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Cambodia is a bit of a blur as I was quite ill for a few days but the things I experienced were really good. Started with a new tour of about 15 people. Seems to be mostly girls and couples.
Went to Siem Reap and to the Angkor Wat temple at sunrise which was amazing and had a look round the temples, one which was in Tomb Raider apparantly. The buildings are in ruins now and there's loads of tree roots growing round the walls, felt like something out of a computer game, was really cool.
In Siem Reap we also went to see a floating village on the Tonle Sap lake. There are lots of poor people around and a lot of children begging and trying to sell you things. Most live in hut type houses built on long stilts to keep above the ground as when they have the rainy season, the land floods. I think they're quite cool though, like big tree houses:)
In Phnom Penh I was sick and missed out on a tour round the city on the one morning. The afternoon plan was going to the Tuol Sleng Genocide museum, which I really wanted to go to although I felt so bad, so went along. The museum is an old school, which was used as a prison in the 70's when the Khmer Rouge regime happened. I lasted about 5 mins of the tour before I had to sit out the rest, so missed all the info but Cambodian's were kept and tortured there. From what I picked up, the leader at the time in Cambodia, didn't want educated people in the country to prevent or protest against what he wanted to do so they were killed!!! There's a lot more to it but it'l take to long to explain on here.
I think something like 50 percent of the population are under 35 and most have relatives that were killed in this regime. Our tour guide had a brother that was killed.
So I missed the rest of that day which was the Killing Fields, and I really wanted to go there too, but had to go back to the hotel. Everyone told me about it and I saw photo's. It was only small but there were pits where the bodies were put and they have a temple in the middle displaying skulls. They haven't cleared it properly and there are still bones and teeth in the ground where you walk.
Next day we travelled to the beach resort of Sihanoukville. It's still all quite poor and a lot of people begging on the beach. Was nice to relax even though I was still not feeling good. We went on a boat trip to a few different islands to do some snorkelling and fishing over the side of the boat with lines on plastic bottles. I caught a little fish!!
I think Cambodia is beautiful but is so poor and the history is shocking and especially so recent. They're trying hard to develop their country but it's a long way off. So glad I've experienced it though.
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