Experiencing Cambodia

I’ve always wanted to travel around the world and see different places. When I was younger, I would think of the different kinds of jobs that would allow me to travel and work at the same time without having to spend too much. However, when I entered GMA, I put my traveling desire aside because I knew I would be too busy for it. To my surprise, my current career apparently does have opportunities to take me outside our country.

Just recently, I was invited to Cambodia because Sana ay Ikaw Na Nga was going to be dubbed then aired in its biggest TV network. They wanted me to promote the upcoming show and take part in the festivities of their 10th year anniversary. Basically, I was going to have my own segment in their anniversary event and do a plug shoot along with some interviews. Those were my only work-related obligations spread out over four days, which meant that I’d have enough time to go around and be a tourist.

To be honest, even before we got to Cambodia, I was already enjoying myself. We were given business class tickets on Royal Thai Airways and that was the first time I would be able to sit in that part of the plane. I always wondered what the seats were like and why they cost three times more than economy class. I’m also a big fan of airplane food so I was excited to experience business class meals in a world-class airline. As expected, it didn’t disappoint. We were served multi-course meals on the plane rides before and after our layover and I really enjoyed the extra legroom. It’s definitely a more comfortable way to fly but I’m not sure if it’s worth the price.

When we finally arrived in Cambodia, I immediately noticed that the weather was similar to Manila. It was 8 p.m., the moon was up but the air was quite warm and humid. On the road, I couldn’t really tell the difference between the Philippines and Cambodia, save for the difference in language on the signs and billboards. One striking observation, however, was that they drove extremely slow. Of course, that’s a relative statement because of the utter chaos we have on our own highways, but in Cambodia, I never saw people speeding past 60 kph. It was a very laid-back pace, which was in stark contrast to what we have here. I asked around and they don’t even have speed limits! They just simply drive slowly.

For lodging, we stayed at the Raffles Le Royal, which was clearly one of the better accommodations in their country. What I liked most about it was that it wasn’t trying to be glamorous and eye-catching. The theme of the hotel was inspired by the culture of the Cambodians and it gave it so much character. There were a lot of wooden accents and carved patterns. The building itself wasn’t even a high-rise as it had just three floors. Actually, around the city, most buildings displayed a theme grounded on their culture. It gave the place a sense of identity and that set it apart from its neighboring Asian countries.

On that note, I slowly noticed the other subtleties that differentiated Phnom Penh from our own Metro. Aside from the apparent lack of skyscraping buildings, there would always be parks and Roxas Boulevard-style sidewalks in almost every city block. That made for a very spacious and comfortable city. It was nice to see it because during sunset, everybody would come out and enjoy the open areas. I could only wish that there were places like this to enjoy in Metro Manila.

As for the Cambodians, they just might give us a run for our money when it comes to being hospitable. I know we’ve carried that flag around for a while, but the way we were treated in Cambodia was exceptional. Their personality was very subdued to the point of being slightly shy but their respect for others was very evident.

Lastly is the food. It’s easy for me to say they have weird kinds of food with their various bugs — caterpillars, spiders and other creepy crawlers — but then again, we also have our own exotic items, too. Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to try them out but everybody there seemed to like it. One aspect of their cuisine that I did enjoy was their curry. In our last meal, they laid out a multitude of curry dishes and it was heavenly! Also, just like us, they are a fruit-loving country. In the side streets and restaurants, there are all sorts of fruits available and I got to see some that we don’t have here in the Philippines.

All in all, I’m really happy with my Cambodia trip. I got to experience a place with such a unique culture and at the same time, I got some work done. I appreciate how much love the Cambodians have shown us Filipinos, as well as the TV content we’ve produced. I think it won’t be my last time visiting that country. Also, I have to go back because I wasn’t able to visit the iconic Angkor Wat. Until next time!

(For comments/suggestions, e-mail me at [email protected]. Follow me on Twitter @mikaeldaez.)