife and young daughter. They have bags wrapped around their waist and are gently gathering the purses of seed that drip down the stems. This is spirit rice. Each little grain must be lovingly picked by hand out of respect to the spirit that dwells within. Its a long and arduous task, but so revered is this different type of grain - that no sicle or blade must come near.
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