Motivated by the lethargy that I had been feeling lately, I decided to wake up early and go for a run. At 5 am, the streets are almost empty, things are relatively quiet, and the air feels cleaner. I ran away from my house, down towards the quay, where the river is flanked by a broad walkway, complete with paving stones, grassy patches, and hibiscus trees. I wanted to do yoga and meditate in relative peace along the river, while watching the sunrise. I didn't find relative peace, but what I did find was better.
There are no gyms or health clubs in Cambodia; the lifestyle is such that the days activites, combined with fresh foods, leave people healthy and satisfied, feeling very little urge to work out in the western sense. The fitness fad, however, has begun its eastward migration, and the motivated few are finding ways to get their aerobic excercise fix. Behold Cambodia's primitive aerobics class. I am not sure what this exercise is designed to accomplish, but I found the whole spectacle highly entertaining. 
An explanation might be in order: there are several bunches, like this one, composed mostly of middle aged women arranged in rows in the open air, taking up most of the walking space doing something that resembles a line dance. The instructor is easy to identify because he'll be the only 20-something male, located in the front line next to the boom box that provides the soundtrack. He'll also be shaking it with a little more enthusiasm and ease than most of his followers, whose movements are generally a bit awkward; clearly this type of movement is not what people are used to.
In between excercise groups, apparently unfazed by the upbeat music (strains of 'Just beat it, beat it beat it......' can be heard from a more distant locale) are flocks of pidgeons being fed by people of every age and description. Feeding the birds is a joy shared by old women, children, and middle-aged men alike. 
My favorite was the toddler who took great pleasure disrupting the birds by running through the middle of their feeding zone--I failed to get a good picture, but I'll be back. This side of Phnom Penh is a pleasant window to the life that exists beyond my neighborhood, office, and the typical tourist experience. I love it!
My favorite was the toddler who took great pleasure disrupting the birds by running through the middle of their feeding zone--I failed to get a good picture, but I'll be back. This side of Phnom Penh is a pleasant window to the life that exists beyond my neighborhood, office, and the typical tourist experience. I love it!
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