By this Author: vagabondvoyager

Our trip to Asia is done like dinner, and shockingly, we didn't leave this continent 10 lbs heavier! I'd like to say it was because we practiced supreme self control while eating here, but it's more likely because of a few days of food poisoning that helped knock off about 5 lbs! There were lots of eats in Asia, and with a few small exceptions, most of it was very good, and a lot of it was even spectacular - it's true what they say about the food here, that the selection and quality are mind blowing.

Previously, the most intense and celebrated food cultures I have come across in the world were in Europe, with France and Italy at the top of the list. But while there is a definite love and appreciation for food in those two countries, it's not quite like it is here in Asia, where food is practically an obsession. Daily life seemingly completely revolves around food, and if you're in Asia and won't be able to have a good meal, you might as well not get out of bed that day.

But good eats aside, it's a pretty amazing continent, and this past three and a half weeks here offered perhaps the most unique travel experience I've ever had, in a number of ways. This was a trip of firsts - first visit to Asia, first time getting robbed, and first time having severe food poisoning while traveling! While the latter two experiences weren't very pleasant, you can't argue with the fact that they were still very memorable ones.

A typical trip offers only a handful of highlights, but this one was unusual because, despite the lowlights we experienced in Phuket Town and Ko Phi Phi, almost every other place we visited was a highlight, making it impossible for us to pick out a favourite place or experience. There was also the extreme contrasts, going from the regimented world of the Japanese to the relative chaos of Thailand, and then from modern and businesslike Singapore, to the wonderful historical offerings of Cambodia. Truly, we managed to find a little bit of everything while traipsing around Asia for nearly a month.

Unfortunately, our trip ended like an excellent Asian meal - far too soon! It was funny in a way, because halfway through the trip when things took a turn for the worse in Thailand, the trip seemed like it was dragging on, and it felt as if we had been traveling forever, with us eagerly anticipating the end. But lo and behold, as soon as things started looking up again, it seemed like the days were rapidly slipping away, and by the time we hit Cambodia, we wanted nothing more than to continue our travels.

Asia definitely lived up to its reputation, and it opened my eyes (and stomach!) to a whole new world of travel possibilities. Though relatively speaking, we certainly covered a lot of ground in a short time, there is still so much more to see, experience, and perhaps most importantly - eat - here in Asia. Obviously, a return trip is definitely in the cards one day, though we don't know exactly when - so until that day, we'll have to make due with a song that will serve as the theme for the trip, and one that will always remind us of all the good times and good food we've had in Asia. As Weird Al would say, "Just Eat It!!!"

Monks On Parade

This Is What Happens ...

Small Glimpse Of the Palace

Million Dollar View ...

National Museum ...

Safe Efficient Public Transport in Cambodia

Wide Load

One Shy of the Record ...

Too Many Choices At The HK Airport ...

Over-Priced Bubble Tea ...

BBQ Platter ...

Har Gow ...

Won Ton Noodles ...

One Disapointment ...

Oops x 3 ...

Phnom Penh is the ultimate Cambodian reality check - they say that coming here helps you truly understand this country, especially for those that manage to stay hidden within the tourist bubble, who only hit up the temples of Angkor, with perhaps a few days lazing about on the country's beaches. While there is no shortage of fun diversions in Phnom Penh, there is a serious side to the city that can only be seen if you step outside of the tourist bubble, and take the time to learn something about Cambodia's dark and tragic history.

There are two key sights in Phnom Penh that allow you to see the horrors inflicted upon Cambodians by Pot Pot and his Khmer Rouge - the Tuol Sleng Museum and the Killing Fields. It's difficult to say which is the sadder memorial, as each one of them offers countless stories of misery and human suffering that are nearly beyond comprehension ... combined, these two form the worst one-two punch possible, blowing your mind with the impossible depravity of men.

The closest experience I have ever had to this was a visit to Auschwitz, which is another one of those places that give you a completely different perspective on the World. Memorial sights like these aren't places you necessarily want to see, but are places you are compelled to see, and quite frankly, places you must see. As much as people would probably like to forget some of the atrocities humans have inflicted upon other humans, it's important to acknowledge and try to understand exactly what has happened, if for no other reason than to honour the memories of those who suffered and died so senselessly.

The horrors perpetrated by the Khmer Rouge were as sadistic as they can be, and were supposedly committed in the name of upholding Pol Pot's worker's revolution, by exposing dissidents and rebels who would oppose that revolution. However, history shows that these sad, sick bastards were no better than twisted individuals who seemed to revel in torturing the masses, and coming up with more and more depraved methods of doing so.

