Jan 2007

here's what ive done so far

after enjoying the fun ride through thailand and laos, i came to see some of the worst of se asia's history outside of phnom penh. about 10km from the cambodian capital are the S-21 killing fields, used by pol pot's regime to kill "subversives". these people were academics, women, children and anyone deemed to be against the maoist revolution that swept the country in 1975. in less than four years the powerful khmer rouge killed 2 million people, nearly one quarter of the population!!!!

when i walked around the craters in the ground, the images of innocent cambodians being beaten and killed was overwhelming. a temple with bones was erected in the center of the grounds, and it was a moving experience.

afterwards i visited the S-21 facility, used to detain and torture civilians. the cells were barely big enough to lay down in, and the weapons used were on display. the combination of the killing fields and detention center in a single day was a tough thing to grasp after cruising down the mekong and relaxing on the beach. im sure this will be one of the most meaningful experiences on my trip.

as i see the faces of the people in the street, i think about their family members that may have been killed by the khmer rouge. one day i hope the cambodians can achieve reconciliation. there have never been war trials and many khmer rouge leaders are still silent about the acts they committed. considering pol pot's regime lost power in 1979 and he died in 1998, justice will most likely never come. this country is certainly moving forward anyway, and they have no problem showing you their true hearts. i can understand why many ex-pats volunteer to help the children here. it's hard not to feel sympathetic towards the khmer people, but finding the correct way to help them is very difficult. many people beg for money, and children are used by men to sell their products, such as guidebooks and flowers. buying a child a plate of fried rice has felt good, and writing this down soothes some of the pain as well.

here is a picture of the fields. all of the depressions are where the bones were buried in mass graves. in some spots, old clothing was still visible underneath the grass and dirt.

the hype is just for the angkorean temples here in cambodia. as nearly every traveller i've met has said, angkor wat is just stunning. the massive stone structures were built around 900 years ago, and many still stand over 50m. the steep staircases leading up to the temples, especially the one reserved for the king, are a thrill to ascend each time. the angkor wat complex is the most famous, but i absolutely love the bayon with its' 200 stone, buddha faces. as you look around there are eyes on every inch of your body and the feeling is just exhilirating.

this has been the highlight of the trip thus far, and cambodia has really impressed. phnom penh's downtown is a bit seedy, but the silver pagoda and palace are wonderful examples of khmer architecture. the french streets have become commonplace in these former colonies, and the ethnic lao and khmer have continued to renovate and build more francais streets. just about the only disappointing part of cambodia has been the food, which just doesn't compete with n. thailand and laos. my favorite dish is still a good curry, red or green, with loads of veggies and some chicken.

here are some pictures

THAILAND

LAOS

CAMBODIA

i ended my laos trip in vientiane, which was a bit of a disappointment after luang phabang. the architecture in vientiane wasn't nearly as gorgeous as the red-brick streets and detailed temples in the riverside city of luang phabang. the capital city, vientiane, was full of sex-tourists and drug-dealers, and probably a few people who were both. i didnt bother with the nightlife there since it seemed a bit seedy. the only nice part of the town was a french boulevard which led upto the national temple. it's a bit odd walking down the streets of the old french colonial towns and seeing poor lao people sleeping on the sidewalk, but that was definitely a common sight in vientiane.
after an overnight train i returned to ko chang, where i spent a week last year as well. the beaches are still picturesque, but the prices have already started going up. heaps of european families are on winter holiday and they chose to spend it in ko chang. i can't blame the thai business owners who want to attract wealthy families, but they are really pushing out the backpackers. it was only $5 a day for a beach-frong bungalow, so i can't complain too much. after a ferry ride to the mainland, my brother and i parted ways. he's off to university and im off to other asian destinations. i wonder who will learn more......

as for cambodia, the border town was a real treat. ko khong was full of people trying to scam or rob you, but luckily i arrived before sundown. at the actual border crossing four groups of people colluded together and set an insanely high price for a taxi ride into town. i was with a few dutch guys and we decided to start walking down the road. within seconds we had a couple cars trailing us lowering their prices. it was quite a marketplace. currently im in sihanoukville, which isnt much better than the border crossing but atleast it has a decent beach. im heading into phnom penh and then to angkor wat next week. ive been hearing nothing but amazing stories about the temples of angkor, and now its turned into my camobodian pilgrimage. i hope it lives up to the hype.