This morning we venture out of Siem Reap town to head out, exploring the Cambodian countryside, in all its pristine splendour and we are expectantly looking forward to the adventures of the day...
The Cambodian national flag flutters outside our hotel. The national flag is emblazoned with the enduring symbol of the country, the Angkor Wat...
A rich heritage didn't prevent the country from getting reduced to a vassal state of regional powers and then getting colonized by the French. Freedom came in the 1950s, but strife soon followed with thee Vietnam War extended into the country - the United States bombed Cambodia from 1969 until 1973.
The Khmer Rouge emerged as a major power, taking over the capital, Phnom Penh in 1975. The Khmer was responsible carrying out a genocide from 1975 until 1979, in which an estimated 3 million Cambodians perished. They were ousted by Vietnam in 1979 and that was followed by a period of internal tensions until peace was restored in 1990s. But economicaly the country is fragile, there is widespread poverty, with a massive corruption problem. There is an evident lack of confidence in the country's currency the Riel and that prompted a dollarization of the economy - everything over here - from tuk tuk rides to hotel tariffs - is denominated in dollars...
But despite these issues, the Cambodians are happy and cheerful - a lot like the Vietnamese and that's why we fell in love with them!
Breakfast is served - Cambodian noodle soup with chicken and herbs - extremely flavourful and refreshing...
Out on the road, heading towards the countryside, I see a Pa Pa Petroleum - is this where papas fill the tanks for their kids, well perhaps,,, but now I got to doze off for a bit!
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