Takeo

The Laundry Lady

Porkers on the street at back of Daunkeo Guesthouse

Arrived in Takeo to our guesthouse (Daunkeoguesthouse Guest house) at about 10:30am. It is a pleasant oasis in a small but clean village - no dust.  There are very large pigs roaming the street behind us and the street in front is adjacent to a canal.  We took our laundry across the road and they are washing it by hand in a bucket on the street. I left my Swiss army knife in a pocket and they gave it back to me right away- very honest people. Unfortunately it was cloudy today so the dryer (the sun) wasn't working so our clothes weren't ready by five as promised. After a fairly good lunch at one of the only two restaurants suitable for westerners we headed out to a small village where a new two room school is being built. Lisa escorted a group of 15-18 year old international students from the round/square organization here in Dec and they worked on the school and the fence surrounding the compound. There was a new outdoor toilet (western style with seats) donated by the citizens of Muskoka. A new well in the schoolyard was also donated by people in Muskoka.  A tent had been set up so we could work in the shade but it was cloudy anyway. The tent was a wedding tent so very colorful in gold, yellow, red and green, etc. This afternoon we put together 145 of 190 bikes. No distribution.  Tomorrow we finish the remaining 45 and give 150 away in the afternoon. We had a really good assembly process working today. Two people took them off the pile, straightened the handlebar and tightened/adjusted the seat. Then on to another two people who put on the pedals. Meanwhile two people formed the parts department and punched holes in the basket for the bolts, put in all the parts - brackets, nuts, bolts, bell and generator. The rest of us assembled all the parts, adjusted the chain and wheels and made sure everything worked. We (20 of us) ended up completely assembling a bike every minute on average, the best yet.  Back to Takeo for dinner in the canal restaurant for fresh shrimps (they were still alive earlier this afternoon), French fries, chicken and ginger and, stir fried vegetables (I am dying for a good steak). There is a Gecko in our bathroom - a good thing since they eat the Mosquitos.