Cambodia was the next country on our trip around the world. Cambodia was plagued with a civil war for years. The Khamer Rouge led by Pol Pot, took control of Cambodia by force in 1975. The repressive regime took Cambodia by force, and made everyone work on farms. Everyone who protested were killed. It's estimated that the Khamer Rouge executed three million Cambodians. The Khamer power was eventually removed from power by Vietnam. But fractions remained, causing unrest until the mid 90s.
Today, Cambodia is once again safe to visit.
Some fun Cambodian facts:
Wild animals roam the streets.
You can risk your life flying through the streets on a motorcycle taxi.
There's even Cambodian caviar to eat (although it's actually fried tarantulas).
Cambodians don't leave the house without their kramas, a traditional patterned garment (usually in red or blue) that can be a scarf, a bandanna, a baby carrying sling or even a hammock.
But the main draw of Cambodia is the Temples, know as Wats. Angkor Wat in Cambodia, is the world's largest religious monument, and one of the wonders of the world. Built in the 12th century, it was originally constructed as a Hindu Temple of the god, Vishnu, but over time it transformed into a Buddhist Temple. It is reported to have taken over 300 years to build, and is known as the 'city of temples'. The ruins of Angkor contain over 70 temples scattered over 200 square miles, and is the primary tourist attraction in Cambodia.
We finished up learning about Buddhism, with Wesak Day, the Dalai Lama, and Monks.
And we made our own little mini zen garden.
The boys made some nice Cambodia postcards.
For dinner we had Num Pang Ang Chia Mui Sach Ko (Cambodian French Bread with Beef), Sweet and Sour Vegetables, and CheK Chien (Fried Banana Nuggets).
Dinner earned two spoons up, from Calib and Asa.
The only thing Calib didn't like was the bananas, which I liked, so we combined for a spoon. But overall, it was one of my least favorite meals. I think part of it was that in my head I knew it had fish sauce in it, and I just couldn't get over it. I can't wait to get out of that part of the world, and move on.
Hayden and Peyton picked at it, but generally liked the veggies, minus the pineapple. They were also banana fans.
So there we are, four religions down, two to go. We did a pop quiz today for pennies for the boys jars, and they did pretty good!
And that's it for Cambodia.
32 Down, 161 to go!
Up Next: India and Sikhism
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