Pol Pot and his regime represented the pinnacle of paranoia, randomly arresting people under the presumption that they were guilty and with something to hide, torturing their prisoners to the point that they would invent stories to end their suffering. It was a vicious cycle, as these coerced confessions often resulted in the naming of other innocent Cambodians, who would then be captured and tortured until they gave up another of their innocent compatriots.

Even worse was the Khmer Rouge's philosophy that it wasn't enough to kill only the "guilty" - it was necessary to also wipe out that person's entire family, including children, to ensure that there would be no chance of reprisal or revenge against the regime. This continued for years, with the genocide toll tabbed by various experts at anywhere between one to three million Cambodians. Little of what Pol Pot did made any sense, as his level of paranoia was so high that he eventually killed many of his most-trusted advisors - his delusional mind had a knack for seeing nonexistent conspiracies everywhere he looked.

Perhaps the saddest aspect of what Cambodians had suffered through during those long years under his oppressive rule is the fact that to this day, nobody seems to understand why Pol Pot did what he did. It's actually a testament to the heart and beauty of the Cambodian people, as they aren't necessarily looking for any revenge or even justice, only closure in the form of answers. But sadly, Cambodians will never receive what they so deserve - if there ever really was any rhyme or reason to anything that he did, any hope of knowing those answers died long ago, along with Pol Pot

The Stupa at the Killing Fields

Former Playground Turned House of Horrors ...

The Gallows ...

Typical Bed at TS-21 ...

Even Children Were Forced To Do Hard Labour

Twisted Torture ...

Mass Grave

Pol Pot ...

Crowded Conditions in TS21

Typical Jail Cell

Not Even Babies Were Spared ...

7 Out of 20,000 ...

Survivor ...

Another Survivor ...

One of Millions of Stories ...

Prison Rules

Destruction of Cambodia ...

The Dreary Killing Fields

Tree For Killing Babies ...

5000 Skulls ...

Resourceful Murderers ...

Mass Graves of the Killing Fields

Masking the Sounds Of Murder ...

Memorial ...

19440 ...

Mango and Pork Crepe ...

Chicken Wings ...

Round One ...

Round Two ...

Phnom Penh gets mixed reviews, and we weren't quite sure what to expect of Cambodia's capital, only knowing that it was a bustling, chaotic, big city. It also has a bit of a reputation for not being the safest place to travel, making us a bit leery, especially after having been mugged in Thailand, and being warned by an expat couple at the airport to be very careful in Phnom Penh. It's a shame in a way, because that perhaps resulted in us not fully taking advantage of all that this city has to offer.

Phnom Penh is actually a pretty cool place and surprisingly cosmopolitan, full of some great restaurants and cafes that cater to the international expat crowd, and a variety of neat little shops and boutiques. There are a number of NGOs that have set up shop here in Phnom Penh, and though they are widely criticized for a number of reasons, there is no doubt that they have left a mark on this city. For travelers, NGOs are one of the biggest reasons that they find this city so enjoyable, because of the international flavour they lend to the city.

Our time is very limited in Phnom Penh, and having landed here in the afternoon, we didn't have the chance to do a whole lot more than have lunch, do a bit of boutique browsing, and take a dip in the hotel pool. We didn't sample any of the city's cultural offerings, such as the Royal Palace and National Museum, or browse the Central Market, or stroll along the riverside. Part of it was a lack of time, but part of it was also the feel of sketchiness in certain parts of Phnom Penh, or perhaps it may have been our hypersensitivity to it after our Phuket Town experience.

It was a shame in a way, taking extra precautions to avoid a repeat incident, as we didn't allow ourselves to get to know the real Cambodia that is to be found in Phnom Penh - but we really didn't want anything bad to happen during our last two nights of the trip, as that would undoubtedly have ended the trip on a very bad note. So we played it extra safe tonight and holed ourselves up in our hotel, leaving us feeling somewhat trapped and unable to enjoy Phnom Penh's nightlife. Of course, trapped is probably too strong of a word, since we were stuck in a five star hotel with a gourmet restaurant - thank you, NGOs ...

Courtyard at the Plantation Resort

The Red Pool ...

Resourceful ...

Killer Crepes ...

Fresh ...

Duck Spring Rolls w/ Pumpkin ...

Chicken Vegetable Curry ...

Grilled Eggplant w/ Minced Pork ...

Chicken Satay ...

Sugarcane Pork ...

Bacon-Wrapped Beef ...

Tamarind Prawns ...

Crappy Creme Brulees ...

Homemade Sorbets ...

Oops ...

Not that we're complaining, but so far in Cambodia, we've settled into a bit of a routine of temple hopping, followed by stuffing ourselves with some fine Cambodian eats, both modern and traditional. While we still did those same things for the third day in a row, we managed to do something different and break the cycle today by also hitting up Kompong Pluk, a lakeside village famous for its houses on stilts, a necessity to endure Cambodia's rainy season.

