Cambodia

Trip Start Sep 04, 2006

Trip End Aug 20, 2007

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Flag of Cambodia Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Tuesday, January 2, 2007

We reached the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh by a 6 hour boat ride past whole floating towns with churches and schools, the families relying on plentiful fish for their income. Our first challenge on arrival was finding our guesthouse as the Cambodians have a unique way of numbering their addresses - each street and house has a number but non are sequential. Even our hotel room no. 10 is between no.3 and no.21 - don't ask why they do it, we've no idea!

Sadly, Phnom Penh is mainly known world-wide for the genocide atrocities conducted here by Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge between 1975-1979. During this time, the people were returned to the fields to work and approximately 2 million of the 8 million population were killed, many for the most minor reasons - maybe they spoke a foreign language or wore spectacles

01 Petrol station, Cambodian style!

. We visited the killing fields at Choeung Ek and the prison of S-21 - horrific stories which are particularly chilling, especially when you think this occurred within the last 30 years. Seeing pieces of clothing poking through the ground at the mass grave sites really brings this home to you. The people of the country are slowly rebuilding their lives and relationships which must be difficult as the Khmer Rouge guards, many whom were children at the time, are back living within their old communities again.

Having experienced the two most famous histories of Cambodia - one over 600 years old and the other younger than us, we feel a lot more aware of the culture of this fascinating country. Parts of it have been very sad to see but the people are very optimistic about the future while not forgetting their past.

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02 A floating church on Lake Tonle Sap.	03 Very windswept on 6 hr crossing of the lake!	04 The chilling mass graves at Choeung Ek.	05 The regulations at the infamous S21 prison.
06 Having a beer overlooking Phnom Penh.	07 Tuk Tuks also double up as hostels!

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Comments

sarahandmatt on Jan 4, 2007 at 08:59AM

Happy New Year!
Happy New Year to you both! Its great as always to get your latest updates. We've been reading all your entries with lots of interest and bags of envy. I'm trying to persuade Matt that we really need to do the same thing soon...falling on deaf ears though so far! Nothing of interest to report here although we realised the other day that we have a wedding to plan in less than 8 months....no worries! Still hoping if you're back you'll be able to make it.

Keep loading on lots of photo's as we're really enjoying them. Take care of each other and enjoy the rest of Asia and onwards. Sarah & Matt x

rcoales on Jan 7, 2007 at 06:45AM

(Belated) Happy New Year!
Hi Guys
Sounds like you have had a great time over Christmas and New Year. Love the reindeer horns Chas! ;-)
Your photos of Angkor Wat are very enticing.
I spent New Year at a buddhist temple doing over 1000 bows for my sins....and then we watched the sunrise at a beach on the East Coast. Now back to teaching after a few days holiday (my mum was here!) but have just passed my 6 months waymark. Won't be long before I'm joining the travellers trail :-)