As my partner-in-musical-crime returns to Cambodia to teach, collaborate, and share music, I find myself gazing westward to that magical place that has changed my life forever.... I realized that I never shared any stories from my last trip with my online family yet - so it's time to correct this!
This was my third trip to South East Asia and it was the first time I had flown across the Pacific alone. I met a really lovely girl around the same age as me on my connecting flight from Taipei to Phnom Penh. It was her first time leaving North America, so I happily volunteered to show her all the best places in the city. We became instant friends :)
Now that I've been three times, settling in is very easy.... Besides, life in Phnom Penh is out of this world: Linda (my musical partner-in-crime) and I make our coffee on our hotel roof top garden, then we walk to the music school and often pick up a fresh coconut or a croissant for breakfast.... we practice and rehearse and teach until the mid-day heat is upon us, then its time for a tasty lunch, maybe a dip in the pool, a happy-hour cocktail, some reading time, and/or a nap!
The evenings are spent rehearsing, organizing the teaching/rehearsing/workshops/concerts for the following days as well as checking out lots of local events to support the growing arts scene. We went to the Phnom Penh International Film Festival as well as the International Jazz Festival - within the same week! We also got to see the Cambodian Space Project live (Linda got a video, I'll see if I can convince her to upload it...). I've got to learn one of their songs!!
Now that I've been three times, settling in is very easy.... Besides, life in Phnom Penh is out of this world: Linda (my musical partner-in-crime) and I make our coffee on our hotel roof top garden, then we walk to the music school and often pick up a fresh coconut or a croissant for breakfast.... we practice and rehearse and teach until the mid-day heat is upon us, then its time for a tasty lunch, maybe a dip in the pool, a happy-hour cocktail, some reading time, and/or a nap!
The evenings are spent rehearsing, organizing the teaching/rehearsing/workshops/concerts for the following days as well as checking out lots of local events to support the growing arts scene. We went to the Phnom Penh International Film Festival as well as the International Jazz Festival - within the same week! We also got to see the Cambodian Space Project live (Linda got a video, I'll see if I can convince her to upload it...). I've got to learn one of their songs!!
 | We even went out for a night of caroling in the neatest little corner of town known as Basak Lane. There is a new choir in town called "Cambodia Sings" and they are welcoming of new singers of all shapes, sizes, abilities, and voice types. I sang along :) |
There are so many moments that are simply too beautiful to put into words.... If you're curious, ask me about the "White Building" next time we're in person and I will happily tell the tale.
Linda flew home to Vancouver on Christmas Eve and on Christmas Day I flew from Phnom Penh to Yangon to be greeted at the airport by my wonderful guitarist friend Charlie - my cello even arrived in Yangon with me this time!! (Last year, I was given the worst scare of my life when I got to the luggage claim... It showed up the next day, but that was one of the worst nights of my life.)
I opted to stay at a hotel very close to the music school and I was so glad I did. Every morning I made my coffee in my room, then took the 5 minute walk to the music school, saying hello and "Mingalaba!" to faces that became more and more familiar each day. Charlie and I had a concert to do on the fourth day after my arrival so we set to work right away rehearsing each others songs, putting together a program, inviting friends, and sound checking at our venue.
I opted to stay at a hotel very close to the music school and I was so glad I did. Every morning I made my coffee in my room, then took the 5 minute walk to the music school, saying hello and "Mingalaba!" to faces that became more and more familiar each day. Charlie and I had a concert to do on the fourth day after my arrival so we set to work right away rehearsing each others songs, putting together a program, inviting friends, and sound checking at our venue.
The rest of my time in Yangon was spent making new friends and catching up with old friends. I taught a few lessons, coached a chamber orchestra, and jammed, but everyone at the Gitameit Music School in Yangon is so friendly, it just felt like I was hanging out with friends all day.
The pagoda across the street was having a week-long festival which I checked out numerous time with my friends. The festival had two or three dangerous-looking carnival rides (I did not partake), Burmese street food (so tasty!), and stalls selling everything from toys to incense, clothes to woven mats, baskets, pottery, and numerous other goods and wares.
On two separate occasions Charlie and I took public transit downtown. Once to go see Star Wars, and the other time we went to explore and find the Pansodan Art Gallery (run by a friend of a friend - I had to check it out!). It was my first time on Burmese buses, and I have to say - it was pretty cool. The "seat" was a mere plank of wood and I had to hold on to dear life the whole way, but for $0.20 you can't beat the price! A truly authentic Burmese experience!
My last day in Burma was New Years Eve and it came way too fast. I hardly got to see everyone that I needed to see and I didn't get to spend nearly enough time with everyone. I don't have any photographic evidence, but my New Years Eve was really quite special. I didn't have plans so I just hung around the music school waiting to see what people were up to. A few of my musical friends were packing up their instruments and I asked where their gig was because I'd like to check it out.
"It's too expensive," they said "you won't want to come"
"How much are tickets?" I asked, I could afford to splurge once, right?
"Over a hundred dollars...."
Whaaaaaa!? I couldn't believe it - $100 in Burma is a LOT of money.... But then, we had an idea!
"Why don't you grab your cello and join our band? You can just jam along!"
