Cambodia: Desperation and Divinity
Well, it was a roaring "scare the hell out of you" kind of start but it was just a horrid glimmer of what the country is NOT about.
The border crossing from Thailand to Cambodia, Poi Pet, is a daunting experience and will test the mettle of any traveler.  You leave a second world, almost first world country (Thailand), to a distant third world country that has an appearance of underling hostility to an  ill-informed newbie (me!); let me say right off, it's only that particular place in Cambodia that gives off that kind of vibe.
You leave the white sand beaches of Thailand and walk into the intimidation of Cambodia: Home of dirty faced kids with hungry hands stuck out, a shady-looking aggressive "guide" who will not leave your side, to a border 'policeman' who looks at you straight in the eyes as he over charges you on your Visitor's VISA.  And a questioning of the price only leads to an angry unflinching stare and your 'guide' anxiously shaking his head. Freaky.

The immediate task, after the lovely touchy-feely interlude with the customs cop, is to get a way to Seim Reap, home of Angkor Wat. Many offers abound, deciphering them for quality and safety, is impossible.  To my lack of good judgment I took the offer from my guide, who at first wanted $6 US dollars for me to ride in the back of a pick up truck all the way to Seim Reap. That is: in the back with 14 other Cambodians! This is a mid-sized Nissan!  I opted for the back of the cab, $8.  Which turned out to be less than lovely as 4 of us were jammed in behind the maniacal looking driver and passenger.  (For those bad in math, 20 people in that little truck). Some attempts at humor and personality were soon abandoned due to blank looks and long stares, I settled on contemplating my fate which was dissolving before my eyes, for the next three hours instead of lively conversation.
It was 3 hours to cover the 142 km stretch, you wonder why so long?!!

Well, let me tell you about Cambodian Highway Number One, oh it's a highway, at least on the map.  In actuality it's a dirt road, no signs, no speed limit, no clear direction, with crater sized potholes and traffic of every description; pickups, semis with trailers, motor bikes, pedal bikes, oxens pulling carts, cows resting in the middle of the road, kids playing soccer with a coconut?  A motor fashioned to a cart in some horseless carriage kind of way, and hundreds of people just, well,  sauntering.  Oh and the end all be all,  a little scooter with a smart-looking Khmer boy driving at 60kmh weaving in and out of traffic with a 300lb pig on the back! I kid you not, now the pig was lying on his back and looked quite content, sound asleep as his little hooves flopped in the breeze, his cute wiggly  tail bouncing about. I was quite jealous, having traveled 30 hours straight with sporadic sleep, “that bastard”, I thought, “he is a good sleeper”.  Later it occurred to me, yes he was dead, which I too was envious of after the 2nd hour of my 3 hour journey.
Seim Reap arose like a jewel on the horizon, okay, a cubic zirconium, but a jewel just the same; it had a paved road! And a traffic light! Only because huge hotel conglomerates had built mega spots next to shacks and huts.  Quite comical, although my tired, dirty face couldn't crack a smile. That was the worst of the worst; Cambodia was nothing like my first Poi Pet impression.

Cambodia is wonderful, and it's all due to the Khmer people and Angkor Wat.

I repeat it is an amazing place: A place that has experienced some of the worse atrocities in our modern times; a people who have been slaughtered, and ruthlessly dictated to, and bombed, and starved, and oppressed.  Yet, they have the easiest smiles and warmest laughs. No other place on earth deserves peace and prosperity more than these lovely Khmers.  I cannot begin to tell you the impressions you are left with after seeing their lives, hearing their experiences and feeling their kindness, even now I am at a lost for understanding.

I had an emotional visit to the landmine museum and met an amazing English man named Colin who is dedicating his life to helping the victims of landmine and unexploded ordinances: 150,000 peace time victims and counting.  But that is another update in itself.
Spent two days at Angkor Wat; the serious wonder of the world.  It chilled me to my core, easily the most splendid architectural awe I have witnessed; I realize I am not well-traveled, but keep in mind I did spend a month in Paris; Notre Dame is a Burger King compared to Angkor.  I love this country, its people, its energy and its ambition for a better life; I hope with all my being they receive it.