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We have had a pretty hectic few days- I think we felt the need to make up for the lazyness we displayed throughout most of our stay in Vietnam and went into overdrive! So since my last blog we went to the Mekong Delta for a 2 day trip. We left at 8am for My Tho where we got on a boat to visit the 4 islands on the delta there all named after animals, this is apparently as from the sky the islands look like the animal in question.. I am a bit sceptical of this fact but it's a nice thought. We visited Unicorn and Turtle island where we had some bikes to explore, we visited a coconut sweet factory and went to a farm where we tried all the tropical fruits. The second day we visited the floating markets before going to a rice noodle factory. At the little factory (more like someones house) the one thing that really supprised me was that the shack where the people stayed was crammed with beds for them and it was very dark and dirty yet outside there was a big clean tiled structure that was light and well kept. This was for displaying the coffin of the dead and I just found it very strange that the dead got such better accomodation than the living. We then went to another fruit and honey farm where we got the chance to hold a huge python which was pretty cool- it was a lot heavier than I expected.
That night we got back to Ho Chi Minh City as we had a bus at midnight to Cambodia. The bus trip was, however, slightly delayed as there was a fire in in the house accross the road from where were were getting the bus from. The whole street was full of smoke and fire engines and there were flames making the building glow orange. I think we were pretty lucky as the guest house we were staying in was just behind the area on fire and I dont think it would have come off to well!
When we eventually got to Phenon Penh in Cambodia we headed to the killing fields and the The Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum to get an understanding of the horrific things that went on under the Khmer Rouge. There were thousands of bones and skulls at the killing fields that had been excavated from the mass graves and were on display with clothes also excavated. There were nearly 2 million people executed like this in just a few years. The museum was at the S-21 prison where people were tortured and held before being executed and was full or some stories and pictures that really make you shudder. I felt really strange and very subdued after leaving and just cant get my head round another human acting in that way- I guess I will never understand it.
We then headed to Siem Reap where we went to Angkor Wat and the rest of the temples. They were just amazing! We got up at 4am to see the sun rise behind Angkor Wat and it was really spooky going there when it was still dark. We spent about 9 hours there in total and I was so tired after walking and climbing all day. I liked Cambodia- cleaner and a lot more spacious in the cities than Vietnam- its a shame we didnt spend more time in Cambodia and less in Vietnam as we had to rush Cambodia a bit. Next is back to Bangkok for some wakeboarding and then south for the half moon party.
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