What does the average Westerner know about Cambodia? Not very much. They may have seen the movie, The Killing Fields. They’ve probably seen pictures of Angkor Wat. But is this really Cambodia? It is, but there’s more to the story. A LOT more.
Thanks to The Killing Fields, and books like First They Killed My Father, by Loung Ungthe, Westerners learned about the atrocities carried out in Cambodia under the Khmer Rouge.
That was 50 years ago, but there’s still trauma. Every Cambodian has ancestors that lost everything, suffered, or disappeared. But that’s not what today’s Cambodia is about. Today’s Cambodia is about moving on.
The Basics
Geographically, Cambodia compares in size to the state of Missouri. Its capital, Phnom Penh, is home to 2.5 million people. The weather report in Cambodia is always the same: hot. But during the monsoon season, from May to September, it’s wet, too.
People who read the newspaper or watch the news know that Thailand and Cambodia are neighbors that don’t always get along. Cambodia is also bordered by Laos, Vietnam, and a coastline on the South China Sea.
On paper, Cambodia has a multi-party democratic government. Hold that thought…
In 1979, Vietnam invaded and defeated the Khmer Rouge, ending Cambodia’s communist nightmare. The United Nations stepped in and established an interim government.
Today, there’s an executive branch and a bicameral parliament. Elections are held. Cambodians vote. But guess what? Just one guy has been in charge since 1985. One guy in charge for 40 years. Hmmm…
OK, that’s not completely true. He’s no longer in charge, but not because he lost an election. He’s getting older. It was time to step aside. So he appointed his son to be prime minister. Now the son is in charge. That’s probably all you need, (or want), to know about Cambodian politics.
They Don’t Have it Easy
Cambodia is among the world’s poorest countries. Think Bangladesh or Laos. In Siem Reap, it isn’t immediately apparent, but we’ll see it soon enough on this trip.
Cambodians don’t have it easy, but you’d never know it from interacting with them. Most of them are Buddhists. Buddhists tend to have an admirable way of dealing with things beyond their control.
That brings us to “the real Cambodia.” And by that I mean Cambodians – their culture, customs, cuisine, how they live, what makes them happy, and like that.
In neighboring Thailand, Thai people are known for their “Thai smile.” It’s a smile that says, “Whoever you are, welcome! I am truly happy that you’re here.” That’s one reason why so many tourists love to visit Thailand.
But I think the Cambodian smile outdoes even the famous Thai smile. It’s even more welcoming and caring, if that’s possible. Even more sincere. Many Cambodians make an instant connection with you.
We were ready to come back to this fascinating country. And we especially wanted to come back to this particular hotel. Did we ever. Oh boy. More on that next time.
To be continued…
