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Published: February 5th 2014
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Shirley Temple
I thought it was clever.... (She was a famous film star many summers ago!.. for our younger readers).
Had a long,but fascinating road trip across Cambodia to Siem Reap and Ankor Wat , the ancient capital. First half was very marshy and fertile with rice fields and many other crops. The road was very rough and bumpy and narrow in many places, but currently being replaced by new road. Villages and settlements very basic with little huts on stilts..much flooding in rainy season...and most dwellings had a haystack in front of house and a cow or two also, along with ducks and chooks. People very poor and work long and hard with no apparent mechanization. We saw carts drawn by horses and oxen, and people toiling up to their thighs in water.
Arrived in Siem Reap, which is another town of dramatic contrasts. Main area appears affluent with posh hotels..not ours!..and bars restaurants, etc. The millions of visitors to Ankor Wat all have to stay here. 2 streets back, the poverty is heart breaking. We visited a charity run school and a women's shelter in the slums. The charity, sponsored by g adventures, has built a new school and clinic where the poorest can
Cambodian village
Main road to SiamReap get free education and basic health care. The families live in leaky huts of wood and corrugated iron, drink muddy spring water, and one toilet is shared by 300 people! Most men just wee on the street, and prostitution is common, inc child prostitution. One woman was asked if she was not scared of Aids...(she makes $3 for sex..$5 without condom). Her reply..I would sooner die of aids in 10 yrs than starvation now.
But as usual the kids were happy and friendly, excited to speak and give high fives! Unfortunately with families of10 kids or so, they just wander the streets all day..we often saw 2 or 3 yr olds wandering back streets far from their homes..their mums not even noticing their absence. 20% of kids die before the age of 12. We sat in on a class of 18 yr olds learning english. The girl beside me couldn't believe I was 60.. Because of Pol Pot, they lost half of their older generation and many more to disease and hunger. It is obvious that their are many younger people and fewer older..the reverse of our problem...and they tend to look much older than their years, by our
Cambodian town centre
Main road across country. standards. Anyways..I was reet chuffed!
Ankor Wat was of course awesome..on a par with Machu Picchu....it is one of the 7 new wonders of the world..built 900 yrs ago as a Hindu temple, and later changed to Bhuddist, and discovered only a few decades ago by a French botanist. It is now the major tourist attraction in se asia netting millions for the country. Unfortunetly the govt gives half to Vietnam, and not only do the poor not benefit, but they suffer as a result.. The slum we visited was falling to bits, because the govt will not allow any repairs...doors were hanging off, decaying, and things held together with string. Why? Because they are trying to clear the land for new hotels, but no resettlement is offered.
Anyway, it was fantastic seeing the 3 major temples, Ankor Wat, Ankor Thom, and the Tomb Raider one, of which no one can remember the name, but only the film in which it is featured!
This pm we go quad biking..yes even Shirl's...through the country side and to see the temple at sunset....saw it at sunrise yesterday.
Then tomorrow off to Bangkok on 7 hr bus ride crossing
Public bus
No kidding..lots of them. Thai border, and end of the Indochina leg! We are told that Bangkok is a, bit 'difficult' at present so may just need to batten down in hotel until time for airport, though also told one of them..the domestic one, is also under siege by demonstrators. Interesting end to our so far trouble free trip. Fingers crossed!
Then time for reflection on our epic adventure whilst chilling..maybe the wrong term, given the heat, on a South Thai beach. Home in just over a week.
Onward and upward.
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Cris Thacker
non-member comment
The English Language.
Sir, your puns are so awful you have taken to appropriating alliteration awkwardly.