Cambodia

Last time we're on our way to Cambodia. We're already two weeks here and it's quiet a difference in comperance with Laos.
We expected a poor country after talking with fellow travelers but this the truth is overwhelming.
Just to give you an idea about the streets here;
In Siem Reap, the first city we arrived, this is the gateway to Angkor Wat (I tell you more about that later) it was worst.
Maybe because the people there know there are thousands of tourist to beg or maybe because there more poor people
living over there we're not sure.
But what you see is kids walking around without shoes, without underwear/pants with their little brother or sister on their arm.
We normally have dinner as cheap as possible so we mainly end up at the local markets.
When you sit down at the market it starts, kids standing next to you and pointing to their mouth, they're hungry.
Your heart breaks, so you give them a meal. But to give them a takeaway meal was not a good idea, because they came
back after 5 minutes to ask other people for food. So what happened; the food goes straight to the parents and they have
to beg and try again. So we changed our way and sat the kid down next to us at the table and let him eat so that we're sure
that he was fed. Of course his 3 brothers and sisters came as well but that was fine, 4 of them were eating and looked satisfied.
But it's hard! So many kids every second minute trying to get your attention to ask for food.
How can we feed everyone, it's not possible!!!

Next to this you see how tourism change the way the people act. I think the people in Laos are as poor as they are in Cambodia
but because tourism didn't set in yet that much, people seem more real and pure in Laos.
In Laos happy kids running towards you saying hello (Saba idée) and smiling to us. Everywhere you see kids
they will wave and scream Saba idée with a big smile!!!
Here in Cambodia it changed so much, a kid comes up to you says hello and hold his hand up to say ''1 dollar please!"
It gives me a double feeling.

Than you have all the landmine victims, so many people without legs or arms because of all the leftover landmines of the war.
there are still so many left, you really have to stay on the paths and that's no joke!!
We've been to the landmine museum operated by a cambodian man. He's clearing Cambodia from the landmines and offers a
home to young kids, victims of landmines.
We learned a lot about the landmine history and we're shocked about how many are still left. Even worse is that if they clear an
area, after the rain season, they can start all over again because the rain takes the landmines to other places.

You can understand that we gave some money to this project to stop young kids (and adults Of course) being handicapped by those
horrible landmines.

When we're in Siem Reap we went to the main attraction of Cambodia, Angkor Wat.
Angkor Wat is a place with massive ruins. I think the biggest in the world and maybe the oldest as well.
I am not a culture freak so I wasn't expecting that much, but this was amazing. It's so massive and beautiful.
So much work was done to make beautiful carvings in every wall of the buildings.
We intended to go only one day but ended up going 2,5 because it's so big, it was amazing.
I think Nico, my father in law, can stay here for 3 weeks and still doesn't want to leave :)

After Siem Reap and great Angkor Wat (and being sick for 2,5 week, part of the trip I think ;)) We went to Battambang
a pretty village a long the lonely planet. We took a boat there over the most beautiful river in Cambodia what should've last 4 hours
but Of course ended up in 8 (quiet common over here) the boat goes past a lot of floating villages. People really live on the water
like our canals in Amsterdam but than a bit bigger....
There are floating schools, floating churches and floating supermarkets it's great to see.
Every where we came kids we're screaming an waving, finally some pureness again!!! The people seemed very happy in these villages
living from their daily catch out of the river.
Battambang was definitely not the nice river town as lonely planet was suggesting so we left the next day for Pnomh Penh, the capital
of Cambodia.
And yes it is a real capital city, crazy traffic with thousands of motorbikes, cars and loads of people....
But we found some pretty architecture and nice places to visit. Because we're graving for the sea, we left for now to come back later.
Off to the beach!!!

Shinoukville is where we are now and again I have kid next to me who wants me to buy his bracelets.
If I don't buy from him I am a bad person is what he says. I guess I have to be this bad person because I can't save this world by giving
money to everyone. The world is so difficult sometimes!!!
Please guys don't spend more money on all these wars, there are better ways to spend it!!!

Anyway we're doing well, I'm finally healthy again and we're enjoying the beach.
I'm writing this on the beach while Vincent is next to me having a massage.... I know the world is not fair!

Speak to you soon from Vietnam, a new adventure I guess.
And guys we like your comments so where are they!!!!!!
We miss you.

Love Vincent and Desire