Part 2 Cambodia, Initial Impression on a First Trip

Gentle Reader,

As the title implies my intention is to return to Cambodia.  I find it to be welcoming, extremely interesting and quite unique.  I could return for another vacation, but would not want to do so in early January. I'm happy for the locals, the tourist business is booming.  For me, wanting to be civil and still get a decent photograph amongst hordes of tourists and tour groups, it's frustrating. It's not the ugly Americans here, we are in a minority.  The Koreans, Russians and Chinese are predominant.  Maybe I'll return during the rainy season.  Exactly when is another question.

Tourists Lined up to watch the Sun rise at Ankor Wat January 5, 2012

As it was I came back with over 800 images which I managed to cull to something over 500.  Of those I’ve put just under 200 in PhotoBucket.  You can see them at http://s935.photobucket.com/albums/ad200/jnelson1944/Seam_Reap_201201/

There is much written about the border scams and how to avoid them.  Here is what I learned which might save you a few baht / dollars / pounds:  On the Thai side simply walk to the departure stations.  You either have your visa from somewhere else, or you get a visa on arrival in Cambodia.  The Thai visa stations are a scam. They charge you at least twice what it's worth.

Walk across and go to the visa on arrival office. Now you are Poipet Cambodia!  You will need your passport, a passport photo, $20 US.  For whatever reason the Cambodians are now asking for an extra 100 Baht.  (Scam creep from the border)? I didn't have 100 baht visible, they settled for 90.   After the visa is in your passport and your passport is in your hand go get on the free bus.  It will take you to the big bus station on the outskirts of Poipet.  The Cambodians took a lot of grief about scams. There were several comments on different websites indicating the scams were so bad that avoiding Cambodia might be a good idea. Lonely Planet apparently collected tons of complaints. The Cambodian government responded by providing free transportation to the big bus station, which was no doubt a government project. The Thai's have done nothing.  Not surprising as they are not at risk of losing revenue at the departure point. I've never seen a scam at a Thai arrival point. I've regressed, gentle reader.  Take the free bus!  Our driver was instant that we board immediately.  No time for a restroom stop.  Turns out there were better, cleaner restrooms at the big bus station anyway.

At the big bus station several options are available.  I took a $10 seat on a van.
Two hours later I was in Seam Reap.  The highways are in really good condition.  The van drops you off at a central location where you will be met by an ample number of tuk-tuk drivers.  It's fine to barter and if you don't find one pleasant to deal with just choose another.

My driver was Va, I used him for all the time I was there.  Nice enough fellow who knows the area and can help you find anything you want. He has good ideas for photo times.  Sometimes he disagreed with the venerable Lonely Planet.  Most of the time we went with his suggestions, but he is very sensitive to what the customer wants.  His price to me was $20 a day.  Maybe I could have found one cheaper, but maybe not.  It was money well spent.

My Driver Va, and his Tuk-Tuk

The people are small, gentle and serene.  They do not automatically smile as tends to be the habit in most of Thailand.  However when they do smile it's genuine. Most would light up a room!  The amazing thing, at least to me, is that after all they have been through in the past half a century they seem to not hold a grudge. I say they are gentle, but they are also warriors when they need to be; heck, the national sport is Cambodian Kick Boxing.  One day I’ll return and photograph expressions and feelings. There is much to be photographed, learned and written.

The cleaning ladies at the Tan Kang Angkor Hotel where I stayed.

The recent history of these people includes the ravages of the Vietnam war.  America’s involvement included support of the Khmer Rouge.  The Khmer Rouge killed as many as 4,000,000 of their fellow Cambodians!  America dropped of thousands of tons of bombs on their Cambodia. The Vietnamese invaded and, using Cambodian forced labour, put down a mine field that stretched the length of the entire Thai / Cambodian border.  This ordnance is still killing and maiming people!  When I visited the land mine museum and the war museum I was amazed at some ot the things I saw, including unexploded Russian bombs, artillery and explosive devices from America, China, Russia and even Bulgaria.  

My guide at the War Museum.  He spent 4 years as a
demo man in the Cambodian Army fighting the Khmer Rouge! 

I’ll leave you with these rather hard facts and close this with a promise to post another article about my trip to Ankor Wat and a few of the other amazing highlights around Seam Reap Cambodia.

Abundant Blessings,