This month the Cambodians
celebrated Pchum Ben, also known as Ancestors' Day or 'Hungry
Ghosts Festival'. It is a 15-day Cambodian religious festival.
In Khmer Pchum means 'to
gather together' and Ben means 'a ball of food'. Pchum Ben, also called
'Brochum Ben' is the most important festival in the Khmer religious calendar.
The day is a time for Cambodians to pay their respects to their ancestors of up
to seven generations.
The Pchum Ben festival
dates back to the Angkorian period when the people of the area followed animism
(the belief that natural objects, natural phenomena, and the universe itself
possess souls.). Eventually animism was replaced by Buddhism as the prominent
religion in the region, however Buddhism and animism both emphasised respect
for ancestors, so the ancient customs of Pchum Ben continued and flourished
under the newer religion.
It is said that on the
first day of Pchum Ben, the gates of hell are opened and the devil releases all
the ghosts, some of who are ancestors of the people.
There are four different
kinds of ghosts released: those who eat blood and pus, burning ghosts who are
always hot, hungry ghosts and the Pakrakteaktopak Chivi, who can receive food
through the monks.
The first three types of
ghosts cannot receive food from their relatives until their sins are reduced to
the level of Pakrakteaktopak Chivi.
For the first 14 days of
Kan Ban, people will take turns offering gifts of food to the monks in their
local pagoda, with the hope that their offering will earn 'merits' that will
then reduce the sins of the ghosts of their ancestors.
The people don't know the
outcome of these offerings, so this means it becomes an annual tradition to
ensure the wellbeing of their ancestors and almost all Cambodians will attempt
to make at least one visit to a pagoda during the festival to make these
offerings.
The offerings of food
during Pchum Ben are welcomed by the Buddhist monks as Pchum Ben usually falls
during the heaviest part of the rainy season which makes it harder for the
monks to leave their pagodas and receive alms from the local people.
The food offerings are
usually 'Bay Ben' (balls of sticky rice and sesame, sometimes flavoured with
coconut cream.) and are offered to the ghosts at dawn, as it is believed ghosts
with serious sins are not able to receive food during the day.
While the Cambodians
busied themselves in the pagodas we used the Holiday to visit Thailand. The
last time I was in Thailand was in 2009 when I volunteered in the Gibbon
Rehabilitation Project in Phuket. I had yet to experience Bangkok or the
Northern regions of Thailand so I was excited to explore.
We flew from Phnom Penh
to Bangkok on Friday after work. Although the two countries are neighbours I
experienced some culture shock as they are no where near similar. Arriving in
Bangkok was like entering a first world Country compared to what we are used
to. It is incredibly clean as the Thai people clearly care about their Country
and are very hard working and proud people. Even the order and ease at which we
got a taxi startled us since we are normally assaulted by Tuk Tuk drivers on a
daily basis.
Our hotel was perfectly
located on Khao San road, which is referred to as the backpackers ghetto as it
is the place to be when passing through in order to enjoy some cheap food and
lots of cheap shopping. Sharon wanted to meet up with some friends for a drink
near by but I ventured to enjoy a massage on the street near by before joining
them (definitely the best massage I've ever gotten for four dollars!). It was
an early night after a long week at school, but we couldn't call it quits
before getting in a little shopping at least. Sharon shops similarly to my
mother and bought four of the same sweaters in different colors, while Codi and
I took a back seat to prepare for our major shop the following day.
Bangkok hands down has
the best shopping I've ever experienced... It's a good thing I don't live there
or I'd be broke. The weekend market, Chatuchak (or Jatujak) Market is the
largest market in Thailand! It has more than 8000 stalls which are
separated into 27 sections that span over two football fields in size. I wouldn't
even call it a market compared to Cambodian standards. These were more like
mini boutiques! After five hours of shopping, and one massage break, we were
shopped out. Although after a quick nap I could have kept going! Too bad we
didn't have longer in Bangkok but I'm sure it was best for my wallet...
Although everything was under $6 so I beg to differ.
