Cambodia aka: Kampuchea

I really have fond memories of Cambodia.

I was privileged to have the opportunity to visit this country. I wish the people peace, joy and prosperity.

Generally speaking, this place is laid back. Vast land with a rich history. Years of torture and injustice presented before me. THis part was draining. I got so drawn with the details and the victims that I have developed a strong emotion towards the members of the khmer rouge. What they did to these cambodians is beyond brutal. It is not only inhumane but also straight evil.

Even if this city capital looked like a small town from where I’m from, I’m still glad that the wars are over and the cambodians are somewhat free from those brutality and immorality.

Passing by the market and the tourist attractions, I noticed that cambodians are so barter-driven. Every local seemed to be selling something or asking for something—young and old alike. One thing notable though is, they managed to learn conversational English not because of social status regain. Rather, for survival. The daily demands and expenses is already a struggle for them to meet. The locals I encountered were all the same assertive amidst the language barrier and cheerful (well at least at first encounter). I met a few brilliant people who i think, if given the proper training can be successful in life. I’m not saying that I know them well but the potential is so evident. This time, it’s not all about skills but also character.

Nonetheless, I can’t miss that one rotten apple among the good ones. How can I forget the negligent tuktuk driver who hurriedly piled up our things without thinking, multi-tasking—driving and talking on the phone, and yes, irresponsibly dropped by bag which caused a damage to my DSLR. It was a pain to see the cracks but what else can I do? I did not encounter him to ruin my trip. I just moved forward and later thought of what to do with my camera.

PLACES TO VISIT:

1. killing fields

2. genocide museum

3. FCC

4. Lemongrass restaurant

5. royal palace

6. Buddhist monastery

7. Wat Phnom

8. Mekong river

9. Sisowath quay

10.Central Market

RECOMMENDEDDAYS: 2 (at least) *there are many restaurants to visit :)

Siem Reap was just amazing.. there are no other words to describe it. The temples itself was beautiful but what struck me most was how simple and pure-hearted Cambodians were. Please take some time to chat with the local people.. you’ll gain a better insight into their way of life. Our Muslim driver brought us to his village in Siem Reap.. we were struck by how peacefully the small community lived amidst everyone else. I left pieces of my heart back in Cambodia and someday I hope to come back again.

I think your view of Cambodia really depends on your style of travel. And unfortunately, I think we were unlucky most of the time. Border crossings are a bit of a hassle, but only if you don’t want to pay the bribes. Haggling for taxis can be confronting if you don’t want to be ripped off. It’s much the same for hostels and tuktuk drivers. Luckily our tuktuk driver was somewhat trustworthy and always gave us a better price than others.

So although we didn’t have the most pleasant experience with the locals, I still enjoyed it.