Kompong Pluk is becoming increasingly popular with tourists, but it still offered us an escape from the tourists hordes found at most of the temples Angkor, since it's a good 20 km away from Siem Reap - while that may not seem all that far, it can take nearly an hour to drive there on Cambodia's poorly-maintained roads, depending upon the traffic. However, the time and effort of getting there was definitely worthwhile, as Kompong Pluk feels a World apart from Siem Reap's enjoyable tourist chaos.

The locals surely live difficult, hard-working lives, but there's still a slow, lazy vibe in the air that is really enjoyable to see, especially for those coming from the North American Rat Race. We had a good chuckle at how slow and laborious it was for us to even go the short distance from our boat's departure point, down a narrow shallow canal to Kompong Pluk, and quickly realized that nothing comes easy here, no matter how simple life appears to be.

Our pilot performed the roles of about three people, as we kept getting stuck in the canal, needing to run to the back of the boat to adjust the propeller's trim, as the blades kept getting hung up in the mud. Once that was fixed, he'd have to run back to the front of the boat to steer, until our boat's hull would get stuck in the mud - so our pilot would hop off of his seat and grab a long pole, which he would use to push off and get us going again

However, since the narrow canal is so crowded with boats, he'd also have to physically push off of the other boats with his feet and hands to prevent crashing into them! After all of this work, we'd have moved possibly a dozen feet, only to get stuck in the mud again, and having to start the cycle of adjusting the trim, steering, and pushing with the pole and off other boats, over and over, as we inevitably got stuck, again and again. It was interesting to see how our pilot, as well as the other pilots, never seemed fazed by this, as it was simply a part of their every day job.

There really isn't anything to do in and around Kompong Pluk, only to marvel in the surreal sights of austere houses seemingly hovering above the water, on stilts that are six to seven metres high, and witness the simple lives of villagers, eking out a living by fishing, and by serving the few tourists that come through. While there were still a few other tourist groups cruising around Kompong Pluk and Tonle Sap lake, it felt positively deserted compared to the temples around Siem Reap, making for not only a wonderful escape for the day, but also showing us a little slice of the more authentic side of Cambodian life.

Kompong Pluk's Famous Stilted Houses

Rainy Season Is Coming ...

Cute Kids ...

Floating Vegetable Garden

Floating Bacon Factory

Cambodian Traffic Jam

Beng Melea ...

Roots ...

Gravity Defying ...

Ultimate Playground ...

Easy Work ..

Crazy Quail ...

Beef Volcano ...

Cuisine Wat Damnak ...

Holy Basil Martini ...

Course #1 ...

Course #2 ...

Course #3 ...

Course #4 ...

Dessert ...

Angkor Wat is the region's most famous temple, and in fact, many people think that all the temples of the area are collectively known as Angkor Wat. It's actually the largest temple around, and is more than impressive - however, it's a victim of how unique and amazing Ta Prohm and Bayon are. It's a bit like having a porterhouse and a rib eye, and then following it up with some awesome chicken wings - no matter how good those wings are, they could never live up to the steaks!

Perhaps if we had visited Angkor Wat first, it would've made more of an impression with us - while grand in scale, it seemed more majestic from afar, but up close it lacked the intimate experience offered by both Ta Prohm and Bayon. It seems odd to say, but it felt as if we got to know them in a personal way, connecting with them on a level that didn't quite seem possible with Angkor Wat.

The temples of Angkor truly spoil the traveler, because even after finding Ta Prohm completely unique and enthralling, we still managed to find something we enjoyed more, at Bayon. The ruins of Ta Prohm were memorable because they were so wonderfully jungly, but the curious smiling faces of Bayon were even more unforgettable. We're fortunate to have visited both, as they offer contrasting experiences; one is all about Mother Nature reclaiming what man had once built, and the other is all about man's achievements, and his unfathomable creativity.

Yesterday, our first impressions of Cambodia were pretty awesome, and after a rewarding day of touring the temples of Ankgor, that opinion hasn't changed - if anything, our feelings have grown even stronger. The problem we now face is that our first two days here may have been too good - hopefully the next three days in Cambodia can live up to the impossible standard set by the first two!

Bayon

Surreal ...

They Say ...

More Bayon

Vishnu ...

Bye Bye Bayon ...

Encore ...

The Granddaddy Of Them All ...

Iconic Shot Of Angkor Wat ...

Anticlimactic ...

More Intricate Stone Work

Ta Keo

Looks Kinda Hawaiian To Me

Phimeanakas

Giant Buddha ...

Hoochie-Style ...

Traditional Apsara Dancing ...

Cambodian Roadside Snack ...

Killer Mango Pancakes ...

Still Good ...

Fish Amok ...

Tender Frog ...

Fried Bananas ...