I can hardly believe that we are already done our trip through Cambodia. It went by in the blink of an eye and just like that, we are in Vietnam. I figured I would do one last picture post of Cambodia since I didn't really do many on the country while we were there. I can say that it is one of the top on my list, the people are the friendliest yet, if you can believe it, and the country has some really amazing sights to see. Here are a couple pictures of some of what we did and saw in Cambodia.
Dan and I made a special trip to the city of Kratie in the hopes of catching a glimpse of the rare and endangered Mekong River Dolphins or Irrawaddy Dolphin. Our quick stopover proved worthy and we were pleasantly surprised when our boat captain found a family group of 5. They swam around the boat for about 20 minutes or so before we took off. They are so cute and I was so excited. Sorry, no good snaps but check them out on Google- they're adorable.
AH- Pub Street. Siem Reap was our absolute favourite stop in Cambodia. The city is beautifully clean, lush and completly chill. The nearby Angkor temples are the biggest draw to the city- and the country- and for that reason there are many foreigners here but it's still a lovely, authentic city. It offers some amazing eats, great sights and awesome night life. Good Times!
Or, if Pub Street is too much for you to handle, you could always hit up the Night Market. Maybe get your ears candled in the middle of the market, right next to a restaurant. Appetizing!
Or how about some dried sea food from the Old Market- smells yummy :P
Or a fish spa?
After all that shopping at the market, you are bound to get a little famished.
Now, I know you want a beer but I don't know how you're gonna decided between the Frog or Tarantula pizza...they both sound so tasty. This restaurant was in Phnom Penh- the capitol city of Cambodia.
Unfortunately, it rained every day while we were in Phnom Penh. In the picture above, we were eating lunch and the sky just opened up. Within 5 minutes the streets were flooded. When motorists drove by they literally created waves.
On the day we left, it was beautifully sunny out. This picture was taken outside the post office.
OK. Now for the heavy stuff. I decided against doing a post on the next couple sights we saw because they upset me far too much. I still find the memory really upsetting but I figured I would post some pictures for educational purposes. If you are interested, read up on the Khmer Rouge's genocide in Cambodia- I don't feel like getting into it in the detail required. The picture above is a monument built to honor the people that died under the Pol Pot regime. It is 17 storeys high and houses the bones from over 80 mass graves that surround the monument.
Some of the many skulls of the victims of the Killing Fields. 10 of the 17 storeys were for skulls.
A picture of the excavated graves. Just over 80 of more than 120 have been excavated at the sight.
These are the uniforms that the Cambodian people were forced to wear while the Khmer Rouge was in control of the country.
No explanation needed
S-21 Prison was where victims were taken to be tortured before being shipped off the the Killing Fields.
Prison Cells
S-21 was formerly a school before being converted into a prison. In each classroom in this section of the complex, 26 cells were constructed. In other sections, brick and mortar were used.
The Khmer Rouge documented all the prisoners that entered S-21.
The museum is full of mugshots. Of the thousands that entered, only 7 made it out of the prison alive.
On a lighter/brighter note.... This is a photo of Dan, trying to type on the computer and avoid the glare and heat of the sun.
Our first rainless day in weeks, we spent the day at a neighbouring resorts pool- Nice.
While visiting the town of Kep we rented a scooter to check out one of the world famous pepper farms.
I hadn't a clue how pepper was grown but now I know the difference between white, green, red and black pepper.
Pepper seeds. These can be picked to make green pepper or soaked in water an peeled to make white, rippened longer to make red or dried to made black pepper.
A rad lizard sunning himself at our bungalows in Kep.
holy! So much in one post. I love the picture ones too... I have one question about the sign for the food, why it says Vampires don't eat rice $2?!!! What is that about? Was it a book? Is that what it means?! That is so horrifying that there has been so many acts of cruelty to innocent people, while looking at your pictures of the prison I heard the music that was playing in Baraka in my head.... so creepy, chilling, and sad.
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