Orphaned Cambodian girls after traditional Khmer dancing performance 

Cambodia - Phnom Penh

Have just returned from a trip to Cambodia. Hubby had been before a few years back and couldn't believe the change in the country - much of which had been closed to travellers. Now, tourists abounded from backpackers to middle aged culture seekers. A lot of French tourists - trying to recapture IndoChina I guess, though how galling that the lingua franca is now English!

We hit Phnom Penh first. A bustling, energetic city. The ubiquitous motorbikes dominating the roads. Bars thriving on the roadside. And probably one of the prettiest airports I've ever come across.

Of course, we had to visit Tuol Sleng Prison - a former school converted by the Khmer Rouge into a senseless prison for thousands of Cambodians. Prisoners were interrogated, tortured, confined in shocking conditions, and dispatched with a blow to the back of the head in the Killing Fields outside of Phnom Penh. The classrooms which acted as torture chambers are now bare save for an iron bed in the middle and foot shackles. When the Vietnamese came across the prison, they found the decaying corpses of the last tortured prisoners still chained to the beds. There are photos. And there are boards after boards of "mug shots" of all the prisoners: some expressions very blank, some extremely intense. In the still heat, the horror of what had taken place in the now very placid surroundings made one feel nauseous and it was difficult to breathe. There is also a gallery where the photography tracked down former guards / Khmer Rouge. 30 years on they seemed to be living ordinary lives. What does one do when faced with death as an alternative?

I suppose I was wondering if Cambodians would be permanently scarred by the horrific past. It looks like the country is getting it together and tourism at least is doing well. Hell, we were only there for 5 days so what do I know?

We also had to try Khmer food. After tongue-numbing Thai food, Khmer food was a relief for the taste buds. Wonderful subtle peppers, tamarind & lemon grass spices. Luk lac beef made an appearance in all of our meals!

After Phnom Penh, we hired a taxi to Kampot...

Waterways

We've been exploring the area around our new place - how can it be so peaceful in the mayhem of Bangkok? There's a canal (khlong) nearby where rivertaxis whizz by - actually it's more of a river bus. The boats are long and plastic sheeting goes up to around shoulder height when standing to protect from sprays of canal water. Conductors in indigo jackets shuffle along the boat ridge collecting fares. When you want to get off, the plastic sheeting is lowered and passengers balance with utter confidence on the boat edge, walking along like a Russian gymnast on beam, before hopping off.
Some of the bridges spanning the waterways are very low. The conductors collapse the tarpaulin roof of the boat and if you're unlucky enough to be standing and of average height, your neck is suddenly forced to duck forward at uncomfortable angles.
Round where we are, you can also walk along the canal, passing people's homes, large dogs, puddles of dubious green water, restaurants and little shops. Fascinating.