gonzarblog

We had a fantastic time in Cambodia! It was our first visit, and our only regret was not having planned for a longer stay. I had no idea what to expect, but found myself deeply moved by learning its recent history, which I hadn't really known before visiting, and awed at the magnificence of its ancient past. Angkor Wat and its neighboring ruins should definitely not be missed.

Chaos reigns in the streets of Phnom Penh. We counted maybe three traffic lights the whole time we were there. Cars, motorcycles, cyclos (pedicabs), remorque-motos (similar to tuk-tuks in Thailand) and pedestrians all vie for space on the road, at the same time and in all directions. Aside from staying on a particular side of the road, which most of the traffic did, most of the time, it seemed that other "rules" are made up along the way. Still, traffic does flow with surprisingly few bumps (that we witnessed).

This is the inner courtyard of the National Museum, which houses a nice collection of ancient Khmer artifacts. It's definitely worth visiting.

We had excellent food in Cambodia, just not at this place (Mama's Restaurant - recommended by the Lonely Planet) 8( . Still, the Angkor Beer was just fine.

Phnom Penh has a definite feel to it, both in terms of architecture and atmosphere. Although they're a common transport option for both locals and visitors, we just couldn't bring ourselves to being chauffeured around by these cyclo drivers. It just seemed like too much work for the poor guys.

Here's a scene from a stop on our bus ride to Siem Riep. All the local delicacies were available to tide us over 'til dinnertime. These three dishes were hot items. It wasn't exactly easy to squeeze my way up close enough for these photos! Dish #1 offered grasshoppers, dish #2 held baby chickens (?), and dish #3 - by far the crowd's favorite - hairy black spiders (tarantulas?) coated with some sort of gooey-looking "sauce". I actually thought about trying one, for about half a second, then came to the realization that some things in life are just best left mysteries.

People made sure to pick only the yummiest-looking ones!

A site all visitors to Cambodia should visit is Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum in Phnom Penh. Once serving as a high school, the site was converted into a prison by the Khmer Rouge and used as a concentration camp between 1975 and 1979.

Over those four years, an estimated 17,000 - 20, 000 people were imprisoned at the complex.

Up to 1500 prisoners were held at any one time and would be repeatedly tortured to reveal the names of family members and close associates, who were then also arrested, tortured and killed.

At first, most victims were from the previous, non-Communist regime. Soldiers and government officials, as well as academics, doctors, teachers, students, factory workers, engineers and monks were all put to death.