Cambodia Part III

Day 5 (really we have been here for 6 days now, but the first day we got here so late, I don’t count that!)

Thursday was a very humbling day for us all.  We did not expect to see what we did on a tuk tuk ride this morning.  We planned to go to Aki Ra’s Landmine Museum because we had heard so much about it.  Our front desk staff told us it was just down the rode.  Well, it ended up being a 40 minute ride down the road!!!  If you have ever been in a tuk tuk, you know that is a LONG time to be sitting in that, especially if parts of the roads are filled with potholes!  Anyway, the ride ended up being totally worth it.  We were taken through an amazing little village and we were able to see the real Cambodia, not just the tourist parts. 

To say the ride through the village was humbling is actually an understatement.  Their homes are mere shacks or shelters.  We would consider this a place to camp for a quick weekend.  The villagers make their homes out of wood and build them on stilts to survive the rainy season.  The inside is a simple one room, maybe divided by a piece of cloth.  They are very small, the size of most living rooms in American homes, yet they are home to families of 4, 5, 6, and probably even more.  Running water is not an option.  Instead they have a water pump outside they use to get clean water.  There is not a kitchen.  They cook outside with an open fire or manmade stove.  The most amazing part of all of this is that they have, what we consider, nothing, yet are content and even happy with what they have been given.  As we drove down the road the children were running with us, smiling and yelling “hello!”  Even the adults would wave and smile. 

Here is a picture of a village home.  We were driving, so I had to snap them from the tuk tuk, so it's not great.

A typical village home.

Another

I hate to say it again, but I have to…So many of us forget that we are so lucky and privileged to live the lives we have.  While so many of us wish for or complain that we don’t have bigger houses, stainless steal appliances with granite in our kitchens, nicer cars, or a new iPhone, many are still wishing for clean water daily and food to feed their families.  I also saw a very pregnant woman and couldn’t help but think, who will deliver her baby?  We complain about the cost of medical (as we should), yet these people have probably never seen a proper doctor or dentist.  This ride really put things into prospective for me.  There are so many times that I read on facebook- FML (F my life), and I always want to say, “you have a better life than most people, be thankful for what you have”.  That little statement (FML) really bothers me.  Life will always give us hard times, but it’s the good times and the things we have that we need to focus on.  That’s my little piece of advice today.

When we arrived at the landmine museum, it was not what I expected.  It was just a small area filled with history stories, old landmines, and an orphanage in the back for children who have lost family to landmines.  We learned so much about Cambodia’s sad past.  I think what affected me the most was that it was not long ago that this country was at war.  If you get a chance or are bored one day, google Pol Pot, Khmer Rouge, or the Killing Fields (or watch the movie, we just bought it).  It is so sad to see what these people went through.  Cambodians are quiet, peaceful people, yet they were killed for nothing.  Again, feeling thankful for what I have.

These are many of the landmines and bombs that Aki Ra dug up.  The buildings behind it are the museum.

Here is one thing we learned at the museum.  Aki Ra is the founder of the museum.  When he was just a boy, he was forced to lay landmines.  He had no idea what he was doing and didn’t know what the landmines would do to people.  For those of you that don’t know, most landmines are to mutilate, not to kill.  Aki Ra went on to fight with the Vietnamese army and fought to get his country back.  Now, and for past years, he helps to find landmines that are still in Cambodia to keep farmers and children safe.  Landmines still kill many people in Cambodia because there are so many still in the ground.  He teaches others how to find them too.  He has brought many disarmed landmines and photos to the museum to help fund the orphanage.

After the museum we went to the floating villages.  Again, this was quite an adventure.  We had no idea how long it would take to get out there.  This was on the complete opposite end of town.  We stopped at the hotel to get something to drink and then went on to the next village.  The ride took us through more villages like on the way to the museum.  This one was flooded because of its location and was filled with cows (or oxen, we couldn’t tell) and pigs.  When we got to what we thought was the actual village, we had to take a small boat to get to the big boat that would take us out there, because of all the flooding.  It was an adventure in itself!!!  First, we got on a small boat and went out to the big boats.  Before we could get to the big boats we had to walk across wooden planks because of the flooding.  Then, we walked across a few big boats to get to our boat.  Finally, we were on our way to see the floating homes!  It ended up taking 40 minutes to get there.  It was really amazing though!  I will let the pictures do the talking.  This year the water is really high and some homes were flooded and not livable.  During the dry season you can see the stilts that they are on and they don’t look like they are floating.  They even have a school, restaurants, police station, and a hotel out there!  It was very unique.

Me on the small boat.

Greg and Di walking the planks.  :)

The big boats

This was the secondary school.

Some adorable local children on their boat

The guest house, or hotel

At night we went to an Indian restaurant and feasted on somosas, garlic nan, and delicious curries!!!  It was at a restaurant called Little India.  I highly recommend it for those of you going to Siem Reap.  It was cheap and yummy!!!!  After that, Di and Travis got a fish massage on their feet!  Check it out!

Now we are down to only 2 days.  I am so sad.  I have really fallen in love with this city and country.  I would come back again for sure!!!!  I am currently trying to convince Travis to let me adopt a Cambodian baby!!!!