Last Day

Sunday, December 4, 2005
The Final Day
After finishing Jam Strip yesterday which was attended by more people than previous times, this morning was the meeting with Mr. [Lim Vanchan] Chan, Director of Reyum Art School, for the next year’s cooperation plan. Then I went shopping; it made me regretful that I could not buy more good souvenirs. Therefore, after my program in Phnom Penh, I just made documentation. I had to copy photos CD and burn mini DV into CD until the late afternoon. From 5:00pm till night, John and students were preparing a party of “Farewell Boat Trip for Beng” along the river.




Oh! I felt very excited. When do I have such an occasion again? Although I may have some mistakes or shortages in my work, I wish the person who can continues this program to do better than I did.

I would like to deeply thank Arts Network Asia for supporting everything, and John Weeks for his effort in comics and his house I disturbed. Thanks Samphos, Jane and Vuth for tour guiding. Also gratitude to Linda for exhibition place and gift, and to The Book Foundation for presentation occasion at Java Café. Moreover, I would like to express my acknowledgment to Rattana and Try Samphors for helping teach me Khmer literature and food at Lire En Fete, and to other Khmer artists and friends, the Indonesian ambassador Sasha Stephen, Miss Novi, Mr Wahyu, Mr Vannak, Mr Dimas Hary and Mr Maher. As well to Lulu Ratna, my boss, Aie for big support, my friend Zarki for translation, all film and comics producers for allowing to be shown and exhibited, Ministries of Culture and Tourism for recommendation, both direct and indirect attendees to this project. See you next time with Comic Traveling continually.

Capek

Saturday, December 3, 2005

It is really not regretful at all to come to Siem Reap; how wonderful it is! Especially the Angkor Wat temple with the mixture of religions—Hinduism and Buddhism. But we could visit just only 3 temples because the Angkor area is too large and there are a lot of temples so we just chose special temples, which are easy for us to visit.

At night we went seeing Khol drama similar to Indonesian drama (Wayang Kulit), which has screen and leather figures. The difference is in no color and no joint performance with human dancing.



[Cambodian Living Arts]

During the return, I called at the house of Sasha, English artist living in Cambodia for 5 years. I arrived in Phnom Penh at 2:00pm and went to my accommodation, had a meal and took a rest. I can not write much due to exhaustion. In the late afternoon there is the final Jam Strip meeting at Book Federation. Tired now; any time left for tourism? Hee hee...

Foto Siem Reap

Srah Srong



Ta Phrom




Angkor Wat


Bayon


Tags: Cambodia,
Indonesia,comics,komik

Siem Reap

Thursday, December 1, 2005
Siem Reap province
Just arrived in Siem Reap province, the largest Angkor area but not had an opportunity to go there. We took 6 hours by bus to arrive but we were a little tired because we had taken rest on the way. There are beautiful landscape and high houses; hence they reminded me of the time when crossing from Sumatra island of Indonesia to Johor of Malaysia, it is almost the same in tropical forests and high houses. The difference is that in Sumatra we cross hills and lakes but here there are not mountains and hills because they are plain areas; and there are a lot of Buddhist monasteries.

Now we get ready for dinner. During lunch break on the way, we hardly ate because John felt uncomfortable with pork we requested fried rice with beef. Using Khmer language, John asked a waiter whether it was pork or not; the waiter replied yes. John let him take it back but someone nearby (at the same table), who can speak English a little, said that was really beef. Maybe John asked by using Khmer language with California accent so the waiter listened wrongly. Finally we decided to eat there. There was a kind of funny food, i.e. fried cricket; but it is fairly delicious despite eating with fear. Did perhaps I had no choice but to eat fried cricket? However, it was better for me than pork. Thanks a lot, John! (Sorry for two weeks with no pork.)