Sihanoukville and Koh Rong

     Sihanoukville and Koh Rong are the beachy town and island that draw backpackers for a usually longer than expected number of days spent in the salty sea and warm sandy beach. I didn't enjoy Sihanoukville that much, it was a bit too busy and crowded for my liking. I stayed one night. At a hostel called Utopia which is great for cheap food and a cheap bed but beware of bed bugs!!! The next day I got onto a slow boat to Koh Rong and upon arrival my friend Claudia was waiting for me on the dock. She preceded to tell and show me about the island. The "main strip" is just the beachfront lined with little beachy hostels and restaurants, which is mostly the only accommodation on the island. After being reunited with her and a couple other girls I'd traveled with for awhile in Laos, Claudia and I decided we wanted to go and get a tattoo! So after some contemplation and running around asking local Khmer(Cambodian) people what we wanted we decided. The word we got was described to us like this, "You are from America and I am from Cambodia but still we can come together and be friends and share peace." Best explanation I can think of :)

     The next day was spent out on the beach playing with my waterproof camera, enjoying the beautiful view and lounging on the sand.

In the afternoon Darcy and I hiked across the island to Long Beach where we planned to stay the night. We walked down along the beach, passing sunbathers and campers alike till we reached a strange setup that we found out was part of the set of Bulgarian Survivor and we made it into a hut to sleep in. We were giddy! The sun was setting and we rushed around through their discarded planks and wooden crates making something sufficient to sleep inside. A couple came and asked what we were doing and they ended up helping us make a wonderful fire! That we didn't use that much that night because we went to a bonfire down on the beach and made some new friends.

Survivor course

Our finished home!

   Our hut made a perfect shelter. In the morning we walked with our new friends all the way to the other end of the beach for some breakfast, after which we all passed out in some really comfy chairs listening to the sounds of the ocean.

On the walk back we walked past another set where they were filming the show. We collected our few belongings and hiked back over to the other side and then walked further down, reaching "4k beach" just at dusk. We set up our hammocks in the trees and made a big fire. There were probably 6 or 7 hammocks all strung out in the trees right on the beach. Was some of the best sleep I had gotten in ages! But before sleep we decided to make some spaghetti, thinking a little salty flavor would be a good idea, we used salt water. Oh it was awful!! It looked amazing and tempted us but the salt water created the most disgustingly salty food I have ever tasted. We passed it around and the light from the fire perfectly illuminated the repulsed look on each persons face!
     The next morning we headed back to the main beach to get the boat back to Sihanoukville. I had heard good things about Kampot so I got a bus there and Darcy said she'd meet me there the next day. That evening I found out she went to the doctors and was told she had dengue fever! So as early as possible the next morning, I got back on a bus and went to the hospital. The next few days Darcy, Claudia, Lisse and I stayed at the hospital (nicest accommodation we had stayed in :p) watching movies, sunbathing, and just chilling. Luckily the symptoms that she had weren't too bad. Each day Claudia, Lisse and I would make a run into town with a motorbike taxi, and we would fit all 3 of us on one scooter plus the driver! We felt truly immersed in the culture at that point as you see that constantly all over the place. I would sit on the back and barely even be on the bike but it was fun! We also met a girl at the hospital who had randomly gone blind for a few days, nobody had any idea what happened to her. Scary! But we all became friends and it was actually quite a good time. The last night they took her IV out and she was so happy she could move that we had a good dance sesh in the hallway!

Ambulance took us to town to get food!

      After they released her, we all took evening buses to different locations. Me to Ho Chi Minh, Lisse and Claudia to Siem Reap and Darcy to Bangkok. Great end to my adventures in Cambodia :)

Pnom Penh- the brutal past

     The city of Pnom Penh is not a favorite in my book. The city is quite large and dirty and much too hectic for my liking. But nonetheless, Pnom Penh is not a city that I would skip and I’ll tell you why. The main draw for the city is the S-21 Prison and the killing fields. Both of which are heavy and hard to hear about but also very informative and moving. Some of what I have written or photos I’ve taken are quite graphic so some people may not wish to continue reading this post.

     The S-21 Prison used to be a school and when Pol Pot took over, he made it into one of the most brutal prisons around. Over 20,000 prisoners went in, and you could count the number of survivors on your fingers. They used the facility for brutal torture and forced prisoners to admit to crimes they hadn’t committed. Many of them were the people Pol Pot feared most; the intellectual people. Doctors, teachers, scientists, and their families, along with anyone else suspected of being in the movement against him. Each and every prisoner who entered had their photo taken and those photos can be seen in rows in some of the rooms. They’re faces stare hauntingly back at me and I was brought to tears just thinking of the cruelty they would soon encounter. There were also photographs of some of the inmates after they had been killed, and different forms of the torture they had to endure. I walked through rows of “cells” that were just miniature spaces made of wood or brick where men, women and children spent their days. It’s incredibly haunting and you can’t help but feel a connection to these people. I left there with their faces burned into my mind. I knew I needed to do the killing fields the same day. It was intense and hard to do but I thought it would be easier to do them together and not spread them out into multiple days.

