Trip to Phnom Tamao Wildlife Preserve

On Sunday we decided to get out of the city and go to the Wildlife Preserve that is nearby.  Because the driving here is CRAZY, Shawn drove with one hand on the wheel and one hand on the horn for almost two hours.  The trip shouldn't have taken quite that long, but we traveled 25 miles an hour the entire way for fear of killing someone.  As for the driving, there are no rules.  Well, there is sort of one.  If it's behind you, you don't have to worry about it too much.  But, you can pass on the right, or on the left.  You can form as many lanes as you would like, and drive into oncoming traffic if your lane is too congested.
There are very few stoplights, so if you need to cross a busy street, you don't wait for a break in traffic, because there are none, you just blaze on through and by the grace of God you don't get smashed...you're also in front of the oncoming vehicles, or motos (mopeds) so the "they're behind me (or coming toward me) so I don't worry about them" rule applies.  Because of the sheer nuttiness of the driving situation here, we've decided that we're going to have our guard also be a driver so that I don't have vehicular homicide on my conscience. 

So we made it out of the city and onto the dirt road that leads to the Preserve.  What we didn't know was that the road is lined with beggars.   So we turn on the road, then this woman stands up with a bowl of water and throws it in front of the car.  Of course Shawn and I wonder what in the world is going on.  About 20 feet or so past this woman, another man gets up, throws water in front of our car and holds his hands out.  I now have the giggles because we are so confused, and of course it was completely inappropriate to laugh.  Shawn is just driving along waving at everyone while I duck my head so I can't be seen.  All I hear is "what is going on?  Oh no, I think that man had leprosy.  Jenny stop laughing.  Do we stop?  Should we  hand out Oreos to the children? "  When I got it together and raised my head I saw what was one of the saddest things I've ever seen, and was very ashamed for laughing in the first place.  (To all my friends who are defending my behavior now, I know I wasn't laughing at the people, just laughing because of how very comfortable I was).  Anyway, all along this approximately two mile stretch were beggars.  They were about twenty feet apart on both sides of a dirt road.  The children were very young, and the elderly were very old and emaciated looking.  There was a blind woman who really just broke our hearts.  No one should have to spend their time doing this.  The children didn't bother me as much as the old people did.  I can't imagine Gaga having to stand on the side of a dirt road hoping for handouts so she can eat that day.  But, we ran the gauntlet and made it to the Preserve.

They have quite a few Sun Bears and have a project going to help save them.

We enjoyed getting very close to the elephant.  This one danced when they played music, and kicked a soccer ball, and took money and food out of people's hands.  I was very grateful we weren't trampled.

 

I had a death grip on Mattie's shoulder ready to jerk her to safety if the elephant went rogue!

Phoebe decided to take a walk with our guide.

The Buddhist monks liked the Preserve too!

Everyone loved the kids.  This is just one of many people who came up to the kids.  At one point Greta was passed around to about 10 people so they could take a picture with her.  She did well and didn't scream but a little! 

On the drive home we tried to take some cultural pictures so here are a few of them.  They didn't turn out as well as I would have liked, but I'm sure there will be plenty of time.

The meat stands lined the road for about a mile or so.

This guy wasn't even holding up traffic!

   This poor fellow was hanging on for dear life!  They were using all available for space for people and rice!

This picture was just so cute I had to include it.  On a Greta note, she took her first real steps today at Champs (the Gymboree guy).  She walked to me twice!  Then she ate an orange crayon and drooled orange all over herself.  Good times.