The fall of the Khmer Rouge’s 30th anniversary

by Brenda Yun on

Yesterday, the country celebrated the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Khmer Rouge (1975-1979). The festivities were concentrated within the walls of the country’s capital and the site of the start of Year Zero, Phnom Penh. Based on conflicting reports, around 60,000 people crowded into the city’s Olympic stadium to remember the 2 million Cambodians who lost their lives during this horrible five-year genocide.

Ask anyone who has visited Tuol Sleng (otherwise known as the “S-21” torture prison during the Khmer Rouge) in Phnom Penh what his reaction was to this museum, and I’m certain everyone will agree they were appalled by the grim reality that nearly one half of Cambodia’s population was eliminated in one of the worst genocides in the world’s history.
I paid my visit to the museum two years ago. Its history and its people (who are some of the friendliest you will ever encounter) are living testaments to the perserverence of the human spirit. I arrived in Khmer country not knowing who Pol Pot was; I left Cambodia forever changed. This country still holds one of the dearest places in my heart.

Very little has been done to punish the members of the Khmer Rouge, but five of Pol Pot’s senior officers will likely be tried this spring — if not by 2010. Cambodians, while eager to see these men pay for their hideous crimes, are just as eager to look beyond this 5-year blip in their past. These are a most resilient people, and this country is one of the most fascinating in the world.

[via Reuters and the Associated Press]

Amazing Race, Season 13: Cambodia, boats, breakdowns and beauty is only skin deep

by Jamie Rhein on

After episode 4’s rest stop at Summerhill, that gorgeous sheep farm homestay in New Zealand, the teams barreling through the world in the Amazing Race were off to Cambodia.

This episode did a tidy drop of highlighting aspects of Cambodia’s culture and showcased its historical magnificence.

I’m still not sure which team I want to win. I do know which team I don’t.

Travel Tips from this episode:

  • If a travel agent says a flight is booked or closed, head to directly to the airline in case there might be room after all.
  • Don’t speed while driving in New Zealand. You could be stopped by the police.
  • If your boat breaks down in Siem Reap Harbor, if you use a stick for a row, you’ll eventually get somewhere.
  • Holding hands with your traveling companion can reduce stress.
  • Stay focused and calm, otherwise you’ll walk in circles and pass by the very place you’re trying to find.

Recap and Cultural Highlights

When Tina & Ken ripped open their destination details at 6:03 a.m., they were off lickety-split to Siem Reap, Cambodia, a place that evidently is not the easiest to get to from Auckland. There were only two flights left, both through Singapore. This separated couple, who seem to be getting along better by the hour, particularly as they won the last three legs, made it onto the first flight.

When Terrence & Sarah joined them, even after being slowed down by the who stopped Terrence for speeding 17 kilometers per hour above the speed limit, Tina & Ken took their presence in stride.

The rest of the gang, except for Ty and Aja who can’t seem to catch up, were close behind in plane two. Dan & Andrew squeaked onto this flight by heading to Emirates Airline’s ticket counter after they were told at the travel agent that the flight was closed. The ticket counter person, looking at their desperate, pleading faces, called down to the gate for the go-ahead.Their polite, but determined demeanor probably helped them score the ride. Ty and Aja weren’t so lucky and had to take a later flight. Which one? The next day perhaps? I have no idea.

Even though the flight to Cambodia went through Singapore, there wasn’t any mention of the slick polish of Changi Airport. I assume the teams had some time here because, according to Travelocity when I looked up possible schedules, flights from Auckland to New Zealand, average 34 hours or so. If you have any length of time to spend in an airport, Changi would not be the worst place.

Picking Cambodia as a backdrop for a leg of the Amazing Race, was a brilliant idea. It’s one of those countries where life is so different from the U.S., that senses pick up.

Whoever came up with the tasks the teams had to complete to get to the Pit Stop did a wonderful job using aspects of normal Cambodian life to create drama and provide interest. There didn’t seem to be the need to rely on gimmicks because the country is filled with unusual details, evident from the first task.

The first task was to take a taxi to a gas station in order to fill a truck’s gas tank with 25 liters of gas–five liters at a time. The only team to have trouble with hand-cranking gas, the typical method in Cambodia, were Dan & Andrew because they didn’t crank hard enough.

Once the tanks were filled, in a neck and neck pace, the teams climbed into their trucks to have the drivers take them to Siem Reap Harbor where they were to take traditional-style boats to the middle of the largest lake in S.E Asia to the floating Kho Andeth restaurant.

The truck ride was a mad dash as the teams at the front of the pack kept passing each other with whoops, hollers and High Fives. I enjoy watching this show the most when the teams seem to be enjoying each other and their surroundings. Tina & Ken, Terrence & Sarah, Andrew & Dan, and Dallas & Toni are those type of teams.

Sarah & Terrence certainly weren’t enjoying the process, though, when their boat broke down. The boats, similar to what you’d find in Vietnam or Thailand, were rickety, mostly wooden and equipped with buzzy motors. Each boat was big enough to carry a small group–although in this case carried passengers of two.

When their boat conked out, Terrence gamely started rowing, pushing on the lake’s bottom with a big pole. Sarah cheered him on as one by one, teams passed them. Neither of them took their misfortune out on the other which helped keep their moods from getting them down. Can do attitudes can work. At the restaurant, the driver was able to fix their boat quickly so off they went once more.

I would have liked to see a meal at this restaurant for future dining info in case I’m ever in Siem Reap, but there’s not time to dine on the Amazing Race. Have you noticed? What and when do teams eat?

