We started the Cambodian journey in Phnom Penh, the capital of the country. Noticeably less developed then other major capitals we have been too-Bangkok, Hanoi, etc-it was already apparent our journey here was going to be unlike anywhere else.
Just our first meal was a new experience on it's own. Starving after our bus journey, we settled in at a guesthouse and found a cool restaurant down the block where everyone was cooking on gas stoves in the middle of their tables
We ordered our own, and out came a huge assortment of unknowns-vegetables, mushrooms, meat of some sort in the broth. After a few questions, our patient waitress was able to explain a few things, and assured us that the meat was goat, because heaven only knows what other meat products we could have had in there. We kept what we knew and a few things that we didn't and started to cook our meal.
The broth was absolutely delicious and rich in flavor. We enjoyed it so much in fact that they came back and re-filled our clay pot twice. With the addition of noodles, morning glory, some mushrooms, some potato-like taro and this unknown...
We ended up having pretty good meal. It was slightly tarnished by the fact they overcharged us by about three times what the locals would pay (we asked our hotel desk), but it was still an experience on it's own.
We spent our day in Phnom Penh touring the sights the Khmer Rouge left after the civil war. First was the Choeung Ek Killing Fields
Set just 13 km South, outside of town, this is where over 20,000 Khmers lost their lives to the devastating effects of the Khmer Rouge. It's a small site, and though it pays homage to everyone who lost their lives, it was such a small percentage of the almost 2 million people who perished in this four year rule. Even still today, only about half of the bodies have been excavated. Everyday, especially in the rainy season when we were there, bones, clothes and other buried truths come to the surface of un-excavated graves.
The next stop was the Toul Sleng Genocide Museum.
Security Office 21, S-21, was one of the interrogation and torture centers set up by Khmer Rouge leader, Pol Pot in 1975. Prior to that, it was a high school, but with the fall of Phnom Penh, it was converted to the detention and torture center, for the very people who were most likely being educated there. Inside, are haunting photos of the people-young and old-who entered these doors and left, only to head out to Choeung Ek.
But even with these tragedies so recent in their past, the people in Cambodia were so friendly and so kind, and all seem to have a big sense of community. The downtown area near the river was alive and bustling on a weekday night.
It is quite common, especially it seems in Cambodia, for very small children to sell odds and ends to make some money for their family. After we didn't want to purchase some beverages three small kids were selling in front of a Wat downtown, they let their curiosity get the best of them and wanted pictures taken,
Photo taken by the boy in the blue:
Looking over the photos:
We were happy to hang around, watching them in delight as they would find someone or something new to take a photo of, even their drink bucket (and finger...)
Amid the hustle and bustle of town, and just finishing off a day of some pretty heavy sight-seeing and learning, seeing them exclaim with excitement with every shot taken was so refreshing. It makes me hope these children are going to school, and pushing their curiously to all levels. All in all, you can tell that Phnom Penh, and Cambodia is on the verge of something big
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