Cambodia

I totally understand why my cousin Nancy loved Cambodia so much - the people were so nice, kind, and polite (always smiling!!), despite the atrocities the population has endured in the last fifty years. Mass genocide by their own people! :( :( It was difficult to visit the Killing Fields and the Tuol Sleng prison, but it's important for tourists to educate themselves about the Khmer Rouge, to ensure that history never repeats itself. 

Our tour guide in Siem Reap could NOT have been better! Very knowledgable and  approachable, his name is Sunny and his company is "Smile Cambodia Tours" - please look him up if you plan on visiting the Angkor complex or Siem Reap in general :)

Our tour guide in Phnom Penh (Sam) always seemed to have another angle - here are survivors from the Tuol Sleng prison: buy their books! Dumping us at the National Museum wasn't that great, either - we would have preferred to be guided around and have explanations pertaining to what we saw inside, but it seems that he was only interested in getting home to celebrate New Years Eve (even though I had confirmed with Tonmy from our tour company (Signatures of Asia) that we wanted to do the majority of the sights upon arrival in the 31st, and leave the morning of the 1st free. Sadly, this was not the only time that information was not relayed to our specific tour guides during our trip, but nonetheless we had a fantastic time).

Our hotel in Phnom Penh was AMAZING!!!!! The little things made it the best hotel of the trip: free mini bar, 2 free massages, amazing restaurant downstairs, staff that welcomed you back with a friendly "welcome home", the stellar location. I still have to write my TripAdvisor review, but they will definitely be getting 5 stars :)

By now you've all read about the resulting stomach flu from the street frog I had (lasting NINE days!!!! Super sad face), so I won't revisit that here. Next blog post will be about our private Sampan down the Mekong to Saigon (three days, two nights). Thanks for reading!!!

Having some fun at Ta Prohm

Ta Prohm (the Tomb Raider temple)

One of the four faces of Brahma at Angkor Thom

Flying Cambodia Angkor Air from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh

Reaching for a Frangipani (Nancy's flower!!) at the National Museum

Tradition Khmer dancing at our hotel's restaurant 

The Killing Fields

I bought you a book for your birthday, mom. Get the Kleenex ready

Tuol Sleng prison

"The Rules" of Tuol Sleng and the Khmer Rouge interrogations