“The fiery youth of today would recoil in horror if you were to show him a portrait of himself in old age, So take with you on your journey, as you emerge from the tender years of youth into harsh, coarsening manhood, take with you all the human impulses, do not leave them along the way, you will not be able to pick them up later! Dreadful and fearsome is the old age which will come, for it gives nothing back, nothing in return. On the grave will be written: ‘Here lies a man!’ but you will read nothing in the cold, unfeeling features of inhuman old age.”
“Far more noteworthy was his attire. By no means or efforts could one ascertain what his dressing gown had been concocted from: the sleeves and upper parts had become so dirty and shiny that they resembled the black-tarred leather used for boots; dangling from the back were four flaps instead of two, with cotton stuffing leaking out of them. Wound round his neck was something, whether a stocking, or a garter, or a stomacher could not be made out; but certainly, it was not a cravat. In a word, had Chichikov encountered him so attached by the doors of a church, he probably would have given him a copper coin.”
“At this our hero could not help but step back and stare at him intently. He happened to have seen many people of every kind, even such as the reader and I will perhaps never have occasion to see: but he had never yet set eyes on anyone like this one. The face was nothing special; it was almost the same as that of many gaunt old men, except that the chin jutted out so far that he had to cover it with a handkerchief to keep from slobbering it whenever he spat. His tiny little eyes had not yet dimmed, and they darted about from under his high bushy eyebrows like mice, when thrusting their sharp little snouts from their dark holes, pricking up their ears and twitching their whiskers out to see whether a cat or mischievous boy was lurking in wait somewhere, and give the air a suspicious sniff,”
“Strongly indeed do Russian people express themselves! And if they bestow a particular epithet on someone, it will become part of his lineage and posterity, he will drag it around him into his place of work, and into his retirement, and to Petersburg, and to the ends of the earth. And however cunningly he may later contrive to ennoble his nickname, however he may compel the fraternity of scribblers, for monetary recompense, to derive it from an ancient princely family, nothing will avail; of its own the nickname will croak forth at the top of its crow’s voice and clearly proclaim the nest from which the bird has flown.”
‘I really can’t stand such namby-pambies!’ and he added, aloud: ‘Well, the devil with you, go play house with your wife, you girlie-man!’
‘No brother, don’t you go calling me a girlie-man!’ replied the brother-in-law, ‘I owe her my life. She’s really so good, so kind, she’s so nice to me. It brings tears to my eyes. She’ll ask what I saw at the fair, and I have to tell her everything, she’s really so kind.’
‘Well then go feed her some cock-and-bull story. Here’s your cap…..’
‘No brother, you really shouldn’t talk about her that way; you’re offending me too, so to speak, she’s so nice.”
‘Well then, clear out and get home to her as quick as you can.’
The Singapore Times Exclusive: THE ABDUCTION OF RORY DYLAN STEPHEN: THE MURDER OF HONEY AND BARRY SHERMAN: PRIME SUSPECTS THE TWO “VIETNAMESE GENTLEMEN”
During my recuperation period from the near fatal spiny black toad incident Bobby Jr., Amira and I were lounging at the hotel pool when Bobby Jr. received a call from Madame Fong, his dear mother. Mouth agape and eyes as wide as saucers he blurted out. “The Sherman’s bodies were found this morning in their Bridle Path mansion in Toronto. The official word from Toronto Police Services stated their bodies were found but the cause of death was undisclosed.”
Bobby was telling Amira, Barry Sherman had many enemies as many billionaires do. Being a successful pharmaceutical manufacturer propelled him to vast sums of cash which philanthropist wife Honey distributed to this and that charity. What Bobby Jr. failed to disclose to Amira were the violent tirades the two “Vietnamese gentlemen” let fly during our private river cruise in Bangkok days earlier. Barry Sherman was not in their good books and what I recall hearing they wanted revenge for being swindled. Something to do with a Haiphong, Vietnam manufacturing facility.
Seems I have much more to deal with than my abduction.
The Singapore Times Exclusive: THE ABDUCTION OF RORY DYLAN STEPHEN: I WAS ALMOST A CAMBODIAN FATALITY: SAVED BY A VIKING CRUISE PERSON!
All of us were up at the crack of dawn, prior to the availability of breakfast. When you are playing golf in Cambodia you better secure an early tee-off time as by noon any serious physical activity becomes shall we say “problematic”.
A shuttle picked the three of us up. A packed breakfast awaited us at the clubhouse. All caddies are female and they carry your clubs while golfers enjoy a golf cart. I sat in between Amira and Bobby Jr. We teed off at 06:30 as the heat and humidity crept in.
Of course, I could not expect this may be the last day of my life.
It happened like this; on the third hole Amira’s approach shot skittered off the fairway and being the helpful puppy I am I decided to bird dog the ball in the rough. I did not hear the caddies shouting at me, “No dog. No go there!”