Aaaaaaand that's exactly what I did! We rolled up at a fancy downtown hotel, unloaded our gear, sound-checked, then got to help ourselves to some seriously fancy buffet! We played until the count-down, had an absolute whale of a time, and then I had to get home (my flight to Chiang Mai was leaving at 7 am the next morning).
The pagoda across the street was having a week-long festival which I checked out numerous time with my friends. The festival had two or three dangerous-looking carnival rides (I did not partake), Burmese street food (so tasty!), and stalls selling everything from toys to incense, clothes to woven mats, baskets, pottery, and numerous other goods and wares.
On two separate occasions Charlie and I took public transit downtown. Once to go see Star Wars, and the other time we went to explore and find the Pansodan Art Gallery (run by a friend of a friend - I had to check it out!). It was my first time on Burmese buses, and I have to say - it was pretty cool. The "seat" was a mere plank of wood and I had to hold on to dear life the whole way, but for $0.20 you can't beat the price! A truly authentic Burmese experience!
My last day in Burma was New Years Eve and it came way too fast. I hardly got to see everyone that I needed to see and I didn't get to spend nearly enough time with everyone. I don't have any photographic evidence, but my New Years Eve was really quite special. I didn't have plans so I just hung around the music school waiting to see what people were up to. A few of my musical friends were packing up their instruments and I asked where their gig was because I'd like to check it out.
"It's too expensive," they said "you won't want to come"
"How much are tickets?" I asked, I could afford to splurge once, right?
"Over a hundred dollars...."
Whaaaaaa!? I couldn't believe it - $100 in Burma is a LOT of money.... But then, we had an idea!
"Why don't you grab your cello and join our band? You can just jam along!"
Aaaaaaand that's exactly what I did! We rolled up at a fancy downtown hotel, unloaded our gear, sound-checked, then got to help ourselves to some seriously fancy buffet! We played until the count-down, had an absolute whale of a time, and then I had to get home (my flight to Chiang Mai was leaving at 7 am the next morning).
Needless to say by the time I got to my layover in Bangkok I really needed a coffee. Going through security I met a guy from Paris, we went to grab a coffee and he was kind enough to rescue me when the cashier scowled at my American cash (I didn't have any Thai currency yet). Merci mon ami!!
When I landed in Chaing Mai I was invited to stay with some friends of Linda's that run a resort just outside of the city. Nothing could have prepared me for the paradise that I found myself in.... I was besides myself with gratitude and determination to make good use of a very profound, deep, and peaceful space. Every day I did yoga, practiced my French, practiced my cello, swam in their pool, did my physio exercises.... I was very well behaved!!
There are two pictures of their property in the gallery above - can you tell which one is where I stayed and which ones are the Queen of Thailand's? I'm not joking!
I had five glorious days in Chiang Mai, three of which were spent on a little rented moto, driving around through the back roads, checking out buddha after buddha, pagoda on top of hill after pagoda on top of a hill. It was glorious - no map, no phone, no one with me - just the road, a helmet, sunglasses, and an adventurous spirit.
From Chiang Mai I went back to Phnom Penh for three super-short days where I caught up with Kate, my friends at the music school, and a wonderful Cambodian film maker named Polen Ly. He had emailed me months prior asking if he could use some of my music in one his films. Yes! I said, you can click here to see the trailer and click here to help them fundraise to make it a reality. We finally got to meet in person and had a really lovely Vietnamese dinner on my last night in Cambodia...
Alas, it has now been nearly two full months that I have been back in Vancouver and my heart aches for the countless people that I have been fortunate enough to make friends with. I very much look forward to returning this winter, maybe this you'll come with me...?
Feedback is always appreciated, write me any time - clara [at] sidewalkcellist.com
When I landed in Chaing Mai I was invited to stay with some friends of Linda's that run a resort just outside of the city. Nothing could have prepared me for the paradise that I found myself in.... I was besides myself with gratitude and determination to make good use of a very profound, deep, and peaceful space. Every day I did yoga, practiced my French, practiced my cello, swam in their pool, did my physio exercises.... I was very well behaved!!
There are two pictures of their property in the gallery above - can you tell which one is where I stayed and which ones are the Queen of Thailand's? I'm not joking!
I had five glorious days in Chiang Mai, three of which were spent on a little rented moto, driving around through the back roads, checking out buddha after buddha, pagoda on top of hill after pagoda on top of a hill. It was glorious - no map, no phone, no one with me - just the road, a helmet, sunglasses, and an adventurous spirit.
From Chiang Mai I went back to Phnom Penh for three super-short days where I caught up with Kate, my friends at the music school, and a wonderful Cambodian film maker named Polen Ly. He had emailed me months prior asking if he could use some of my music in one his films. Yes! I said, you can click here to see the trailer and click here to help them fundraise to make it a reality. We finally got to meet in person and had a really lovely Vietnamese dinner on my last night in Cambodia...
Alas, it has now been nearly two full months that I have been back in Vancouver and my heart aches for the countless people that I have been fortunate enough to make friends with. I very much look forward to returning this winter, maybe this you'll come with me...?
Feedback is always appreciated, write me any time - clara [at] sidewalkcellist.com
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