siem reap

It probably seems like we do neat trips all the time, but really we spend most our time stuck in traffic, sweating profusely and buying overpriced, imported peanut butter. Then, when we realize we may not be in Asia too much longer and we have a baby coming in November, we start thinking of all the places we want to see and we plan these trips. We used the excuse of Rangi and Sara being in town and dragged them to one of our top "to see" places, Siem Reap, Cambodia. 

We opted for driving because we're cheap like that. Only, you can't drive your car across the border--so we drove the 3 hours in our van and then caught a bus for the final 3 hours. As for the bus, on the way back we opted for the taxi for 5 dollars more and cut an hour off our time. Also, our taxi driver didn't stop half way through for lunch with his friends--right after Vi had fallen asleep. 

 This is pretty much how Vi felt about all of Cambodia. It was the hottest place we have ever been--and we live in Bangkok. Also, there were a few mosquitos in our hotel room. 

 

Tuk-tuk rides are a lot more exciting in Cambodia. We asked E what her favorite part of the trip was and she said the tuk-tuk ride. Vi's was probably the drive home. 

 This may have been Vi's only smile of the trip.

 This is the temple the movie, Tomb Raider was filmed in--so I'm told. It's so old giant trees have grown over it. As you can tell, it was not Vi's favorite. 

 Angkor Wat was amazing. Built in the 12 century it is the largest religious monument in the world. 

 Rocky won the MVP parent (no surprise there) for getting Vi to sleep after a long day. 

 One of our favorite stops we made in the town of Siem Reap was the War Museum. It holds rocket launchers, hand grenades, all kinds of guns, landmines and tanks with real human remains still in them--all left over from the civil war. But the most interesting part were the guides, all former child soldiers who were in some way physically harmed by the war--mostly by landmines. Ours was orphaned at 10, joined the army at 13 (for food), has shrapnel still in his arm and knee, lost his leg and eye sight (though he regained part of his eye sight through a Red Cross surgery) and recently lost his wife and child to uranium poisoning from left over dirty bombs. 

I'd read about the Khmer Rouge and they're slogan, "To destroy you is no loss, to keep you is no gain," and how they killed over 2 million people (in a country of 7 million). But it was different to hear a personal story. He also told us that at the height of the civil war there were 2.5 landmines for every person. Today there are estimated 3 million landmines remaining and an average of 2 people per a week are injured or killed by them. 

We felt a little silly complaining about the heat while we leisurely toured around after that.