Singing Trees

Like Vietnam, Cambodia felt different the second time around. Maybe because I knew what to expect and had already felt the initial shock of visiting the Killing Fields. And I had immersed myself in several books about the Khmer Rouge so it was all I really had on my mind on that first trip through. I was stunned and inspired by the determination of the people, especially in Phnom Penh, but also deeply saddened by what had happened - and the fact that before this trip I had never really heard anything about it.

This time, although I still love the city and I can see why it was once called the "Paris of Southeast Asia", I felt the seedier, more gritty side of it. It is a place teetering on the brink of badness. Or at least I got that impression this time. There is such a will of the people to change that, and to improve their country, but the government is still so corrupt and ridiculous, it's hard to see it changing any time soon. One of our guides, when discussing the current tribunal to convict former Khmer Rouge of crimes against humanity, he remarked, with a laugh, that he used to see one of the guys on trial at the supermarket all the time. With a laugh, only because it's so completely ridiculous. This tribunal has been years in the making, held up for financial reasons, but also because many people just want to get on with things, on with life. But here is this guy, most likely guilty of the most barbaric of crimes, the torturing and killing of prisoners, including children, and our guide has to see him in the supermarket all the time.

I did have to go back to the prison, S-21, where the Khmer Rouge summarily executed thousands of its people, usually after torturing them each for weeks on end, but I didn't go inside - I stayed at the aptly named Bhodi Tree Cafe across the street, in case any of my group needed to escape early and have a nice glass of iced Bale Fruit tea. The same went for the Killing Fields. I stayed outside, but even the perimeter of that awful place reverberates pain and suffering. Just walking to the bathroom I caught myself looking down, hoping I wouldn't see any bone shards or remnants of clothing, like you see scattered about the inside everywhere. I treaded lightly and made my way back to the bench by the front gate and stood there and waited for my group. It was still hard not to be emotional even on the outside. Most of my group was pretty strongly affected, too. Several of them bursting into tears, and coming to join me after just a little while.

But on a lighter note, don't get me wrong, I still love Cambodia. We took a beautiful whirlwind cyclo tour through the city, past massive pagodas and temples, huge French-Colonial buildings, remnants of the days of Indochina, which stand regally, having endured so many years of hardship and war.

After PP, Siem Reap is a relief. What a cool town! I had more free time on this trip to explore and just enjoy the place. Of course the Angkor temples will never lose their majestic power, and I am still taken aback by how beautiful they are. I went with a couple on my trip to some temples I hadn't visited earlier - on the outskirts of the temple complex, old Hindu-style brick temples, crumbling with age, but reaching so high to the sky, with impossibly narrow stairs, symbolizing the difficult trek to Heaven. It's also just a fun town to bum around in. There is a great little cafe called The Singing Tree with hammocks and rattan chairs and huge shady trees that serves garden burgers and fruit shakes and has yoga classes in the evenings. I spent a lot of time there!

Finally we had to leave and made our way back to Bangkok. There is such a stark and immediate difference crossing the border. It's easy, almost, to get used to the lack of development, but once you get to Thailand and there are paved roads and street signs and stop lights, highway landscaping and 7-11, you realize how much farther Cambodia really has to go.

I was pretty sad leaving this group - again, such nice people (and patient, considereing this was my first trip!), many of whom left me really sweet notes and heartfelt goodbyes. I'll be keeping in touch with many of them, I am sure, and I think they will always be more special than most being my first group. A couple of the girls and I still hung out a few nights after the trip was over, back in Bangkok - we didn't want to say goodbye - ha!

My next trip is the "reverse" loop - it's a more basic-style (read: lower budget, longer bus rides, no free meals) trip, and goes in the reverse order of what I'm used to, with a few new places ont he itinerary - so I'll be back in Cambodia in a couple of days with a new group (and VERY young - all under 23, I think! Yikes!). I feel like I have my mind blown a little bit each time I go there, and I"m excited to see what is in store on this next visit. We'll also being going to Shianoukville, on the southern coast, which I'm looking forward to seeing for the first time (and going to the beach, of course!).

More later!

~Erin