Siem Reap Day 2

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We awoke early and had a morning jog along the river that runs through Siem Reap, cut short because of my lingering sickness that I have been suffering with for 4 days now. Dennis luckily hasn’t gotten sick, but traditionally on our trips I always fall ill a few days before him.

We took the long drive ($31) out to Beng Melea , 68 km from Siem Reap taking almost 2 hrs. on partial dirt roads, stopping a few times to get out and push the tuk-tuk out of deep sand we were sinking in.

Beng Melea is one of the most spectacular temples in Angkor, and left completely wild and overgrown in the jungle. We wound our way up and over huge piles of finely chiseled sandstone blocks, clambering through long dark corridors and between hanging vines, one area being more mystical and beautiful than the next. This was truly an “Indiana Jones” experience, and luckily they were small crowds so we only remotely felt as though we were at a tourist attraction.

We continued on to the Roluos Group which consisted of Lolei, Preah Ko and Bakong, some of the earliest temples of Angkor. The temples were constructed completely of brick, and had a different look and reddish-orange hue which was quite attractive.

Later in the evening we met with Jaroslav and attended the concert at the children’s hospital. Beate Richter performed the cello gorgeously, and spoke in between pieces to explain his mission, and what he has accomplished. Richter first came to Cambodia in the early 70’s and worked as a Dr. attending to all the sick and wounded through Cambodia’s tumultuous years. After being so disillusioned by the lack of health care in Cambodia, he raised money from private donations from Switzerland and opened his first children’s hospital providing free health care to all Cambodian children. Since then he has opened 6 more throughout the country, and plans more due to the overwhelming need. He played a video that was heart wrenching to watch, sick and injured children that he has helped that would have easily died without basic care. Over 65% of children are infected with tuberculosis, many of which are contaminated by their mothers through their breastmilk. Untreated TB can cause severe and permanent disabilities in children. HIV, burns and brain injuries are also fatal and common to children, burns being caused from children falling into cooking fires at the home, accidents occurring because children ride on scooters without helmets or protection. It was not uncommon here and in Vietnam for us to see 4 or even 5 family members on a single scooter, mothers holding tiny infants in their arms. We left the concert in awe of what Richter has accomplished, and saddened by the desperate plight the children of Cambodia face.

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