Exploring Ankgor

Currently in Siem Reap which is just down the road from Ankgor Wat.I do believe i left you all behind on the east coast of Vietnam,a place i would like to return to some day,i would choose a different coastal location.Go for something a little less crowded and remote,that works for me.

I travelled to Ho Chi Minh city,the train was of course late so when it did pull in i was ready for a sleep,found my bunk and with my bag for a pillow my book to read, "the quite american" until it was snoozy time i was sorted except in the same cabin i had a noisey american who didn't give me a lot of piece and quite!! a bit ironic really,i should have just flashed him the cover of my book.I meet back up with my travel buddies for Vietnam (Tom n Alex and Mush).I had a bit of a wait at the train station but i quite happily passed the time having breakfast,reading and chatting to the locals,meet a lovely lad who kept me company and translated the public announcements which was a big help.He was waiting for his Grandad to arrive and i helped him with his english,we did quite well in conversation covered a range of topics like his job,family,education,a little politics and a little about the history of Vietnam.My buddies arrived so it was off to haggle on a cheap taxi into town and get a hotel sorted.

We did not stay long in Ho Chi Minh as we decided we should go explore the Mekong delta and cross the border into Cambodia by boat.So still not reunited with the truck at this stage.Two nights and one day to see Ho Chi Minh city,again not enough time to explore the city well enough,so Ho Chi Minh is on the list of places to return to.If you ever find yourself in HCM city look up SOZO's ,it's a little coffee shop that supports families who are disadvantaged and its a great way to raise money while giving them a skill and a job.You can also can volunteer through them as well.They serve good local Vietnamese coffee that is on the strong side,oh and some good home cooking.So one day to explore the city,after breakfast we strolled through the heaving streets of where there must be a motorbike per head per population,not many cars in this city and few bicycles.Traffic was chaotic but it was quite safe to wander out into the oncoming traffic and watch how they glided around you with such grace and like Hanoi it all seemed to be choreographed.Amazing to witness.Reached the war remnants museum where the atrocities of the war were displayed mainly the black and white photographs showing the very raw and brutal moments that were captured on film,shocking,thought provoking and essential.Also Kim Phuc's story was still fresh in my memory.Her portrait was there the orginal photo of her running scared and naked with out stretch arms covered in napalm while below it hung a modern day portrait of her and her first born son showing his perfect baby skin against her now healed skin where she had been injured from the napalm bomb.That morning at the museum stirred many emotions in me i was glad i was very sobering.A strong coffee was next on the menu.

Passed down by the Palace which was not very architecturally pleasing to the eye.So onward to visit HCM's Notre Dame cathedral,a red bricked building with no windows and was not open even though it was a Sunday.Across from the cathedral was the post office which was open even though it was a Sunday,a very fine and beautiful building,lots of light with a huge main hall for business.After that i had to wander down to see the Saigon river which was very commerical with not much going on.Wandered back into town passing by the municapal theatre which was very fine building with lovely garden and fountain in front.As the evening approached and the light faded the city began to slowly turn it's lights on.Still heaving with people all going about there business,on the way home passed by a few of the big shopping centres while also passing by some of the local markets that are just a warren of stalls and traders all wanting you to buy from them but as they say here a lot of their products were "same same but different".

Moday morning we left for the Mekong delta which is Vietnam life very much so on the water.It is also monsoon here so the water was a little high in places.Three days and two nights in this region where we covered areas from Mytho,Ben tre to Cantho before staying in the border town of Chau Doc.During our Mekong delta trip we did whats called a home stay,where we stayed with a family in huts,ate at their kitchen table and meet their neighbours.The best bit was the early morning rise to see the morning market and the kids going to school by boat.We toured the floating markets of Cantho,Cai Rang and Phong Dien and saw how the locals shop at the equivalent of what is our supermarket.Also we go to explore the canals of the area seeing how the locals live and visited a number of family run businesses such as a rice paper making,coconut candy and weaving workshops.Must mention Chau Doc's fish market which did hum but had an array of dried fish and all things fishy.We dined in the Victoria hotel which is a lovely colonial hotel which has kept all its charm and is similar to any foreign correspondance bar to while away our evening as not much else to get up to.The stroll along the river on the way to the Victoria worked up an appetite too.Next morning it was crossing another border into Cambodia but this time over water by boat.A great day but i did fall to cabin fever a little as tucked up on a boat all day does not leave you with much space.

Cambodia was lush and green with tropical vegetation,got dropped off at Neak Luong and from there it was a bumpy ride into Phnom Penh (i decided to call it Ping Pong).Got to see the countryside which was very much based around supporting your family through livestock and what the land could provide.It was a long way off from what the mighty empire of the Khmer all those centuries ago.Rolled into Ping Pong to be slowly reunited with big hugs from the rest of my truck buddies.Again not enough time to do every thing and see all the sights,so with my one day to explore i hired a bicycle persuaded Mush to come with me and we cycled out of town to Choeung Ek or better know as the killing fields.A brutal realisation of the Pol Pot's regime and what happened.A Pagoda stands housing countless skulls of victims unnamed with evidence of injuries to their skulls on display,beneath was some of their clothing.As you walked around the field passing by sucken holes in the ground that used to be graves with clothing underneath the dirt still present with the sounds of childern playing in a nearby school i could not help replacing these children's sounds of laughter and play with what i can only imagine were the sounds of horror as victims meet their untimely deaths.Again a brutal realisation of the recent past of Cambodia and it was even in my life time. I was glad to have my bicycle to get back onto and have the wind in my face and feel alive.Took a quick spin down to the river front to see the Palace and the Tonle sap river to dine at a little place called Friends.A very admirable cause,all proceeds from friends goes towards giving education and job training to street children,dining with a cause.I try to make it a mission whilest in these far flung places.Another cycle through town negiotating the traffic to S-21 museum otherwise know as Tuol Sleng museum.Again a horrific and brutal reminder that should not be forgotten in this world of the atrocities of Pol Pot's regime of violence and genocide.S-21 stands for security prision 21,it was used as a detention centre to torture people.On display is remnants from the barbic acts of torture a black and white photo exhibition of the detained some alive and some death.Their faces telling and showing many emotions.The ability to speak left me as i walked around here and as the afternoon faded the rain fell softly. A x x x x