Cambodia

What to say about Cambodia! It's amazing how every country in this relatively tiny region of the planet can be so different. Vietnam has the Chinese influence, Laos' influence from Thailand and Cambodia's from India...although much altered from their sources over time. There are hints in the food, language, people's faces, dress. All three have sad, war-torn pasts, however, Cambodia's Khmer Rouge puts an even sadder, more distinct scar on the country.

The Kmher Rouge was in the recent past: 1975-1979 (Read about it). Coming here you can at once see the past turmoil and future that is growing sporadically on top of it. This unsteady, slightly chaotic feeling is absent in Laos and Vietnam: Vietnam's communism creates some order and control, and Laos, although still struggling, seems resigned (nay, happy?) with their situation, moving along a slow evolution. Cambodia, on the other hand, shows signs of poverty and disorder more obviously. ..more like what I noticed about India (although I would put India much further down on this scale of poverty and disorder. Ppopulation difference is probably a major factor). Here I have seen more beggars in urban centers, more desperate attempts for people to sell you things on the street or give you motorbike / tuk tuk rides, more trash all over. In general, more people here seem to have street smarts about them. Which is expected: These people have seen it all. I suppose most people over 30 were here for the Khmer Rouge, and today Cambodia is on the short list for most corrupt governments. (The known evidence: there are far more cars here and in Laos or Vietnam, earned through corruption). Despite all this, the people are wonderful, like India. Warm, friendly, and no, not always trying to get your money. Even more so than Vietnam/Laos, we have had people chatting us up, introducing themselves and honestly wanting to share their country with us. (Actually it seems more people here speak decent-enough English. It's customary for them to greet us with Hello in english rather than in Khmer. It wasn't like this in Laos/Vietnam)

I spent the first two days, after crossing the border by bus, in Kratie, another sweet riverside town. One day I took a boat across the Mekong to a quiet, rural island and rode my bike around, saying hello to the wonderful locals along the path. I later took a boat tour 15km outside town to see the Irrawaddy river dolphins. They are an endangered and rare dolphin that lives here. There are only 65 left? They look like regular dolphin with the nose chopped off. Very cool. We got to see them around sunset which was nice.

I am now in Phnom Penh, the vibrant capital of Cambodia. I love it here. It's funny how travelers opinions can vary so much: many people advised to skip it, said there wasnt much there, too many people/poverty, etc. But to me, its great. You hear so many opionions, better to find out for yourself :)

I'll write more later on this. Off to bed!