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Published: August 9th 2013
We have spent 3 days in battambang and the cambodian people here are something else. Cambodia is such a poor country and we have been told by the locals that life here is hard due to extreme poverty and government corruption, despite this they remain warm, friendly and smiley people who are always very happy to speak to you and give a warm welcome. Ive found it very emotional being here and on more than one occasion had to swallow hard to not cry.
Yesterday was our wedding anniversary so we wanted to do something memorable, we hired a tuk tuk for the day and asked him to take us around the sites. John, as he called himself had excellent english skills and could tell us everything about the sites. John told us alot about his life and how he has learnt most of his english from tourists over the last 3 yrs, he also told us how he manages to earn a very modest living to support his wife and daughter. We noticed john didnt eat all day and offered to buy him lunch, he politely refused saying he was full. We had to force a couple if drinks
on him, which eventually he accepted. After agreeing a price of 18 dollars for the day for john we felt guilty when he brought us back to the hotel in the eve. That is nothing to us but to him he had to pay for his fuel and make a living off that, we gave him 30 dollars and gave him a football shirt as he was a mad barcelona fan and lucky for him we had one. We also bought him two tins of angkor beer for him and his wife to enjoy that eve, john politely asked if he could exchange them for coke as his daughter loved it and couldnt normally afford to buy. What a guy! Without wishing to preach too much, us westerners have such a fortunate life, even when we think we are having a rough time it will nowhere near as rough as these people have it. It feels so nice to be able to give here and make a difference to someone else.......
Our first stop was to go on the bamboo train, health and safety in england wud have a field day on this, really not sure how safe this
was but it was great fun and boy did it tonk along at some speed. When u met an oncoming train they just lift one train of the tracks and put it back on once the other has passed....simples....
We then went to see the maddox jolie-pitt foundation, this has been set up by angelina jolie and brad pitt as they have a cambodian adopted son, maddox. Whatever your opinions of them as hollywood stars are you cant fault them for the money and support they give to cambodia.
Off to a winery for some all important tasting. Ok its not the finest wine ive quaffed but a good effort me tinks.
On to another temple, then onto the killing caves of battambang. This is terrible to comprehend this actually happened in our lifetime and words cannot express how this made us feel. For those that are not aware of pol pot and the khmer rouge, google it. One of the most atrocious and barbaric things to happen to a human race by humans!! Will blog more of this when we get to phnom penh and see the killing fields.
Sat and watched the bats come
out of their cave, amazing!! No joke there was millions and you could see swathes off them flying around the dusky skies.
Canoed down the river for a couple of hours, so peaceful watching river life pass by. Stopped at a river village to give out some football shirts, apologies for the lack of photos here but the kids literally grabbed and ran!! There was fisticuffs and kicks at one point!! To make up for those that didnt get shirts, we bought sweets. Check out the pics, i wasnt sure i would get out alive........man i was mobbed alright........so many hands and eyes coming at me. We left the village with a happy bunch of kids.
Last but not least we had a massage by blind people (betty bottrell you was right about how brilliant these are) they may not be able to see but they are very much in tune with you body, i was drooling within 5 mins......
We leave in the morning to head to phnom penh, mixed emotions about this place as i know it will be upsetting visiting the killing fields, its important to pay respects to the thousands that died in
the hands of the khmer rouge. Looking forward to exploring another place....
Loving the nomadic life, suits us just fine....
Peace and love xx
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Julie
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Pol Pot & Khmer Rouge
Hi guys Just googled above like you suggested............................. I had absolutely no idea............I've never heard of them before. Very interesting, although very disturbing... Looks and sounds like you're both having a fantastic time............ And Happy Anniversary for yesterday............ Love Julie xx