Cambodia

Vientiane to Phnom PenhMar 15, 2012Photos: 31

 

Click on text Vientiane to Phnom Penh above to see more pictures

We left Laos and for the first time we were taking a flight together. The first of five flights to come, and as a large group it can be challenging. Planes, trains, and automobiles. We were shuffled, stamped, stampeded, bused, and checked in. We were not prepared for what lay ahead.

Today was a very emotional and harrowing experience. We went to visit the killing fields, and prisons, used by the Khmer Rogue to commit genocide. I was shocked at the level of atrocities committed, and how recent it actually ended. In 1975 in a small population of seven million, almost half was completely wiped out. Every member of every family lost at least one, some all. Being from Holocaust survivors, it hit very close to home. I was amazed at how small the museum was and how little PR they had for this. The Communists were only ousted in the 90`s and all this was fresh and raw, while completely oblivious to the world. Our guide was talking about the reconciliation, and how Buddhists have to forgive, but I was mad at the international community for its ignorance and lack of attention. The killing field has bones and skulls washing up during the rainy season, and they don’t even have enough money to preserve things correctly. Communism is supposed to be based on idealistic principles how does it always end up with the slaughter of millions. Behind every major tragedy lurks, China, Russia and the US. It was an emotional day and most of us.

We went to the COPE center which helps out victims of the war that lost arms and legs. I finally found out a numeric value for the term “it costs an arm and a leg”; in Cambodia it is $75. For $75 you can change someone’s life by buying or paying for a prosthetic leg. Where in the US can you change some one’s life for $75? At best you can get dinner and a movie, a halfhearted thank you, and an excuse why they won’t see you again, because “they just want to be friends”. So I stocked up on arms and legs buying enough arms and legs to help an insurance co. that strictly insures woodshops run by  Parkinson’s patients.

In Asia they are very proud of their “LadyBoys”. Now a lady boy is just that, but I have not found any gays in the entire Asia, but I have found hundreds of LadyBoys. This is ironic since Gay people tend to see she males as a form of heterosexuality. Its very scary since some of these Lady Boys look better than the females, and you might get more than expected. You don’t want to end up having your own personal “Crying Game” (its ok if you don’t get the reference, it just means I’m older than you) but if you do pick up a girl, make sure you go to home plate, BEFORE, you go for the triple.

We had a contest who can get the most raunchy picture with a Lady Boy, and I won. (You have to review the pictures for that info)

Random rant;

What is it about all these tourists, lugging around these massive cameras, tripods, zooms, long lenses, camera bags, etc? You don’t work for National Geographic, and you’re not a goddamn photographer, you’re an accountant. Besides, if anyone wants to see a good photograph of where you were they will check Google images.  Nobody cares about your perfect sunset, or the fly that landed perfectly on the stone with the temple backdrop. Most of these idiots keep their cameras on auto anyways, and have no clue what all the buttons are for, they are just inclined to walk around with a big target on their heads that says “Hi I am a tourist, come fuck me”! They never enjoy their vacation and they are so constantly caught up in getting the right picture, they don’t enjoy the moment or see what’s going on. Who are you taking these pictures for? Do you have a team of forensic scientists waiting at home to decipher the intricacies of your life and travels? Are you trying to bore every one of your friends with what you think is your artistic eye? We know you want to make all your friends envious of where you were, but nobody is envious of you sweating for weeks, lugging around these machines, like the production team of a reality show that nobody will ever watch.