     I couldn’t eat when we left the prison. I felt sick. My friends got some food and then we got a tuk tuk ride out over the bumpy road to the now-serene killing fields. Upon arrival I was surprised by how calm and beautiful the area looked despite the disgusting massacre that had taken place. They give you a headset and you follow the numbers at your own pace and look at each spot and listen. It’s very informative and heart wrenching at the same time. The area is covered in mass graves where hundreds of bodies have been found; some groups headless and other areas just bones. There are clothes and teeth and small things that keep coming up from the earth when it rains, constantly more being uncovered. I learned that they brought prisoners there blindfolded with no idea where they were, and killed them; more than 300 innocent human beings a day who had families and loved ones who would never see or hear from them again. The most shocking and powerful image to me was the killing tree. The killing tree is where soldiers would brutally murder women and children, bashing their heads on the tree and throwing them into a pile. When it was found, there were traces of hair, brain, and other parts of the body that did not belong there. The tree is now covered in bracelets left by anyone who felt a need to reach out, and try to bring comfort and a bit of peace to this awful site. At the end of the walk, you hear an eerie song come through your head phones and you can get a slight feeling of what it must have been like. It was a humbling experience that makes me appreciate even more all I've been given in this life!

     One thing that really gets me is that this wasn't happening that long ago. Some 40 or so years. These awful crusades can happen at any time.. Something to think about.

I appreciate and am thankful for every one of you :)

Battambang

A nice stop over between the big cities of Siem Reap and Phnom Penh is a little town called Battambang. Although there isn't that much to do in the little town, the food is amazing and there are alot of great things surrounding the city.
    When we arrived we went to the night market for food and it's just a bunch of stalls along the river serving noodle and rice dishes. We chose to eat at one that had a chef no older than 14. He was adorable and so hard working and the finished fried rice with veg was one of the best I have eaten. We were so impressed we came back the following night! After a very long day..!
     In the morning we were picked up by our tuk tuk driver for the day named Tony. He was born and raised of Battambang and was able to give us the full tour! He first took us to the bamboo train, quite sketchy but very fun! There is only one track so if two trains are going towards each other, one has to be taken apart and put off the track!

     Back in our tuk tuk he took us to a garden where he told us about the food they were growing and let us try peanuts, lemongrass, cucumbers, etc.

   
















      He took us to a few temples that we had to climb up to.

We stopped at a little stand where my friend bought a jungle rat that had been grilling on a barbeque. I had to try a bite! And I was very pleasantly surprised. It was one of the best meats I've eaten and my friend is a chef and he agreed. The flavor was delicious and it was quite tender.

A winery, where the French had taught the Cambodians how to make wine.

 Stopped at a killing cave, climbing down into the cave was a little frightening, and rightfully so considering how many people were killed there. Many taken to the top and just pushed over the side.. There is a tribute set up full of bones and the cave definitely has a negative energy, but we paid our respects and moved along to the next bit of our adventure.

    The last stop was a cave that we sat and waited outside of for nearly an hour but it was worth it when 7 million bats came flying out! You could see the way they shifted with the wind as they flew. It was an incredible sight!

Angkor Whaaaat?

    On our first full day in Siem Reap we hired a tuk tuk for the next three days and thus spent those days in the Angkor Wat park. They have a pretty good set up depending on the number of days you choose. One day entry is $20, and 3 day is $40. The tuk tuk drivers know what routes are good to take so one day, our first day, yo do the big loop. With lots of smaller temples on it, each one interesting in its own right.

First Gate

Powerful Tree

The holes in the stone were for a stick to be inserted so they could be carried easier.

