An evening stroll through Phnom Phen
Delicious eats at one of the many great restaurants.
One of the ways the genocide of Cambodia is remembered.
The last destination of our trip was Cambodia. We only had a week left in our trip, but it was enough to cover the highlights. We went to Phnom Penh and Siem Riep.
A picture of the school-house-turned-prison, where many political prisoners were held and killed.
Sunset at Angkor Wat
The palace in the capital
Another memorial of the killing fields
Our time in the capital was mostly spent learning about the history of the country. Our first day we went to the killing fields and the genocide museum. The killing field was heartbreaking to go to, but the museum is one of the best organized I have ever been to. They offered a very comprehensive look at the rule of Pol Pot, the genocide that occurred, and the results of these actions in the time since. I did not feel as though it was one sided or simple propaganda - but a sad and true picture of what the country has experienced. It is impossible for us to imagine living through a time like that (and of course we would never want to) but I am grateful for the chance I had to learn about it.
Sunrise at Angkor Wat
One of the many temple areas in Siem Riep
The heads of many of these monuments were cut off during Pol Pot's regime. These are a few of the remaining pieces.
We were warned that there would be a plethora of begging children and that we would notice that no one was over 65. However, I did not really notice either. There were a few begging children, but no more than I have seen in my travels throughout the rest of Asia. We did see many warnings to tourists that orphanages were not to be treated as a tourist destination, so I suppose many people try to seek out the children and are more of a hinderance than a help. There certainly is a lack of older people, but perhaps I was looking to closely at this warning and ended up scouting for older people diligently.
A dancing show we enjoyed in the evening.
The trees overtaking the ruins
In Phnom Penh we also went to a museum and a palace. It was extremely hot in Cambodia, so our days were tempered by long lunch breaks to avoid being burnt to a crisp! I enjoyed the museums and the town as a whole.
Early morning light on the temples
Chris climbing into some ruins by the riverside.
Lastly, we went to Siem Riep. The town is famous for the Angkor Wat complex. Although I am not usually one to love seeing temples, I thoroughly enjoyed Angkor Wat. We bought a three day pass for the temples, and we had a tuk-tuk driver for all three days. The first day was really just an evening, and we went to see the sunset over the largest of the temples. The most unique part of the complex is that you can actually enter and explore all of the temples. It is way more fun to see a temple when you can climb all over it, then when you are forced to view from a distance! The second day we explored from about 8 - 1, and then spent the afternoon resting by the pool. In the evening we went to a dancing show, which was cheesy but still enjoyable. The last day we woke for sunrise and then explored until about 2. It was a long day - but we wanted to see it all!
Our passes into the complex.
Our transportation to all the sights...though Chris was not the driver!
The city itself was fun to explore, and we spent our evenings searching for unique souvenirs at the night markets. Unfortunately, our vacation ended and the next day we had to fly back to Dalian. Our five weeks was super relaxing, but yet filled with all the activities that we wanted to fit in. On the flight home our luggage was lost - and so our last day of vacation was not as relaxing as it could of been! But - that was first time my luggage has ever been misplaced, so I suppose I can't complain too much! Now it is back to work for another few months. Our next vacation is in May, and we are heading the the Philippines!
A view of the crowd (only 6 in the morning at this point!)
Angkor Wat
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