Last few days in Cambodia...

We are enjoying our last few days in Cambodia in Sihanoukville, a coastal town in the South of the country, where we are relaxing on the beach before heading off to Thailand tomorrow.
In Battambang we visited the area on motorbike-taxis (the easiest way to get around when it is too far to go on a pushbike), then we got on a bus to Phnom Penh, where we spent a day visiting the different commemorative sites of the Khmer Rouge genocide, which took place from 1975 to 1979. The Vietnamese suffered incredible violence commited against them by the American forces, but the Cambodian people were killed by their own brothers, their own people who had been recruited into Pol Pot’s ultra-communist and bloodthirsty milicia. In Phnom Penh you can still see a former school which became a secret prison (and an interrogation and torture site) and what remains of a killing field where more than 14 000 people lost their lives. I shall spare you the atrocious detail here, but you might wan to read the brilliant book by Loung Ung, First they killed my father, which tells the story of her family during that period, She was only 5 when it all started. Every Cambodian above 30 has a horror story to tell about the Khmer Rouge, they all lost friends and family. Today, 7th of January, is a public holiday here : it has been 28 years since the Vietnamese freed Cambodia from the Khmer Rouge regime.
A few comments about Cambodia :
Despite the country being very poor (many people are forced to beg to survive, and everywhere children are at work, the most “fortunate” selling books and nick-nacks, the most needy having to ask for your empty drink cans to sell for a few riels a day), travelling in Cambodia is more expensive than in Vietnam for instance. This is due to the fact that “foreigner” prices are in use. It remains very reasonable, and if it contributes to the development of the country it can only be a good thing. However, it is hard to know who actually gets the benefit from it…
In Vietnam the architectural and religious influences were clearly Chinese, whereas here India seems to have had more of an impact on he culture, an it is especially noticeable in religious imagery.
And one word about Khmer cuisine, which is delicious, with its coconut and lemongrass curries, and oven baked “Amok” fish wrapped in banana leaf. On the beach people sell mini squid grilled on small barbecues, and you can also find truly delicious sponge cakes, for when you get bored of all the coconuts and pineapples that you can buy everywhere for 25p each, all cut up and redy to eat…
There you go, the next message will be from Thailand so till then take care!