Cambodia is a wonderful country, but it remains haunted by the civil war of the late 1970s and 1980s, and the Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge's barbaric indiscriminate execution of between 2-3 million Cambodians in the late 1970s. Marred by widespread rural poverty, countless landmines, and widespread political corruption, it is not surprising that the city and temples at Angkor are considered the pinnacle achievement of the ancient Khmer civilization and the pride of modern Cambodia. You see it everywhere. It is on the money, it is the logo for Angkor Beer, it is on billboards all over the country - it is EVERYWHERE. Just like the pyramids are Egypt's proudest monument, Angkor stirs pride in Cambodian hearts. 

I arrived in Siem Reap to visit Angkor Wat and the surrounding temple complex, and visited it the first day at sunrise by bike. Our Swiss guesthouse owner, Eric, had given us advice on where to go to avoid the crowds, and when we arrived at Angkor Thom at 530am, it was not suprisingly deserted. The intricacy of the carvings is remarkable and you can still get a real idea of how grand this city must have been in its heyday. It is amazing to me that this city was lost to the jungle and forgotten until it was discovered by a French explorer in the late 19th century. How could something so grand and important be lost for so long?

After two days at Angkor Wat and one hitting the bumping bars of Siem Reap, I headed south for the capital, Phnom Pehn. There I visited the darkest momuments to Cambodia's 'dark days', the Killing Fields and S21 - the Khmer Rouge's secret prison. These places are ghastly. As you walk around the Killing Fields you see pieces of clothing and bones everywhere. Nearly 10000 Cambodians and foreigners were killed here by the Khmer Rouge, and countless similar massacre sites dot the country. S-21 is particularly upsetting as it was the processing location where prisoners were tortured and then sent to the Killing Fields just outside of Phnom Pehn. 

After my somber time in Phnom Pehn I thought that a trip to the ocean would be in order, so I jumped on a bus south to Sihanoukville, a sleepy city on the Cambodian Coast.  After 2 months of inland travel it was wonderful to see the ocean once again. On the main Serendipity Beach there are makeshift bars everywhere. It is not uncommon to be partying, and when you get to hot, you just jump into the ocean right in front.

Sihanoukville was one of my favorite places so far on my travels, but all good things come to an end, and after a few beach days working on my sunburn in glorious sunshine and snorkelling off the coast, I headed back to Thailand. The trip to Thailand again involved a ridiculous bus ride, to which I have become accustomed. It involved 5 bus changes, and 3 raft rides, on rafts larger but similar in construction to ones my brother and me used to build at my cabin when we were 6. All of this was before we even got to the Thai border, but I passed the time listening to music that I am mostly sick of, except for "Passage to Bangkok" who's appropriate lyrics still stick out in my mind, 

"We're on the train to Bangkok, 

Aboard the Thailand Express,

We'll Hit the Stops along the way 

We only stop for the best." 

-Rush 

I am now in the 'Land of Smiles', in Bangkok, I head today for the Thai Islands for Xmas and the Full Moon Party, which takes place on Christmas Eve. I can't wait. After enjoying southern Thailand and perhaps Malaysia and Borneo, I plan to fly to India and Nepal. I wish you all a Merry Christmas (hopefully a white one) and a Happy New Year. Taker easy.