poly-lanes and pseudo temples

okay so all of you who might have been worried that i wouldn't be able to brave a bike again (and sorry to all of you who had simply hoped i wouldn't) rest easy. i rented a bicycle early this morning for 2US and cruised around the city. literally all around the city. at first, i was mortally afraid of the steady flow of mopeds, motorcycles, tuk-tuks, buses, vans, dump trucks, and cyclotaxis. and then i sort of figured out the system of what i have dubbed the poly-lane. its so organized, and i was moving so slowly. the farthest area from the center of the road is reserved for those going against traffic: once you figure that out you're set. slower vehicles stay toward the right, and to cross the street or turn you just have to head steady in one direction and don't make any sudden moves. or else....SPLAT! its like a ginormous and neverending game of frogger.

so i cruised to several wats, and they were homesteads for many squatters, young monks, old beggars, and trash. lots of trash. the structures themselves are beautiful, but the city hasn't really had the time, money, or energy to preserve its landmarks. the city itself is the landmark.

everywhere i go i have a hard time not picturing the not so distant past when all of the streets were full of soldiers dragging people out of their homes and evacuating the city. THE ENTIRE CITY. the buildings and silent streets were left vacant for four years while pol pot et al redefined the society by destroying it.

i went to tuol sleng today, which was the main torture center for the khmer. it, appropriately enough, predated the prison as a primary school. the devices of torture, many skulls, some original beds, cells, and photos were on display. it was profoundly painful to see. the gallows are still intact. young soldiers used to hang prisoners by their arms upside down until they passed out and then dunk their heads in fish water to wake them up and commence interrogations. there is one mass grave on the site, but most of killing was donw in the fields, one of the main sites i'm going to go see tomorrow.

i really like this city. my hostel is kind of bunk, but i've made friends with some brits, a czech, and two security guards who fed me dinner last night.

i also went to the royal palace and silver pagoda which are odd replicas of bangkok's. the concrete, gray painted nagas are a sign of how new the history is.

funny moment of the day: a chinese family asking a monk to take their picture. he obliged, and i chuckled. other funny moment, all of the tuk-tuk drivers who are supposed to be notorious for heckling and following tourists around to offer them rides laughing at me incessantly for the bicycle. other funny moment: the backs of my hands are sunburnt. not so much funny as very strange looking.

so i'm headed to bangkok on tuesday, and then on to penang, and then back to singapore via the jungle line from khota baru in malaysia. i really love this city though, and plan to come back...