From Kho Andeth Restaurant, it was off to do one of two tasks. “Village Life” or “Village Work” This was a fascinating segment since it focused on the life of a village that is totally set on water in a series of floating buildings, only accessible by boat. As Dallas said, “It’s like Waterworld.”

As Christy & Kelly made their way by boat, they kept noticing the poverty and wondered about children swimming on their own. As one of them said, “It breaks my heart.”

There isn’t a bigger eye opener when you travel than seeing the lifestyles of the world’s children. If one travels enough, so much of what might seem dangerous or poor seems normal. The vibrancy of life is what shines through.

Once the teams got busy with their tasks there wasn’t any more time to ponder.

For Village Life, teams went to three different locations to pick up three objects: a doll from the tailor; a pair of chattering false teeth from the dentist; and a basketball from a floating basketball court. To acquire the basketball, each team member had to shoot a basket first.

The funniest part here was when Christy & Kelly stepped into the dentist’s office, saw a woman with her mouth wide open and getting her teeth worked on by the dentist. At first, they thought, horrified, that the women’s teeth were the ones they were supposed to get.

For “Village Work,” the teams were to retrieve baskets filled with fish out of the lake, one basket for each team member. What a hard, totally not fun job. If I had picked this task, I’d have had hard time not whining and would want to change clothes afterwards double quick.

From the lake, the teams were off to Angkor Wat, Cambodia’s former capital city and temple that was built in the 12th century during the reign of King Suryavarman II. One person from each team was to find a specific room in the massive complex where, if you beat your chest, the sound echoes.

This task, although not phyically hard, required a sense of direction, or the ability to entice a Cambodian to take you to where you want to go. Up and down stairs and through hallways upon hallways, the team members doing the task scurried looking for the right spot. The task was a great way to highlight the intricacies of Angkor Wat’s architicture and details without anyone directly talking about its magnificence.

Nick found the room first, hit his chest, picked up the tablet with the next clue and and hid it under his shirt so he wouldn’t tip off the other teams. I’m not too fond of Nick really. He’s one of those people who appears to be used to winning. Of course, he is one of those people who is on the winning end, so he has a point.

Tina had a heck of a time figuring out her way around the temple and even walked through the room she was to find, not once, but twice. On one pass through, she wondered out loud what she was missing. Ken, to his credit didn’t take her lack of direction out on her when she finally appeared after several teams passed them.

The next stop was Bayon Temple, another 12th century beauty. Here was the Pit Stop location.

Who won this round: Nick and Starr

Nick and Starr also won round one and now feel like they are back in fine from. They are not my favorite team. I was hoping another team would have a shot at a prize.

What they won: A trip to St. John, Virgin Islands where they will snorkel in Trunk Bay and have a catamaran ride.

Eliminated: Ty and Aja

Words of wisdom: Think that the person you’re traveling with is utterly amazing and hold hands often.

At the end of this episode they walked away holding hands after Ty vowed he would move to California where Aja lives.

Aja thinks he’s the most beautiful person she has ever seen and that when she’s near him she gets butterflies. I’d say she won’t mind having him closer.

Who I don’t want to win: Christy and Kelly. They made a snide comment about Dallas’ hair. They said it makie him look like Teen Wolf. What snots.

What’s wrong with Teen Wolf anyway?

Angkor Wat video in honor of Dith Pran

by Jamie Rhein on

There are several scenes in the movie “The Killing Fields” that make ones stomach clench. Dished out in the end, though, is a sense that goodness does prevail. The movie, mostly about a Cambodian journalist, Dith Pran’s escape from that country during the rule of the Khmer Rouge is heart-wrenching.

I read that Dith Pran died on Sunday from pancreatic cancer. He wasn’t old, only 65, but what a lifetime of change he witnessed. Pran had become a photojournalist for the New York Times after his escape. He was born near Angkor Wat, so in honor of him, here is a video posted by imorgan10 on YouTube that is simply lovely. I imagine that when Pran made his treacherous journey, he never expected his homeland would become such a tourist destination.

Afghanistan – Back On The Travel Map

by Brett Atkinson on

The troubled nation of Afghanistan is inching its way back onto the intrepid traveller’s radar. Lonely Planet’s first guide to the country is published this month, and recently we reported on the coverage of Kabul’s unique charms in the New York Times. But while peace in former trouble spots like Cambodia and Bosnia has restored the architectural heritage of Angkor Wat and the bridge at Mostar, one of Afghanistan’s greatest treasures is under threat of destruction.

The Towers of Victory have stood for more than eight hundred years, but now the honey-coloured minarets that have survived periods of war and invasion are under serious threat of erosion. When the son of Ghenghis Khan destroyed the nearby city of Ghazni in 1221, the towers survived, but centuries of neglect and illegal excavations for antiquities and buried treasure have made them increasingly precarious.

Afghanistan’s financially strapped new government has only been able to allocate $100 across the last six years to ensure the towers’ upkeep. In the glory days of the “Hippie Trail” Afghanistan was a heady stopping-off point from Europe to Asia. Let’s hope lasting peace can come to Afghanistan so its unique heritage can be secured.

TWINF Panoramic Photos

by Adrienne Wilson on


Erik is usually the one to spread word on panos worth checking out and while I probably should have let him do the honors for this set found on The World is Not Flat (TWINF), I couldn’t resist pointing you to them myself. This shot taken on a rooftop in Singapore grabbed me because of the lime green color lining the building in the background along with the reds, lighter left side and darker right. The bottom photo taken at Angkor Wat speaks for itself – incredible. Other breathtaking shots from New Zealand, India, Thailand, Laos, Hong Kong, Portugal, Spain and Utah are all there to go awe over. Go sit in awe now. Go and wish you had been there too.