cambodia

we are in cambodia right now and it is so beautiful and amazing. we traveled overland to phnom penh from thailand--that was slightly hellish--red dirt potholed roads, nine of us in an '85 toyota van with no shocks or air conditioning for 7 hours... but the scenery was breathtaking. the people here are some of the poorest in asia but their physicality and their spirit is just beautiful. they are radiant. it is very humbling as a middle class american white girl to spend time here-- especially considering cambodia's recent bloody history and our own government's culpability. the countryside is still littered with landmines. even in areas around angkor wat they tell you that you should NEVER stray from well worn paths. we are going to travel by boat up the mekong river to see the ruins in a few days--it will be amazing to see the mekong delta--although the trip will undoubtably be long and crowded. it is so different from thailand here. loud and engaging and altogether intoxicating to the senses. the khmer people in the backpacker areas are so much more aggressive about getting your money. everywhere you hear, "where you go? hello my friend where you go?" tomorrow we are going to hire a motorbike to take us to the killing fields. that means three of us on a little honda weaving in and out of chaotic phnomn penh traffic. i have heard a little about the killing fields and the museum of khmer rouge atrocities and i know that it will be shocking and painful to see but i think that it is important to go. there are pictures of all of the victims. in four years pol pot killed close to 2 million cambodians--out of a population of 7 million. the numbers are unthinkable.this country has suffered so much in the recent years and yet it's people are some of the warmest and most genuinely welcoming people i have encountered in SE asia.it is an honor to be here, i know it sounds corny, but it is deeply affecting. i feel like i'm going to cry half the time because of the beauty and the intensity that is all around.
Back