Matt and I were in good spirits when we woke up bright and early on the 5 December to catch our flight from Vientianne to Phnom Penh. Having had ample time to chill out in Vientianne in a really nice hotel, we were looking forward to being able to enjoy some culture in Cambodia. However, our trip in Cambodia actually turned out considerably different to how we planned it, and for that I am actually quite thankful.
Our first stop was Cambodia's capital, Phnom Penh. Phnom Penh is unlike anything we have seen in South East Asia so far. It is offensive to all the senses – ugly, loud, dirty, repulsive and rather upsetting. Perhaps we didn't go to the best parts of the city, or perhaps we didn't give it enough time (we initially planned to spend four nights in Phnom Penh as there is plenty to do and see, but we ended up spending only two nights there, and cramming in as much as we could in our one day), but I left with a rather poor impression of the capital.
First, let it be said that Cambodia is similar to Laos with regards to levels of wealth. When we first arrived in Laos it was evident how much poorer the people are there compared to, say, Thailand. However, in Cambodia there is a very real and very large gap in the division of wealth. This was at its most evident in Phnom Penh, and I think that is perhaps why I did not like it there.
Cambodia and Laos are both devastatingly poor, but it is only Cambodia which has received major publicity to its plight (Gary Glitter on the negative, Angelina Jolie on the positive). Like any warm hearted person, I wanted to experience Cambodia and have a positive effect on the country. However, it is extremely hard to watch tiny, very hungry children out advertising or selling things for hours every day, whilst there are other people driving around HUGE Lexus 4x4s, living in massive houses in gated communities. Or, as I heard one very charming man say, “why would I want to be living amongst the poor people?”.
There is something very unsettling about Phnom Penh, and it is the only place we have visited so far where I haven't felt safe. You can feel an undercurrent of corruption and seediness, and on our first night there I knew I wouldn't be staying long, and initially I even wanted to leave the next day. I am glad we didn't though, because during our one day in Phnom Penh we visited many of the sights associated with the Khmer Rouge.
For those who are not aware, the Khmer Rouge was a cruel and harsh dictatorship in existence in Cambodia in the mid to late 1970s, led by the man best known as Pol Pot. Pol Pot was an extreme Maoist Communist, and he had ideas of a society of equals. When they captured (or liberated, as they rather euphemistically said) Phnom Penh, they told the residents that the Americans were going to bomb the capital, and that they should hide in the country to avoid this. Once in the country they were forced to work 14 hours shifts in the fields (the elderly, children, and people with disabilities were not excluded), surviving on tiny rations of porridge.
The Khmer Rouge also tortured and murdered anyone suspected of being anti Communist, which included a lot of intellectuals. In addition, they would murder entire families to avoid 'revenge attacks' by children when they grew up. The dictatorship's rule ended in 1979, but the Khmer Rouge were thought to be in existence as late as 1998, when Pol Pot died. He was rather appropriately cremated on a pile of rubbish.
The two Khmer Rouge sites Matt and I visited were the Killing Fields and Tuol Sleng prison (section 21). Tuol Sleng prison was a school which was converted to a prison by the Khmer Rouge. Here, people were ruthlessly tortured (and sometimes murdered), and kept in tiny cells which still exist today. The main display, however, is the corridors filled with pictures of those murdered in the prison. Like the Nazis before them, the Khmer Rouge were meticulous record keepers, and it is their pictures which cover the walls of the prison. As you walk from room to room to room you are greeted with thousands of pictures, the terrified expressions of the prisoners staring back at you. When we read that at least 27,000 of the prisoners were murdered, it is just a number. To see 27,000 faces staring back at you is a different experience all together, and one I will never forget.
The Killing Fields is where prisoners of the Tuol Sleng prison were taken to be killed. It is about 34km outside Phnom Penh, and is unlike anything we have experienced before. Being Asia they have done some work on the Killing Fields, but not all. This means that some of the mass graves have been excavated, but others still have not, and it was not uncommon to see bones jutting through the earth, or a piece of clothing beginning to come through the surface. Still, whilst you walk around the picturesque orchard it is hard to get a feel for the sheer volume of brutality that took place (people were generally beaten to death to avoid wasting bullets). However, the tower of skull that has been built to commemorate the murdered soon brings it home.
It is truly shocking to think that only recently have the trials of the Khmer Rouge leaders begun to take place. Only one leader, Duch, has confessed to what happened. The others deny that any level of brutality took place (again, much like the Nazis). When you walk amongst the older generation of Khmers, sometimes your mind wanders back to the Khmer Rouge. Did these people suffer as a result of the dictatorship? Or were these people the ones killing or torturing people to save themselves?
