Broken....

Well my spirit ain't broken, but stuff has been falling apart the last couple of days.  Let's see, I lost my camera case and my $1 plastic flute yesterday at Angkor Wat.   The zipper to the pocket of my guitar case is now broken, though since the case is always pretty much upright, shouldn't matter too much.  More importantly, I got some bad vibes at the place I was staying, and it might have to do with an interaction from a couple of days ago.  These new folks showed up and they were talking with their tuktuk driver about making plans for a ride the following day.  He quoted them an exorbitant price and the girl looked at me with an unspoken question in her eyes.  I slowly shook my head 'no' and rolled my eyes.  The driver didn't see me do it, but must have had a sense of what was going on and he gave me the death stare..''don't fuck with my business',  western devil.  He drove off eventually and I waited til he was gone before explaining a bit about prices, distances etc.  When you don't know what's up, they will take advantage.

Next day, the older lady behind the desk is giving me the death stare as well, as they're all in cahoots, the drivers bring the tourists, they get a piece of the action, we're the marks.  Today she tells me that I have to check out at 12 because they have a tour coming in and they need the room.  (I've been staying in a double room for $8).  I don't really believe her, she seems like a bitch, but fuck it, I'm out of here.  Certainly not gonna argue to stay in a place that isn't feeling right.  Moved down the street for a little less of a room at the same price.  It's fine.

Then I'm trying to send a message on Facebook to the Double Dutch girls for a dinner meeting tonight, and I'm in the internet cafe and my Facebook is totally stalled, totally slow.  I'm looking around and everybody else is just cruising along on Facebook, but I can't hardly move.  Tried a different computer, same same... Goddam!.  Eventually I got the message off and got out of there.  The series of annoying events seems like some kind of a sign, so I figured it's time to step back and write, and here I am.... at a different internet place.  Feels better, the price is right and maybe things are turning....

The Double Dutch girls are these two women I met in Chiang Mai two years ago.  They are these really tall women, each about 6'2, best friends (perhaps more than that, I don't know), and we had fun with the guitar and music at Dash Restaurant in Chiang Mai.  They travel a lot as well, and as it turns out, we're both in Siem Reap at the same time, so we'll have some dinner tonight and catch up.  Looking forward to that.

I'm at the place where I'm wanting to make contact with new people... Why sit alone at dinner when there are plenty of folks in a similar situation, and I think it's time for me to initiate the 'hey would you like to have dinner together' conversation.  I was looking around for a likely target last night without success... could be a man or a woman, doesn't matter, I'm just ready to try and reach out in that way.  But tonight, I've got the Double Dutch women, and I think we'll go dutch.  Now if we can just find each other when the time comes...

I like Siem Reap, though the tourism is pretty intense.  Angkor Wat was a zoo of Japanese and other groups and it makes it a little less awesome when there are so many people around.  Then again, there are plenty of places to get away, and groove on the incredible art and architecture in the jungle.  One of my favorite parts was walking through the jungle between temples, few people around, jungle sounds, lots of bird calls, incredible old trees and then you come upon a temple built in and around them.  A treat!

One of the temples was the location for a famous scene in the Lara Croft Tomb Raider Movie (which I didn't see), but the scene was just fantastic.  I took many pictures and I look forward to uploading them when the opportunity presents itself.  I got several taken of me, and I'm thinking 'album cover'.  (there great ancient backdrops and beautiful light).  If only I wasn't an old dude, but oh well...

Mornings are sweet here, as are the evenings.  Midday is pretty darn hot and I'm tending to lay low during that time.  I have my guitar with me, and after this, I'll go sit in the shade by the river and make some music.  

There are many folks trying to make a living off the tourists at Angkor Wat.  Kids come up to you with postcards, scarves, little carvings and the like, and the scripts is always the same.  Hello Sir'.... you want postcards, 10 for one dollar.... 'no thank you'  Please sir, can you help me....'sorry, no'.  You want water?.. No, I have water... ''  Maybe later, OK?... ''no thank you'' .  Over and over and over...  I'm nice, I want to help, but it's never ending... Part of the deal here.  

Feeling pretty good now, got my Asia body on, breathing well, still able to move around pretty good.  Nice being on a bicycle but you have to pay pretty good attention.  People coming from every direction, turning in front of you, coming on the wrong side of the street, chaotic but it works.  The key is to be clear with your intentions, make your move strongly and it works out.  If you're indecisive, that's when the problems start.  Kinda like life, I suppose.  Make a strong move.