- After a six hour bus ride and getting through border patrol/customs (dumb set up) we finally reached our destination, Phnom Pehn, Cambodia. Before arriving to the hotel yet after arriving in this kingdom we had already had some very interesting experiences. Looking out the window was a must once entering this country. This helped you better understand their way of life and living here. When living in Cambodia you are either rich or poor; there is not much inbetween. This concept was displayed clearly when I saw a huge, (I mean gigantic) beautiful mansion, with three shiny cars parked in its driveway, sitting right next to rows of shacks on stilts. This place is also packed with kids. Some kids in school uniforms walking home, and others walking barefoot and wearing tattered clothes. To continue our journey we had to cross the river on our bus via ferry. Once on the ferry we got off the bus to explore a bit. First, there were so many people jammed on this craft! Second, we saw live chickens tied up by their legs in the back of vans, and loud, squealing pigs tied back-down to wood on the back of motor bikes (site to see, awful to hear!). The Cambodians will not kill and drain the animals before taking them to the markets, they sell for more if they are live. This puts a new meaning to "fresh meat" for me. Also, lined up along the sides of the ferry were beggers, many of them children. These were not just any children either, they were cute, hard to resist children. One boy looked like he was about to cry. He held something that looked like flowers (but it wasn't flowers) and the other hand was stretched out, palm up, and begging for money to touch it. Just from this ferry ride we realized that Cambodia is definitely going to be something else!
- After arriving and settling into the hotel and settling in it was time to get back down stairs again and head out for lunch. Lunch was good! No one should have gone hungry, there were a lot of western choices to choose from. Then following lunch we headed for Toontownes (I think this is the name). It was a childrens-young adults refuge. It wasn't intended to be an orphanage, although a handful do live there. The other kids are picked up from around the city/countryside/slums for the day and brought here to be taught english, music, art, dance, etc. These kids were the most adorable things I had EVER seen though! I wish we could have stayed so much longer. They teach some of the kids how to break-dance here.. very entertaining!
- Next it was time for Pol Pots secret prison. How much fun does that sound!? We walked around the prison and looked into the cells of the prisoners. In here they were chained and tortured for information during the Khmer Rouge reign. It was kept secret for so long because Pol Pot pushed everyone out of the city, only 50-70 were left behind. It was so crazy seeing all these things, and then at the end they had lots of the mugshots and shots of prisoners chained to beds. There were also pictures (drawings) of how a lot of the torture techniques worked. (Some looked so painful!) Before exiting the last building the final room was filled with skulls of the people who died. After I was done touring, Bri, Noelle and I talked to Laska for a bit (our Cambodia tour guide, he's so cool!) and then we went over to the middle of the courtyard where everyone else was sitting. There were these sweet, and completely precious little babies. Oh my word, they were SO cute! I wanted to hold the smallest one but I didn't want to scare her. I did take a picture though. Although once more people started coming up he began to cry (I have a crying picture of her too, so so so precious! ha). Once the childrens' Mom(?) consoled them and walked away some other kids wanted to play soccer with Nick and I joined in. It was so fun, and I was so awful! haha. I backed out of the way and let the kids (and Nick) play and other people joined in and left periodically. One of the boys had to leave though because he had to continue hounding people and trying to sell Pol Pot books at the entrance of the prison. As we walked out we not only saw the "I sell Pol Pot books" boy, but there was also a burn victim begging for money, and women with small children asking for money. Poverty here is so real.
- We later went back to the hotel to relax and/or clean up a bit before dinner. We had a boat ride down the river for an hour and had a little devo on board. Once the ride was over we filed off and headed to the outside restaurant and waited to chow down on some good Cambodian food! We had chicken skewers, they were good! After dinner if we wanted we could walk over to the "Russian Markets". Good thing I havent been able to take out any money yet or it would have ALL been gone last night! Following the markets we went to a coffee shop, drank an ice coffee, Laska showed us around the town a little more, then it was back to the hotel for a shower and "bed". (I use quotations on the word bed because I didn't actually go to bed). I stayed up and FINALLY put the last of my New Zealand pictures up! I also started to put pictures up of the cruise. So please enjoy [Mom]. :D
Welp, I know I am finishing this the next morning, (even though you wont get this until tonight, or whenever I get internet next) but I will update again shortly!
Peace & Blessings <3
ok, I have to finish this later.. But I will finish as soon as I can! I promise :)
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