Cambodia- Siam Reap and Pnohm Pehn

Wow..
I think its been a little too long since my last blog.
Unfortunately i donot have a lot of time to write this.
Cambodia was beautiful
I feel that this country gave me the most culture shock though. As we entered the country in our big air conditioned local bus, i was fixed at looking out the window. I must have just starred out the window for hours as we waited for a ferry that wasnt even a kilometer distance across a little river. There were trucks carrying all sorts of interesting things in the back of them.. Pigs, cows, monkeys... you name it. It was sad seeing the monkeys tied up witha chain on their foot. Maybe they were selling them, I am not too sure.
The people were fantastic. When we arrived at the small hotel down a narrow road in the capital city of Pnohm Pehn, we went out to get milkshakes... Honestly, you end up craving cold fuit shakes ALL the time. There were kids that bombarded us with books in baskets. They must have been no older than 8 and they broke your heart just looking at them. We told them we were from Canada and they were smart! they started talking in French. But being the terrible canadian that i am.. i didnt even understand.
The Heat was almost unbearable. The moment we walked outside of our airconditioned hotel room, we were sweating. I carried a big bottle of water as i ended up getting dehydrated so quickly.
Going to the prison from the Khmer Rouge was extremely emotional. The prison was originally built as a school. But in 1970, the classrooms were turned into torture chambers and prison cells.
Each room on the main floor had a single wirey bed frame with a little metal box and prison chains for the prisoners feet. The people who were taken here was anyone educated or consisting of the middle or upper class. If anyone doesnt know what happened during this period, it was very similar to the Nazi regime. The ideals of the Khmere Rouge were to bring Cambodia to its original existence and to execute a class system where everyone become equal. The cambodians were all to work in farms and they were killed if they disobeyed the laws. It was absolutely discusting what they did to poeple. The regime that lasted five years caused the death of over 2 million cambodians. It was so sad seeing the ways in which they were tortured. It was so inhumane.
It was really hard walking amungst the killing fields where so many were buried.. some even buried alive.
There were mass graves and their bones were stilll scattered on thepaths we walked on. I ran upon a tiny jaw belonging to a child and it was overwhelming. You really do feel helpless. Even now, 50 percent of the population is under 18 as most of the older people that lived through the 70's were exterminated.

We flew to Siam Reap where we saw the amazing ancient ruins. The trees were my favourite part...they grew amungst it the roots like tendrils from an octopus rapping around the crumbled walls.
I even got to see the very spot that angelina ran in the movie Tomb Raider!!

I will remember one night forever when we went for supper at a womans home. There were children everywhere from nearby village homes and after an amazing feast we danced for hours. My hair became soaked with sweat but i continued to dance. The children showed us traditional Cambodian dancing and then we jived all night. Ill never forget their faces, smiles and laughter.

Overall, Cambodia was one of my favourite places. The thing i will remember most are the people. They were so open and friendly.