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Soo-a s'day!
So we're now in Phnom Penh, which is the capital of Cambodia. We wrote last from Siem Reap, but didn't say much about it. Siem Reap is a modern city that is all focused around tourism because the Angkor Temples are very nearby. We decided to spend 3 days looking around the temples rather than squashing it all into one really long day. These temples were built over 1000 years ago and many of them still have the original carvings even though so have been left
to decay. We hired bikes and cycled out on the first day to look at the most famous temples, Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom. They are really impressive and absolutely huge. Our second day ended up being a cycle too far as it was about 35km in total, but we didn't realise until we were half way round so had no option but to cycle back! We rewarded ourselves with a well earned KFC!
Some of the most beautiul temples were the ones that hadn't been restored and had started to become part of the woodland, with trees growing out of the stones. The most popular temples were swarming with Korean, Chinese and Japanese tour groups, and so were a bit frustrating to look around.
We really enjoyed being in Siem Reap and our guesthouse was the nicest place we've stayed out here so far. We travelled from there to Battambang, which is the second biggest city in Cambodia, but nowhere near as modern as Siem Reap. There was a barrage of hotel touts and tuk tuk drivers waiting outside the bus when we arrived, none of whom really took no for an answer! We went to Battambang to go on a bamboo train which we'd heard about. It was loads
of fun, it's best to look at the pictures to see why but basically it's a bamboo tray on 4 wheels that travels down a single railway track. Whenever 'traffic' appeared coming in the opposite direction, the drivers worked out which train was lighter then lifted it off the track so the heavier train could continue. Very funny!
We went on the train as part of a motorbike trip with some people we'd met. We also saw the 'killing caves' where the Khmer Rouge killed several thousand people, sometimes by just throwing them alive through a hole in the top of the cave. It was pretty depressing but we were cheered up by the hoards of children who came running out of their huts to scream hello and wave at us when we drove past on the bikes. It's like being a celebrity!
Phnom Penh is really cool. It's not just a faceless capital city. You can see a strong French influence in the layout of the city, with wide avenues and boulevards. It's a fairly traditional city, with a few Westernisation creeping in. But there's loads of fun to be had in this busy, bustling city.
We visited the S21 museum and the Killing Fields. S21 was an old high school that the Khmer Rouge changed into a security centre for the detention and torture of prisoners. Many of the prisoners were then taken to the Killing Fields to be finished off. It's predicted that around 20,000 Cambodians were executed there in mass graves. Again, this was a very sad place to visit, especially when you noticed the barely covered bones and clothing underneath us on the path. It was like visiting the South East Asian Aushwitz. But at least Cambodia does seem to now be honouring the 3 million (approx) victims of the Khmer Rouge, although it's taken a while.
We're really enjoying our time in Cambodia. It's a beautiful country, but what makes it so special is the friendliness of the people. Everyone is smiling, even when nagging us to buy something we don't want!
Here's links to our latest pictures:
Kratie and Siem Reap
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=378578&id=840245275&l=16b971f50
Angkor
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=378580&id=840245275&l=d467d527fd
Battambang and Phnom Penh
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=390147&id=746595533&l=18ffb60775
We look forward to hearing from you and your news.
Much love
Clare & Nicky
xxx
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