Our time in Cambodia was\u00a0a whirlwind of sights, tastes, and lessons.\u00a0The five-day trip was split between two\u00a0prominent cities: Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, and for having such a packed schedule, everything (save for one flight delay)\u00a0went incredibly smoothly.\u00a0In both cities,\u00a0we had\u00a0tours and private\u00a0buses – or in some cases, private tuk tuk squads – to take us from one\u00a0site to the next.<\/p>\n
Our journey to Phnom Penh began with a pitstop in “No Man’s Land”, the\u00a0stretch of land and time in between officially leaving Vietnam and entering Cambodia. Already we could feel the difference between Saigon’s more humid heat to\u00a0the inner arid heat of Cambodia.<\/p>\n
Our first half-day in the capital was spent at the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum. Tuol Sleng was first a high school, but was used as a prison during the rule of the Khmer Rouge. We were told that around 20,000 people passed through the prison, referred to as S21 (Security Office 21) by the Khmer Rouge.\u00a0Heinously inhumane acts taint the grounds and the walls, as prisoners from all backgrounds were kept, tortured, and killed there. And yet, the grass was green, the sun was shining, and the birds were chirping. How disorienting it was to learn\u00a0of\u00a0pure violence in the midst of such tranquil scenery.<\/p>\n
This feeling continued on the next day as we visited the Killing Fields of Choeung Ek, one of the over 300 killing fields\u00a0pockmarking the landscape of Cambodia. According to the audio guide, the\u00a0first grave\u00a0on the tour held around 450 bodies. It was the largest, but there were plenty more empty graves to suggest\u00a0a much higher number.<\/p>\n
I listened to the survivors’ stories, and while they moved me to a deep sorrow, I know I could never truly understand\u00a0what they went through. I hope and pray that no one else\u00a0will have to ever again.<\/p>\n
The following day we departed for Siem Reap. Our itinerary in the city\u00a0was comprised primarily of a tour of the temples.\u00a0Beginning at Angkor Wat at sunrise, we made our\u00a0way to the Bayon, and finally, Ta Prohm. Although dated and crumbling, the temples were a stunning sight to behold.\u00a0Intricate carvings adorned every wall, column,\u00a0and tower.\u00a0They were\u00a0magnificent. No photos could do them justice (although I tried).<\/p>\n
A whirlwind it was, but Cambodia isn’t going anywhere, and in my opinion it would be well worth a second\u00a0visit (or a third, or a tenth).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Our time in Cambodia was\u00a0a whirlwind of sights, tastes, and lessons.\u00a0The five-day trip was split between two\u00a0prominent cities: Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, and for having such a packed schedule, everything (save for one flight delay)\u00a0went incredibly smoothly.\u00a0In both cities,\u00a0we had\u00a0tours and private\u00a0buses – or in some cases, private tuk tuk squads – to take … <\/p>\n