Battambang finals
This is over two days and one more walk in the town. All I really wanted coming here was to walk both full days I had. Enjoy a coffee out each day at a different place. I looked at the Google map of Battambang and kinda decided on a walk I might want to do. Some things I’ve seen before but never tire of. Then perhaps dinner at this burger place in town I like.
Coming here this time was not a big thing I wanted. In some ways it felt like a repeat of a thing done more than a few times. But on Battambang day 2 I saw through that illusion. Saw that I could find unique and random moments much like what I told someone about Saigon.
Once years ago I decided to go some days to see my friend lily but also just walk again in an incredibly busy and diverse city. An acquaintance asked me how I could go back after being there so much. I remember telling him then that the moment I turned my head away all things changed so there was no going back ever.
I felt that way with Battambang this time. Like I turned away for months and some basic modus in the town shifted. Like some gears changed and then I saw new and old carefully crafted and altered. The children running to say hello. Old Khmer people gently saying hello and smiling. Young people nodding and understanding without some word spoken I was transient. Just passing through their worlds as it all changed.
That’s what the days have meant. So the last day plus a fragment is meant to not underline or reinforce but to just find. And then turn my head one more time and not look back until I come back.
So let’s go.
Day three or so
Today starts with coffee with my wife where she likes. Then she heads to soup. I won’t be doing that. I just don’t enjoy eating all the meals any more. I do like one nice meal a day.
After some “me time” it’s time to walk. But just for a coffee. Some place new. Easily done. Charming little place close to our hotel. Finding new coffee places is my mission forever. Battambang never disappoints.
I guess just down the street from a place that does nice burgers. Owned by a barang here.
The walk on day 3 will be down the river to one bridge and over. I don’t know after that. I was thinking this morning on how my wife does her social life. It’s this need she has. Not a desire or want. She fears I think being alone. So she engages remotely with people by our house. I guess I want any excuse to not see them all for a short time.
Also thinking on using 11ty and GitHub and netlify instead of some rsync and Linux vps thing. I don’t like responsibility. Those things sound like way more than I’m ever willing to do in any given day. I don’t really mind the price. It’s the Linux that gets me tbh. I got tired of it after doing it so long. I just want to hand off the files and let someone else deal with internet and hosting. For free is nice. Just thinking on this blog post. Don’t want yet another system to update and deal with basically. If anything I want less. Blot always sounds nice and less. If anything I would go there. This way though seems nice to me. Just enough responsibility to be able to say
I don’t want any more.
Yep. That’s me. Old and lazy. Now back to whatever I was writing about before. Or not. Don’t matter. Let’s move on.
Back to day 3. Walking down the river walk area. Very peaceful here. The city is like a slower, less noisy variety. I could live here I think. The food choices are great.
This monument is like a junior version of the Phnom Penh museum independence monument. It’s a nice walk on mostly wonderful sidewalks by the river.
Out for dinner at a burger place. For me good. For my wife it’s the usual. We just don’t do good going out to eat. It’s easier I guess for me to go. I just will happily eat something. Street food. Burgers. Tacos. A bowl of pho. For her it’s a challenge and most often a restaurant doesn’t quite do it. I have no expectations these days so a burger exceeds them.
And that’s the end of today. Still got tomorrow and the ride back home. Stay tuned.
Fragment of some day
The end of the quest. Did we find what it was we were looking for? Doubtful. Just some closing stuff as we turn around and go back. I’ll be happy to both get back and then leave to go downtown and do whatever. Get haircut. Walk. Stay away. It’s always same going back to the house.
At 930 the van takes us back. It takes 3 hours or so to go from this to the next reality. Thanks for reading along.
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Battambang day 2