Spent a couple of nights in Battambang which the guide book described as a quaint little riverside town with some great french colonial architecture! What a load of pants. The only good thing about Battambang was that I was with my two irish friends (one of whom I had met in china) and my german friend. Also, the boat ride from Siem Riep was awesome (despite breaking down twice)although I did not see as much wildlife or forna a I had expected. Other than I would give it a miss next time. That said there were apparently some good temples to go and see which you could only get to on a moto but I was a bit 'templed'out really after Angkor Wat and didnt fancy it - perhaps if I had gone I may have see this great architecture? Nearly forgot - went to a childrens 'circus which was the hightlight in Battambang where disadvantaged children put on a performance of acrobatics juggling hool a hoops etc etc'. They were true professionals till the end as even when some of their 'tricks'didnt work the first time, the perservered until they got it right and the audience thankfully were backing them all the way.
Got a bus to Pnom Pehn (PP) on the 15th and arrived late afternoon. My guide book put the fear of god in me as basically it suggested that it wasnt safe to go out a night in PP and so I was glad to hook up with a friends brother who lives here and who thankfully took me out for which I was very grateful. Of all places we ended up going for an Indian!!
Today I walked around the Kings Palace which was pretty although he was in so half the grounds were off bounds unfortunately. I also went to the local museum and learned something new today - the word Angkor""is a derivative of "Nagara" which is the sanskrit word for City - all new to me
After I went to the Tuol sleng Genocide Museum which was formerly a school and turned into a prison by Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge in the mid 70's. Its a harrowing as you would expect. Pol Pot killed over 2 million peasants, monks, the educted, those with spectacles etc etc and many thousands were tortured here at S21 Prison as it was then called before they were taken blind folded to the Killing Fields. The Museum itself was harrowing enough and I dont feel like I need to go to the Killing Fields.
Off to a place called Kampot tomorrow and then I hope to make my way to South Vietnam as my visa starts tomorrow.
Ten 4.x
