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Published: December 30th 2005
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Angkor Wat
So hot we almost jumped in. The border between Laos and Cambodia in the south had become an “official” border crossing 2 weeks prior to our crossing. “Official” means that a small bribe on each side (plus the cost of the visa) paved our way into Cambodia without needing to backtrack into Thailand. Ok, saying ‘paved’ is embellishing. We had been warned repeatedly that Cambodia is home to some of the worst highways in the world (right up there with the Congo) and this was confirmed as we entered into the country. Our ancient bus driver bounced over topography that would have deterred most back-bush ATV’ers in Canada, plowing through sand, rocks and easing over small craters pretending to be potholes.
Our destination was the riverside city of Kratie, known best for being near the home of the remaining rare Irrawady dolphins. Conservation groups estimate as few as 75 of the freshwater dolphins remain; all in the stretch of Mekong between Kratie and the Lao border. The archaic method of grenade fishing and using gill netting continues to threaten the Irrawady and scientists give the species only a few years. Ironically, both the Lao and the Khmer people believe the dolphins to be humans reincarnated and
Between the Borders
Yup, we walked between Laos and Cambodia. The taped off area to our right was 'off limits' as uncleared landmines remain. thus most of deaths are said to be accidental by-products of the fishing methods. We only spent the night in Kratie and left without spotting even a fin. We headed into the area some call the ‘heart’ of Cambodia, Siem Reap, the base city for exploring the nearby temples of Angkor Wat.
The Ancient city of Angkor is the main attraction for most tourists that come to Cambodia, and for good reason. The people of Cambodia are very proud of their ancient temples; Angkor Wat is even featured on their flag. Angkor served as the capital of the Khmer regime in the “Angkorian” period which lasted roughly 600 years between AD 800 - 1400. The ancient city was the size of modern New York City and home to an estimated 1 million people. After being invaded and “sacked” twice in 200 years by Chams of Vietnam the Khmer regime lost power and the city was abandoned. Two hundred years later Buddhist monks stumbled across the city, probably thinking they had found Nirvana, and it quietly became their new home. In the rest of the world Angkor Wat was still legend until a French explorer “rediscovered” the city in 1860.
Inside the Temples
Handiwork of the Khmer Rougue French funding helped to begin restoration of the temples, attempting to untangle hundreds of years of temple and jungle. Restoration was interrupted by the civil war of the 1970’s and 80’s; during which even the stone objects of divinity suffered abuse under the regime of Pol Pot.
But enough of the past. All history aside, the temples of Angkor were by themselves awe-inspiring. Just trying to take in the scale of devotion and commitment that was behind the city’s creation left us with a headache and verging on sunstroke (ave temp. 33 degrees). We’ll let the photos attempt further description of the sites, but even in our three days spent exploring the ruins we could never had taken it all in…
On our last day in Siem Reap we visited the local land mine museum. We wanted to better understand the violent history that remains in many areas of life in Cambodia. The nasty reign of terror that Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge embarked on between 1975-1979 has left lasting marks. In the 5-year period almost 1/8th of the country was killed, roughly 2 million people and this essentially wiped out a whole generation of people. Policies
abolished all forms of religious and intellectaul practices in the drive towards a “new agrarian communist utopia”.
Now, 30 years later, the dark history seems to lurk. Visual reminders are everywhere; the victims of landmines maybe the most blatant. 1 out of 280 people in cambodia have been victims of landmines, almost half of these children. This brings us back to the museum.
Cambodian born Aki Ra, became a child soldier after his parents were killed by the Khmer Rouge. After the fighting ended he joined the UN and learned how to clear the mines that he had helped plant years earlier (to date he has single-handedly cleared 10,000 mines).
Ra opened the museum in 1999 to educate tourists on the history of the Khmer Rouge and the ongoing problems with landmines. The museum doubles as his home and as an orphanage for 11 child victims of land mines who he supports through donations. His story and what he has commiteed his life was testiment to what goodness can come out of enduring tradgedy and violence.
Leaving Siem Reap, we realized we had only days remaining in South East Asia. We were soon to be departing
to the barren, subzero, wintry land we call home. The need to be on a beach one last time was strong, and we’d learned Cambodia had lovely stretches of oceanfront. We hopped on local transit (we thought we has signed up for a AC tourist bus) and headed to Sihanoukville. Sihanoukville is Cambodia’s growing ocean town, about 4 hours beyond the capital of Phnom Penh. It is not without growing pains. The next few years will be integral in the growing process. Sihanoukville seems like it could go the way of certain thriving sex tourism beach areas of Thailand or could become a beach area characterized by younger backpackers, foreign owned bars and the general party scene.
Like so many areas we’ve traveled, we left Sihanoukville feeling pre-nostalgic. Development can go so many ways, but it seems in so many places in South East Asia that the unchecked rate at which it is happening might be unsustainable.
This entry is a little heavier than we anticipated, and may paint a darker picture of Cambodia than we’d like. Contrary to how it would seem, somehow the people are smiling and welcoming, and the younger generation seem optimistic about the
future. And everybody loves karaoke. Not the western trickle down Britney Spears variety either. Our last night in Cambodia was spent in Phnom Penh, the charismatic and chaotic capital city. As fate had arranged it, we were destined to be reunited with our Laos traveling crew (you would remember these folks from our bowling/tubing adventures). They had headed to Thailand when we left to Cambodia, but nasty weather and just Thailand in general had sent them fleeing to Cambodia. (Or maybe they just missed our company). Either way, it was time for a celebration. Late in the evening we found ourselves at a club that had been recommended to us...Cambodian karaoke at its most intense. Song after song, heartbreak after heartbreak, the youth of Cambodia sang their souls out. It was entertainment at its finest, but wasn’t the dance club we’d been hoping for so we left in search of something more interactive.
In Phnom Penh, “motos” are the main method of public transit. This means for a very low price, you get to tour the city on the back of bike, with your private driver. We were a group of 8 by this time of night. Throw in
Growing Pains
Taken over by jungle. our 8 moto drivers and we basically constituted a moto-gang, roaring into the night in search of a dance club. The name says it all. The “Heart of Darkness” was more than a club. It was a packed, sweating bar and club in one and the perfect location for our reunion tour in Cambodia.
Three hours after it all ended Lindsay and I caught motos to the airport to catch our flight to Thailand, slowly working our way home.
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non-member comment
Disappointed in the lack.....
I was very disappointed by the fact that none of your pictures posted. I would have loved to see them. I've always been so curious about this area especially since the late 60's. Didn't see your pictures but I loved your blog