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Published: September 1st 2007
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Hi again, hope this finds you all well,
Well we continued seeing the sights of Kanchanaburi, all very moving stuff. The World War 2 cemetery, bridge over the River Kwai, and many scenes from the horrific Japanese occupation of Thailand. So enjoyable that I have booked my mum and dad into the hotel and they will spend their last few days in Thailand there. Thought my dad in particular would love to see all the historical sights. Set off from there early on Thurs 23rd Aug back to Bangkok to catch a flight to Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Booked into a small hotel away from the touristy area. Spent our first night in Cambodia eating the most amazing italian food! Yes yes we know but came highly recommended by the owner of the hotel, and was a bit 'riced' out to be honest. Our first day in Cambodia we spent in the national museum, art street and the Royal palace. You can't walk anywhere in Cambodia, without being asked if you want a tuk tuk or motor bike. Humphrey out of nowhere started saying we had friends arriving tomorrow and we didn't know until then what we were doing. Strange yes,
but sometimes white lies are a must to get these guys off your back! The national museum was just incredible with artefacts from the 6th century. Although it was called a museum it certainly didn't feel like the museums we were used to. No security, just women selling you incense sticks to pray to the Buddha, and as it was so rustic and old, you felt like you were living in that era. Just incredible. Then the rain came and boy when it rains it rains!!!! The temperatures are high and it's very humid so spend most of the time perspiring very heavily and looking like a pair of drownt rats!! I've never been so hot in my entire life! We eventually sample some local cuisine, not that impressed but it was the first attempt so we decide we must give it another try. We then visit the wonderful Royal Palace and silver pagoda in the heat of the afternoon. It is roasting hot but worth it as the temples are stunning. The next day we visit S21 prison where some 20000 Camboidan people were taken to be beaten, tortured before meeting their deaths in the killing fields. It was
a very moving experience. To think that this happened during our lifetime. We just could not believe it. The tiles on the floor were stained with blood, bullet holes in the walls of the many cells, photos of individuals including many children lined the walls, innocent victims of the Pol Pot Regime. We were appalled and cried alot. We then went to the Killing Fields. On route our moto driver asked if we wanted to go to the shooting range. Ignorantly, both Humphrey and I thought this was the setting where the people were shot. How wrong we were. Along a dirt track road, we pulled into what looked like someone's house and field to be presented with a menu card with a list of different guns and the no. of bullets you wanted to use. Yes, it was an actual shooting range with real guns/rifles. We couldn't believe our eyes, so simply explained to our driver that this wasn't quite what we thought he had meant and to take us on to our next destination promptly!! Let's just say this was an extremely moving day which made us appreciate our freedom and the life we have even more. For
your information, astonishingly those guilty of killing almost 30% of the Cambodian population have never and probably will never be brought to justice. We then head north to Siem Reap on a 6 hour bus journey. Despite being one of the poorest countries in the world, it is extremely picturesque, miles and miles of paddy fields, buffalo's, children splashing in the puddles of rain water to keep themselves cool, craftsmen carving stone and wood into many a buddha statue. It is lush and green as it's rainy season here at the moment. We read in our travel book that travelling overland can be difficult in Cambodia, how wrong it was. The luxury bus had a guide who provided us with local knowledge and history along the way, you were given a sandwich, water and cake and if you could follow the Cambodian language you could join in with the Karoke DVD's which were being played on the TV. And to top it all it cost 5 pounds each for a 6 hour journey! How we could learn from this!!! Siem Reap unlike Phnom Penh is designed for the tourist who are visiting the ancient temples of Angkor. They were named
as one of the new wonders of the world on 7/7/07 so it was not surprising that we both couldn't wait to see them. First night we climbed to the highest temple to watch the sunset. Pity for the other hundreds of tourists doing the same thing!!! We spent the next 3 days scrambling over and photographing every stone carving and temple Angkor had to offer. Don't worry I won't bore you with all my photos when I get home. The temples were much more impressive than Macchu Pichu. TRULY AMAZING to think they were constructed as early as the 9th century and are still in the condition they are in. We decide after all this exploring to need to chill our for a few days by the beach so we have now come to the south of Cambodia, Sihanoukville before heading to Vietnam. To be continued......
Love Susan and Humphrey
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I envy you guys........... Anyway I hope you guys don't mind visiting again with me and others.............. Tam biêt