Cambodia Wrap Up
Trip Start
Nov 05, 2006
1
66
182
Trip End
Jan 14, 2008
Cambodia,
Cambodia
Saturday, April 7, 2007
Topography - We spent most of our time in the big cities, but we were able to peek out the windows during our bus rides. For the most part, Cambodia is a dusty country. The rice fields were all dry, since the rainy season had not yet started and the farmers have no means of irrigating besides the rain. It made for a dusty brown view of the country side, which I am sure changes dramatically with the wet season which runs from May - October. Probably the best time to visit is in November, before the holiday season.
Safety - In general, we felt very safe in Cambodia. Probably our most intimidating experience was dealing with the little girls selling water and post cards outside of Angkor Wat. "What do you mean you don't want my postcards! You buy one - now! Yikes!
Drink - Beer was relatively inexpensive. However, during a motorbike tour of the villages outside Battanbang, we stopped at a "winery" and bought some of the local wine. Let's just say Cambodian wine still has a ways to go before it will be appearing on our supermarket shelves.
Food - The food was pretty good! We thoroughly enjoyed the amok (steamed fish in banana leaves) and the lok lak that we dined on in Siem Reap. We also learned how to make both of these during our cooking class in Battambang.
Culture - It is hard to describe the Cambodian culture. I really felt like everyone was trying very hard to "get ahead." It was chaotic, with traffic, motorbikes and bicycles ruling the streets during rush hour. Most of our "drivers" that we hired either pulled us around on their motorbike/tuk-tuk or stuck us on the back of the bike and toured us through the countryside (with the exception of that fabulous bamboo train!). But, to put this in perspective, the country was just getting over the Pol Pot regime twenty-five years ago. It was hard to imagine that the people you saw/met over 25 had lived through such a horrific experience. While I was lamenting turning 40 (do I look old?) I noticed that anyone over 25 in Cambodia looked very old. Of course they did, they experienced over six years of starvation as they worked in labor camps, fought for bread and lived through massive famines after Po Pot. I did not give my looks or age another thought.
The country is also still relatively conservative, with the woman wearing long skirts and long sleeves. You were not allowed to wear shorts, tevas or tank tops while visiting the Royal Palace in Phenom Penh.
One observation that was very discouraging, the country (like many in SE Asia) us amazingly corrupt. Members of the Pol Pot regime are just now being brought to trial, after numerous hurdles slowed the entire process down. Many of them still walk the streets, just as free as everyone else. The other side of corruption that surprised us - the Cambodian government sold the "rights" to both Angkor Wat (to a Vietnamese tourist company, ironically enough) and the Killing Fields. The income from both of these amazing (in different ways) tourist sites goes directly to foreign companies. Anything for a buck...
Cleanliness - The majority of the population was too poor to even produce trash, so in general things are very clean. When you live off of $40 a month, there aren't many oreos wrappers around...
Cost - Cambodia, like Laos was amazing cheap. Probably the most expensive part of your trip will be the $25 one-day pass to Angkor Wat. The food, drink and guest houses were all reasonable. The riel, while being the national currency is used mostly for change. There are no coins in Cambodia. Also, ATM dispense US dollars, so you can actually pay for things in riel, dollars or Thai baht. We did not find the exchange rate better if you used riel. It was more convenient for small purchases, but the dollar worked fine too.
Manners - We found the touts bordered on harassment. As we arrived in Phenom Penh we were immediately accosted by 12 touts offering motor bike rides, hotels, etc. Being the only two "white" (these days I use that term loosely!) people on the bus, the touts started yelling at us even before the bus stopped. Paul was surrounded immediately after getting off the bus. If you aren't prepared, it can be a pretty intimidating experience...The other thing that was a bit discouraging was our driver. We had hired him for the day to go to the Killing Fields, etc. During the day we invited him to have lunch with us and we bought him a drink whenever we bought some. By the end of our stay he was inviting himself to every meal, "where are we going for breakfast today?" and asked me to give him my shoes (my Crocs). I know he doesn't make much money, but he makes quite a bit more than the average Cambodian and he was definitely crossing a line after a while!
Urban Design - I did not find the cities as well planned as Laos. Perhaps this is because, in general, the French just ignored Cambodia while it was part of Indochina. There were more Khmer influences in the architecture than any French colonial signs. The streets were more geared toward pushing traffic, and with cars, motorbikes and bicycles always competing for space, things were not very pedestrian friendly. I did enjoy the waterfront in Battanbang. They had a nice linear park which ran the length of the river, complete with public art, benches, lighting and a space for the night market.
Fashion/Shopping - Not much shopping here. The markets were more food oriented. We shopped a bit in the market in Siem Reap, but it was mostly full of tourist type items, like scarves, hammocks and Asian clothing - but nothing that was truely unique to Cambodia.