The ball landed right beside a black spined toad. Being a vermin hunter and a curious puppy I snouted that toad a few times and the next I remember was lying flat out on the ground gasping for breath with my heart going pitter patter, stopping then starting again.
I heard the caddy making a distress call to the clubhouse. I veered in and out of consciousness and was that a bright light leading me to The Land Beyond to meet Dylan the Westie?
Who do I see leaning over me giving me a needle that woke me up. I was flying but breathing and mostly conscious. It was one of the Viking Cruise people with a big gut!
I must have passed out again as the next time I opened my eyes I was in an animal hospital with a drip line attached to one of my front paws.
That black spined toad was no nuisance toad. You threaten this toad and it secretes a poisonous mucus and if it enters your body it starts messing with your heart and if you don’t receive the antidote in short order you are a goner.
It so happened the Viking people at our resort were veterinarians holding a conference aboard their Viking ship on an optional three-day excursion to Siem Reap and were staying at our hotel Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra Golf and Spa Resort. Fortunately for me Dr. Abigail Animaux had her emergency bag with her at the resort not with the antidote but adrenalin which started my heart again. As she later said she had brought the medical bag because the rabies epidemic in Cambodia. I was transported to Siem Reap Vet and the medical team there administered the antidote saving my life.
I would have dearly liked to jump up and give Abigail a kiss but I was under observation for 48 hours and the Viking people had since returned to their ship. Gosh I will miss them.
The Singapore Times Exclusive: THE ABDUCTION OF RORY DYLAN STEPHEN: UP ON THE WALL WITH ANGELA JOLIE AND MANNY PACQUIAO
The reception in my honour was at 19:00 at the “Explorer’s Tales” champagne bar at our hotel Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra Golf and Spa Resort.
While Bobby Jr. was in our suite conducting some business on his phone Amira and I went to explore the surrounding area. Legions of Tuk Tuk drivers were patiently waiting at the gates of the hotel to pick up some fares. They gently encouraged us to ride with them but we decided to walk in the blistering heat and humidity. Bobby Jr. had looked me straight in the eyes saying any attempt at escape would expose me a rough street life I would not survive in for long.
Crossing the main street was an act of courage with no pedestrian crosswalks and fleets of motorbikes paying scant attention to the passage of pedestrians. You might fairly say this part of town is very Third Worldish. Ramshackle buildings interspersed with a few high-end tourist shops selling “crocodile” fashion items and plenty of very expensive silk carpets of spectacular design.
Amira took us to a pharmacy where she purchased some band aids. A poster of a vicious slobbering German Sheppard with its jaws open like a Great White Shark advised readers rabies shots were available here. So many pharmacies in Siem Reap where most drugs were available without any prescription. Amira said beware of counterfeit medications!
There was a huge restaurant for the common folk where you could eat lunch and dinner buffets for $3. For tourists with a dainty stomach not advisable.
Just off the main road were a variety of shops purveying cheap goods, a few garages, some basic snack bars, grannies squatting on the pavement cooking food more or less on the street. Children without shoes. A general sense of poverty I have never seen before but “before” has some short currency as I have only been on this earth for 10 months now! It all reminded me of the scenes of Saigon street life in the movie, “Good Morning Vietnam”.
We did stop in the most impressive building “Le Plantation” selling artisanal foods including the famous Cambodian Kampot pepper and of course Bobby Jr.’s favourite tea “Twelve Monkies”.
We passed by the hospital on the way back to the hotel. Rather basic indeed. Amira joked that if were hard up for cash we could sell some of our blood there!
Back to the hotel for a quick swim. The “Viking people” were there in abundance bobbing in the water “like old geezer prunes” Bobby Jr. quipped. Amira and Bobby Jr. caused heads to turn wearing bright Keith Haring T Shirts. By the chattering gossip it was very clear these sophisticated “Viking People” were perhaps not sophisticated but being from Idaho who can blame them!
We were in the Explorer’s Tales champagne bar at 19:00 and given a warm welcome by the hotel manager. Twenty or so of the hotel staff were delighted to see me up on my hind legs and bowing and a photographer snapped a few pictures one of which was going up on the wall with photos of Angelina Jolie who had stayed at the hotel during the filming of “Tomb Raider” and of Manny Pacquiao who had also stayed there. There were kings and queens on the wall as well.
As the commemorative plaque under my photo would bear my alias “Cuddlecakes” I promised myself I would have to return one day and replace that plaque with RORY DYLAN STEPHEN!
Amira at champagne bar: Don’t see this style in Boise, Idaho!
Amira was “boldy dressed” where few women would go. Bobby was in a snazzy sports jacket he had made for him at the tailors in Bangkok. And yes the sophisticated “Viking People” were there, men with enormous guts augmenting them further by drinking beer and wolving down nuts. And they had their baseball hats on in Cambodia’s only champagne bar! Oh what a sophisticated lot these “Viking people” were!
