Siem Reap to Sisophon

We started out from Siem Reap along Highway 6 around 7am. Streaming into the opposite direction were thousands of scooters and bicycles, their riders in the way to work or school. As we got further away from Siem Reap, the traffic thinned out and more people waved and shouted, "Hello!" The scenery is flat, dusty, and hot. Some tall coconut trees or occasional hill dot the horizon. Village and temple entrances are marked with elaborate gates that travel down a red dirt path.

My deepest impression yesterday happened in a small village by the highway. I saw an interesting temple and we decided to stop and take a look. I doubt few, if any foreigners had been here. A woman passing by struck up a conversation with us. I was immediately struck by her smile and quiet strength.

She told us she was taking some food and drinks to a sick man who lives nearby. She invited us to visit him. He was only 35 years old, and his legs were covered in sores. He could not walk or speak or even sit up, so he lived on a mat on the ground in a shed. He had no family, so this woman with a big smile took care of him every day. She said that he became that way just a year ago. As for her life, her husband had run away to Thailand, leaving her alone with her two children. She was thankful for our visit and had sincere answers for all our questions. I was amazed by her positive attitude and confidence, although she faced so much hardship in her life.

After biking 106km, we arrived in សិរីសោភ័ណ Serei Saophoan (commonly known by the Thai pronunciation Sisophon), a market town at the junction of Cambodia's two biggest highways. The name means "glorious and auspicious" in Khmer. According to Wikipedia, សិរិ Serei is derived from the Sanskrit word śrī (श्री) meaning "glorious", and សោភ័ណ Saophoan is derived from the Sanskrit word śubha (शुभ) meaning "auspicious." The town is also known as Svay, which means mango in the Khmer language. Our guide wasn't sure why. This is the capital of បន្ទាយមានជ័យ Banteay Meanchey Province, which means "Fortress of Victory." This land has changed hands between Cambodia and Thailand many times throughout the centuries.

Today it's off to another delightfully named place, Battambang.