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Published: December 14th 2006
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Wat Phnom
Set on the only hill in Phnom Penh Fri 1st: Arrived safely in Phnom Penh, a little worried as I had heard that getting into the city from the airport may be a little difficult as there are not many taxis. What a lot a crap that was!!! There were heaps of taxis so I was firmly ensconced in a groovy little hotel on the riverfront ready to commence my CAMBODIA EXPERIENCE. Man, what a contrast this place is to Vietnam. The poverty is far more obvious, many children begging or peddling books/newspapers...some with limbs missing or blind. Some adults in the same position. However, they are such a friendly lot of people despite their disabilities. A smile is never far away especially if you take the time to talk to them or play with the kids. Lots of tuk tuks, motos and some cyclos. Phnom Penh is a city full of wats (temples). At every turn there is a wat of some sort. Kind looks out of place surrounded by the poverty but beautiful all the same. Joining a group for a 16 day grassroots look at Cambodia.
Sat 2nd: Decided to spend the morning wandering the city but didn't get too far as it was sooo
Silver Pagoda
Image on a gate bloody hot and humid. Went back to the hotel until just after lunch. Wandered out again after the temperature went down. Went to visit Wat Phnom just up from the hotel then took a tuk tuk down to the Royal Palace and Silver Pagoa as it was still too hot to walk (and by this time I was feeling very lazy). Fascinating place...very ornate. Walked from the Royal Palace to Wat Ounalom via the National Museum...all beautiful buildings of various ages. Grabbed a tuk tuk back to the hotel. They are such a fun...and cool...way to get around - and cheap to boot. Went to dinner at a Khmer restaurant which supports an orphanage with the profits made. This is the best way to help the needy rather than giving them money when they beg. The children came out and performed some traditional song and dance. It was such a moving experience. LOVE KHMER FOOD!!
Sun 3rd: Spent the morning in the Russian Makets....a huge complex about 6 km from the hotel. So much to see and at times I seemed to be going around in circles. In the arvo went to the Killing Fields - Tual Sleng Prison
then onto Choeung Ek Killing Fields. What to say about the experience? Well, what can you write, about a regime which deprived, interrogated, tortured and murdered over 3 million of their own people in the space of 4 years....and not during war? A very sobering, reflective and emotional afternoon.
Mon 4th: Left Phnom Penh this morning set for Kampong Cham. Followed the Mekong for a while. The scenery is similar to the Mekong Delta of Vietnam...stilt homes with ramps to the front door they were so far off the ground, past rice paddies and veggie growing. Such contrasts.....the lush green of the landscape with the red dust of the roads. Stopped off at Skuon for a spider break - er, I mean happy house stop. Skuon is famous for its spiders - deep fried......mmmmm. You only eat the legs not the abdomen! Again, thank god I'm Vego. Stopped to visit a beautiful wat - Wat Nokor just outside Kampong Cham. Cambodia is predominantly Buddhist so most wats are Buddhist shrines. Had a local guide who opened his house to us for lunch...house on long stilts surrounded by rice paddies. After lunch we jumped onto some motor boats for a
Tual Sleng Prison
Rules and regulations for the prisoners being interrned there '75 -'79 trip up the Mekong to another wat. I became a little disconcerted when our driver of our boat donned a motor cycle helmet for the trip!! Despite the driver's need for a helmet we all made it safely to Wat Hanchey...a hilltop wat with over 140 steep, broken and sloping steps to the top. Once on dry land we were surrounded by hoards of children of various sizes who followed us everywhere. They were keen to practice their English and I spent more time interacting with the kids than listening to the guides commentary. These kids were an absolute delight....even thanked us for taking thier photos. The kids just love you to play with them.
Tue 5th: On the road to Siem Reap through little villages surrounded by rice paddies, coconuts, palms, bananas and tropical plants. Passed many crazy-arsed Cambodians with overlaiden vehicles and many people riding atop baggage, busues and pickups. Stopped at another wat - Phnom Suntuk - obn a hill of which there were 900 + steps up to it. What an awesome place with many Buddhas reclining and carved into the rocks. We had our own personal guide - a 16 y.o. boy called Johnny
Kampong Cham
Rice paddies who look more like 10 than 16. He was such a hoot with excellent English which he had learned from the tourists as he didn't go/hadn't been to school. Arrived in Siem Reap and experienced our first rain of my whole trip (other than when I first arrived in HCMC in Oct). A real monsoonal downpour where the rain was coming down in buckets but only lasted halfa.
Wed 6th: Well, the day had arrived that some had come to Cambodia for....the temples of Angkor Wat. There are approx 174 temples in all so naturally we weren't going to see them all. First stop was Ta Phrom then Ta Keo followed by Angkor Thom and the Bayon. In the afternoon we wandered around Preah Khan and then Pre Rup.
Thur 7th: An early rise 4.30am to go and see the sunrise over the actual Angkor Wat. After the sunrise we wandered around the ruins for a couple of hours then on the way back to the hotel stopped in at the Landmine Museum. What an amazing place. Set up to show visitors the landmines which have been found in Cambodia and to inform us of the 6 million
Kampong Cham
Our crazy-arsed driver landmines still scattered around the country!!!! We were shown around by a 19 y.o.who lost a leg when he stepped on a mine outside his village. The blast killed his brother and sister. Such tragic stories but these kids have such a positive outlook and are doing something positive to help themselves. Had a picture drawn for me by a 16 y.o. boy who had also lost both legs. The arvo was spent back at the ruins, this time going through Banteay Srei. All the ruins were amazing, some I liked more than others but my favourites were the Bayon and Banteay Srei.
Ok Beautiful Peoples. That's the end of this saga. Keep fingers crossed that I will be able to download some photos. Until next time..............................................
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