Next up was Chiang Mai,
where the hills are endlessly green and breathing is made easy. Sharon spent
some time here last year and still has friends living here so we spent this leg
of the trip with them. It was so nice meeting up for dinners and having game
nights with friends. Rather than feeling like we were visitors passing through
we felt very much at home. It was also the coldest it's ever been there so we
spent lots of time wrapped up in Sharon's new multi sweater purchases so buying
in bunches paid off.
Our first day we met up in
a big group and leisurely strolled through the weekend markets as though it was
a typical Sunday in our hometown (also making me think of the farmers markets
in Penticton during the summer time). The following day we drove to a lake and
bundled up in a hut to play cards and eat good food (although we got shut down
by the guard because they thought we were gambling). That night we were invited
to our friends Rachel and Luke's apartment for some thanksgiving tacos and card
night. And again the next day we spent with them as they toured us up the
mountain to see the Doi Suthep Temple and for Codi to experience her first
waterfall.
Time went too fast and we
said goodbye in order to venture to Pai. The road almost killed me with its 700
turns into the mountains and it took most of the day for me to recover my
equilibrium. But once intact we rented some mottos and met up with more friends
of Sharon's to take in Pai's beauty. Laura and Mike already had a motto to
share so I hopped on the back of Sharon's bike while Codi drove her own motto
for the first time. We did the hot springs (note to self when recently car sick
hot springs are not the best idea), and found an incredible waterfall to swim
in (another First for Codi). Thank goodness we did most of our sight seeing on
day one because fate would interfere the following day. Unfortunately when
driving our mottos on day two we turned a corner and suddenly the paved road
became dirt which had been washed awayby the rain sending Codi to the ground.
Sharon and I had been behind her and were able to stop in time but Codi was
scratched up and her thumb was at an odd angle, but after a trip to the
hospital they told us it was just sprained. To top it all off I somehow managed
to get the entire accident on camera from the back of our motto!
While Pai ended
bittersweetly we were back to Chiang Mai which brightened our spirits because
we had previously booked the Elephant Sanctuary for our final day in
Thailand!
The Elephant Sanctuary is
home to over 60 Elephants spanning over 250 acres of land. We started off by
feeding the Elephants right from the dining hall before gathering our group and
setting off to meet some Elie's up close and personal. Although I've don't the
Elephant Sanctuary in Cambodia I still can't get enough of these incredible
beings, there's just something so profound in being up close to them. It breaks
my heart knowing how badly they can be treated and yet they still carry so much
compassion and forgiveness towards people. After walking around and
taking some Elfies (elephants selfies) we had lunch. The highlight of the day
came after lunch when we bathed the Elephants in the river!! Our Elephant
couldn't have cared less that we were throwing water on him as he was solely
focused on his basket of food and once it was empty he took off to high jack
the Elephants food next to him.
This Sanctuary is
fortunate to have some babies on sight as they accumulated some Elephants when
they were already pregnant (they don't allow any breeding once they are at the
Sanctuary). We couldn't get too close to those herds though, as they are
extremely protective of the babies, but we did get to see them bathe themselves
in the river. The one baby had the best personality as it trampled around
climbing on the backs of the others whilst in the water, and sticking up its
tiny trunk to catch a breathe of air like a submarine. The older
elephants didn't seem fazed at all as they too splashed about in one big cuddle
puddle. We even got a glimpse of their protective sides as we got too close to
them and one Nanny elephant made a warning call and approached us, forcing us
to take a clue and move back. The other baby was in a different herd and they
were busy eating so we were able to get super close (food is always a good
distraction for them). This allowed for some prime selfies to be taken before
we had to say goodbye to our long nosed friends.
It couldn't have been a
better day, and it was the perfect ending to an amazing trip!
First night in Thailand! Meeting with friends on the busy street of Khao San road
Off to the weekend market to shop!
All shopped out, getting massages
Not all those who wander are lost...
Lunch on the lake
Ready for some touring Chiang Mai
From left: Sharon, Rachel and myself, Luke and Codi
Here we go!
Getting blessed by the Monks
Group Shot on the top of the Mountain
Our roof tile we decorated to commemorate our adventures
Picnic by the waterfall
Waterfall Selfie
Now in Pi, at the Hot Springs! (this was after the windy bus ride so I'm looking a little sickly)
Codi's injuries
The Elephant Sanctuary, where my heart lies!