Later in our trip we were in the city of Battanbang, and the topic of the Khmer Rouge arose with a tuk tuk driver (Mr Blue, another name I will remember) who was born after the fall of the dictatorship. It was interesting to talk to him, and he said that everyone wants to know his experience of the Khmer Rouge. Did his parents suffer? His grandparents? He said that neither he nor his parents want to talk about. Why? It makes them unhappy. He said they will never forget what happened, and of course they want to ensure that those responsible are punished. However, he says there is no point in being sad about it everyday; we are so lucky to be alive and we should all be happy. I thought this sentiment was beautiful, and incredibly common amongst Khmers who are, without exception, the nicest, happiest, most wonderful people I have ever met.
This opinion was proved over and over again to me when we left Phnom Penh. And once we left, my opinion of Cambodia completely changed. I went from feelings of repulsion to love, and I will certainly be returning to Cambodia.
We left Phnom Penh early one morning and caught the bus to Siem Reap. Siem Reap is a must in Cambodia for one reason, and that is the Temples of Angkor. We spent three days exploring the temples, and there isn't a whole lot to say about them. Yes, they were as amazing as everyone says. As you clamber all over them, you can almost see the monks wandering amongst them a thousand years ago.
I have to say though, I think the reason we loved the temples so much was partly because of our tuk tuk driver, Rithy. Rithy was great! He explained each of the temples to us before we entered them, and we ended up spending three days with him. He had this incredible knack of always seeing us before we saw him, and everytime we left a temple we would see him driving towards us, waving and smiling his big, bright smile. I wish him all the happiness in the world.
Part of the experience of temples is the hundreds of children, all trying to sell you things. As soon as your tuk tuk pulls up you are accosted by children trying to sell you scarves, postcards, bracelets, fruit... And all for $1. $1 is not a lot to you and me, but considering the average daily wage in Cambodia is $2, it really puts it in perspective. If you gave $1 to every child that asked though, you would be a very poor individual, so you have to give sparingly. The children are amazing though. Even if you say no they will walk and talk with you, eager to practise their English and find out more about your country. Their favourite trick was having an encyclopedic knowledge of every country – the capital, the Prime Minister/President, a couples of phrases (lovely jubbly!), and my particular favourite, the complete list of British Prime Ministers of the past 100 years. If these kids were given half a chance in life they could go very far.
Perhaps my fondest memory of Cambodia though is the bamboo train in Battanbang. Battanbang isn't a particularly touristy city, but they do have one draw, which is the bamboo train. The bamboo train (google it) is essentially a square block made of bamboo, placed on two sets of wheels which runs along the warped train line (the train lines are not currently in use in Cambodia). Traditionally it is used to carry vegetables and meat from the villages to the towns to be sold. However, you can now hire your own train and driver, and they will take you to the village and show you around rural Cambodia. The train journey is pretty scary, and as it is only one line, if you meet someone with more passengers coming the other way, you have to wait whilst they dismantle the train and let the other one past. However, when you get to the village it is truly something else. As the people there are not used to visitors, they are very happy to see you. You end up with about twenty children and five adults all showing you around, from the brick factory to the rice paddies. They talk to you about your life and theirs, and unlike the children of Siem Reap, many have not heard of England. Their number one question about it though is, “England is good country?”.
My answer, to them, is yes. To myself, I am not so sure. The people in the village live an amazing life. They are completely self sufficient, and more importantly, they are incredibly happy. It is the kind of happy you will never see in England, one of being carefree, one of loving life. They are truly wonderful people.
It is a shame, in a way, but an Australian company has recently bought the rights to all of the train lines in Cambodia. This will, perhaps, spell the end of the bamboo train and the trip to village. However, Khmers are excited about the train line (which will apparently connect the major cities to Bangkok), as they think it will encourage more visitors and therefore more money. I hope so. In places like Battanbang there are so few jobs that if they had more tourists they could open bars and restaurants and provide employment. I just hope that they are able to retain their beautiful nature and avoid becoming greedy like many Thais.
To end, what started as a low in Cambodia very much ended on a high. I spent most of our bus journey to Bangkok reflecting on what we had seen and done. The Khmers certainly have a very special place in my heart and I will most definitely return. Cambodia is a truly beautiful country (outside the capital!), but it is the people which make it truly special. I have found that many travellers come up through Thailand, across to Laos and then straight to Vietnam, not even considering Cambodia. Big mistake. Go, and talk to as many Khmers as you can – I can guarantee you won't be short of volunteers. I will remember everyone I spoke to fondly, especially Spiderboy...
Goodbye Cambodia, I hope our time apart will not be too great.
