Tuk Tuk, sir?

I guess I should write something about Cambodia at this point. One minute after crossing the border I realized that this is probably the most chaotic country I’ve visited since India 2001. Definitely a very different mentality from Thailand. The poverty is very apparent and everybody is trying to get some of your tourist dollars. “Cold drink sir? Shirt? Scarf? Maybe for your girlfriend? Please sir, one dollar… Tuk Tuk sir? I know pretty lady, boom boom”…

Nevertheless, the people I’ve dealt with (hotel staff, drivers, vendors etc.) have been extremely nice, friendly and positive – pretty inspiring considering the economic situation and violent history of this country. Also, there’s no denying that there is a lot to see over here: from the magnificent temples of Angkor to the simple lifestyle of the farmers and the way they adjust to the tropical climate.

Instead of 3 nights in Siem Reap I ended up staying 6. Heck, just the temples took 3 days to cover and I still wanted to rest and see some of the other sites near by. Now I am in Battambang, the 2nd largest city in the country although it doesn’t feel like it and the “downtown” area gets pretty empty at night. Perhaps it’s due to the Chinese New Year. I got here with a boat that followed a path along the floating villages of Tonle Sap lake. The entire village including shops, gas station, schools and temples are on bamboo barges that change location as the water level rises and falls with the seasons. Next up is the capital Phnom Penh and then I need to decide what’s first: either relaxing on the beaches in the south, or some hiking along the Mekong River in the north.