What an interesting country, and so different from the month spent in Thailand! It has been incredible to be here and simply observe all of the culture spin around you like an ever-moving stream of dust and color. When I first crossed the border it was an great sense of overwhelming excitement. This is what I wanted, dirt roads, rural communties, water buffalo, but I could probably do without the constant haggling. It alright though, like I said, a smile will get you through politely and uneventfully. Spent four days in Siem Reap which was fantastic...the market in itself was a blast. Walking around all the vendors with their local fare, meat, vegetable, silk, even grasshoppers (which were very tasty). The town is relatively small, located just south of the ancient Khmer city of Angkor. I wish I could have included tons more pictures because the place was so incredible! I met some friends in the morning while sharing a tuk tuk and we explored for most of the day. each temple is so very different that its hard for me even to compare their beautiful and mysterious aspects. You really felt you were somewhere that had been extremely significant and magnificent. The bus from Siem Reap to Phnom Pehn was, shall i say, a bit of a _____ show. While the road itself was great, our bus broke down in the middle of Cambodia. A drag but something that happens, and we got into town ok, just late, after another bus came to get us. Today we visited S-21 and The Killing Fields. Some heavy stuff, but important for understanding Cambodian life and history. these people seem so happy day to day and its a wonder how they do, it was so recent that the khmer rouge and the famine hit her as a whole. It seems the only citizens here who didn't experience these atrocities first hand are the children. I am leaving for saigon tomorrow. I wish I could stay much much longer here, but time seems to be running very fast, and I am really excited to spend some quality time in vietnam. I'll be moving up the coast by bus from Saigon to Hanoi, so many more stories to come:)