     The second day we were on our tuk tuk by 5am for the sunrise at Angkor Wat. We were so tired on the drive and it was pitch black, upon reaching the park you could see a huge line of tuk tuk lights which was quite funny! Plenty of people coming to witness the sunrise over an ancient temple. We went inside the main entrance and walked a little till we saw the pond on the left hand side which is quite a popular spot and if you're at all interested in reflections (like me!) you gotta be there pretty early. The sunrise was beautiful, around 6:45am the glowing orange ball of sun started to creep up from behind the temple and offer a glorious view and a lovely reflection. After the sun is up there are plenty of little stands you can get breakfast at before exploring the temple itself. Which is actually floating! I had no idea but we learned from a documentary that the temple is actually afloat. There's a little fun fact for you.
      The next temple, my favorite, was Angkor Thom. This is the temple where you can see all the faces etched into the stone high up on the temple. They were mesmerizing to look at; some with their smiling face, others partly crumbled beyond recognition of their emotion. The area of this temple is large and after you exit you can walk through some grassy areas and see many statues of elephant heads as well. Later on we went to the temple that is well known because of the film the Tomb Raider. The previous evening we had gone to this cool cinema that has a handful of small theaters where you choose your own movie and it's really neat! So we chose Tomb Raider. And shortly thereafter realized how crappy of a movie it really is. Oh well, because the temple itself was majestic in that in many parts, gargantuan trees had reclaimed their place and grown up and over and through pieces of this stone temple. Score one for nature!

Sunrise at Angkor Wat

Inside Angkor Wat

Angkor Thom

Elephant Heads

Another cool temple

Tomb Raider temple. Go mother earth!

       The third day we went out farther to all the temples away from the mainstream. Spent alot of time riding in the tuk tuk but these temples were nice as well. I really enjoyed seeing each one and their similarities and differences and how much they've gone through. Another thing I thought was incredible was not only the massive size of these structures but the intricate details and carvings of people or stories or writing that ornately covered most the temples. It must have been such hard work and I was tired just from walking around them in the heat all day! I do really recommend getting the three day pass. It's far too much to see in just one day, they aren't something to rush through.

 

     Besides the little cinema which is located in a small mall with a Swensen's Ice Cream where we also spent some time, there are a few markets where touristy goods can be bought. One is a night market just across the river, and the other is main and central and can't be missed. It sells everything you could possibly want souvenir-wise. Pub Street is quite good and definitely a popular place to go for food of any kind and drinks. We liked a place that served good Mexican food and had a wood fire oven for great pizza so there were many options! If you're a bit more adventurous there are street vendors selling snake, tarantulas and other insects.

Gourmet BUGS

Pub  Street

At the movie!

Swensen's yummy ice cream

     We stayed at a hostel called Siem Reap Central Hostel and although it is cheap, I do not recommend it. The first night we stayed there I woke up with my skin almost completely covered in itchy red bed bug bites. Not what I call a good time being constantly itchy over the next couple days! But I now check every bed for those gross little things.

     Anyways, Siem Reap is a pretty great city to spend a few days, taking your time at the temples and coming back into town for some good food and a fun or relaxing night. The Angkor Wat temples though, should not be missed! They're incredible.

First town in Cambodia

     After spending quite a few nights in a little town in Cambodia called Kratie, I moved on to Siem Reap. But before I get into the sunrises and the temples, I'll explain the allure of Kratie and why I stayed longer than I'd planned.

little something crazy I saw in Kratie

     Kratie is a wonderful little town and the first one I arrived in when getting to Cambodia. It has a great small town vibe and few tourists. The sunsets? Incredible. Kratie's major pull though is to see the Irrawaddy dolphins that are nearly extinct. For a few dollars you can get a ticket and get on a boat that takes you out on the river to be amongst these rare graceful fish. They look different from a typical dolphin; with a more rounded face and not as long of a nose making them look more like small whales. The experience was great and the best time to go is early in the morning or just around sunset.

Boat to see the dolphins

     There is also a great place just further on called the Kampi Rapids that I went to twice, once by bike(which was too far from town and I do not reccomend!) and once by motorbike which was much nicer. Anyways, once you've arrived you pay 500 riel (less than a quarter) for an entrance ticket and then you scope out the perfect hammock under the huts on the water to find your perfect spot. Once you've paid for your hammock you're free to take a dip in the fast paced current. If you don't hold on to the side of the hut though it's possible you'll drift away! It is a nice place to chill and there is food available when you start to feel peckish.

     From town, there are nearly constant ferries that cross to Koh Trong island and the cost is 1,000 riel, or a quarter, each way. The island is quite nice to walk or bike around. It's made up of small huts and plenty of greenery as well as a floating island on the other side. I spent an afternoon walking around and saying hello to all the little kids who greeted me with massive smiles.
     One things you have to try in town is their specialty of sticky rice that is sold inside a piece of bamboo, its mixed with coconut milk and a few beans. It doesn't have too much flavor but it is quite nice and it's something they eat alot. You peel down the sides little by little to continue eating the goodness inside.

Sticky rice in bamboo

      Besides a giant local market, that's about all there is to do in Kratie, and yet I loved it there. It has a slower pace, and many less westerners, and I found myself pulled to the sunset every evening and up to the roof of my hostel The Silver Dolphin to stargaze.