In Ontario we are accustomed to drinking world class Cabernet Franc produced here. So much so is it possible we overlook Saumur Champigny from the Loire in France? Don’t be deep faked by France with Cabernet Franc!
In this case we try a Domaine Raton Clos des Cordeliers Cuvée Prestige Saumur Champigny 2019.
Aroma: Primary notes of blackberry and blueberry. Secondary notes of black cherry, raspberry and dark chocolate.
Palate: Initially gentle until the tannins raise their noggin. Tannic. Well managed acidity. Faint raspberry. The fruit seems to on the verge of retirement or could this mean a degree of elegance and sophistication in a world where expectations are big and discernable fruit?
Personality: From “On the Waterfront” I coulda been a contender! Perhaps a couple of years ago.
Cellarbility: The tannins are there and the acids are well controlled so perhaps the foundation for some ageing but with the fruit reticent I am hesitant about ageing. Sounding like some revolutionary newspaper heading I would venture to say THE TIME IS NOW.
Food Match: Stuffed cabbage rolls in a tomato sauce.
Price: $32 CDN. For this price you will attain a higher degree of satisfaction with Ontario Cabernet Franc.
RKS WINES OF FRANCE RATING: 86/100. Natalie MacLean 91/100.
(Clos des Cordeliers Cuvée Prestige 2019, Saumur Champigny AOP, Domaine Ratron, Maine et Loire, France, 13.5%)
The Singapore Times Exclusive: THE ABDUCTION OF RORY DYLAN STEPHEN: ANGKOR WAT LEAVES ME BREATHLESS: I AM TO BE ON THE WALL OF FAME AT SOFITEL ANGKOR PHOKEETHRA GOLF & SPA RESORT
Prior to my abduction Bob had some huge chuckles about Viking cruise advertisements showing sophisticated passengers enjoying some very sophisticated activities onshore. Bob thinks that is all a load of crap as what he has heard and witnessed over the years is a cruise ship passenger likes nothing more than to have Mickey Mouse butter pats at dinner, midnight chocolate buffets and to wear gaudy clothing as they stream off the ship soiling the beauty of Venice, Barcelona, Dubrovnik, Lisbon, Porto, Positano and just about every destination a cruise ship infects by its presence assuming there is no raging plague onboard preventing disembarkation of passengers.
I saw a Viking announcement board just off reception and despite the early hour of our breakfast we see Americans speaking far too loudly with some men wearing baseball hats in the dining room. I may be a dog but these are poorly behaved “Viking people”. Whereas Bobby Jr. and Amira enjoy an Asian breakfast I see the “Viking people” eating bacon and eggs, pancakes and Cornflakes “just like home”. Now that’s sophistication!
We drove 40 minutes to Angkor Wat and to our delight it was not jammed with tourists yet. We wandered around from about 07:30 -11:00 thankful for our early start as by the time we had finished our tour we were suffering from the intense heat and humidity. Bobby Jr. was so hot he downed two beers one after the other at the refreshment tent. I had half a bottle of Orange Fanta which I enjoyed but had a few large burps!
It is difficult to describe Angkor Wat as a picture tells a thousand words. It was an astounding site. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site built in the 12th century; it is the largest temple in the world and the crown jewel of the temples that sit within the 155 square-mile Angkor Archaeological Park. It was built by King Suryavarman II as a Hindu temple dedicated to the god Vishnu; the temple eventually became filled with Buddhist elements as the new religion spread through the empire.
We stopped at an artisanal rice noodle enterprise making rice noodles by hand. We saw how they were made by soaking the rice, pressing it, boiling it then cutting it into noodles. Amira told us these noodles were far superior to commercially prepared rice noodles and famous in Southeast Asia. What a delicious lunch we all had eaten off a rough wooden table with vegetable curry over rice noodles, a puffy rice cake and several desserts made with rice. There were a few feral dogs engaged in a fight in the bushes behind the area where we were eating. Amira said there are over 200,000 dog bites a year in Cambodia.
feral dog at Angkor Wat
We returned to the hotel to a crowd of “Viking people” wobbling round with fanny packs and clapping at a Khymer dance troupe that welcomes cruise ship passengers to the hotel.
As I entered the front door to be greeted with a bow by a beautiful Cambodian lady I went up on my hind legs, put my front paws over my eyes and gave a bow. The staff cheered and the manager pulled Bobby Jr. aside. Bobby looked at me and said, “And you thought you’d be sniffing out land mines with groups of gigantic jungle rats! You will be honored at a special reception tonight at the champagne bar!”
We all had a brief nap and were up groggy from all our heat this morning. Amira took me out for a late afternoon walk and it was like “Good Morning Vietnam” out there!
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