Lake Tonle Sap, Cambodia

Never thought I would be coming to Cambodia, but here I am!




Nothing quite prepared me for the river scene at Lake Tonle Sap .... it leads to the largest fresh water lake in South East Asia, varying in size greatly during the wet season and growing to 10,000 square km. ..... To get to the lake, we motor along a little floating village .... the poverty here is permeable .... fishing provides the main food source for the people of this little village on the water! The condition of the water is a tad shocking ..... garbage floats everywhere and the water is brown from refuse as much as from silt ..... I can only hope the people living here have the means to reach the large lake further upstream to fish, where the waters at least were blue and the lake is huge, but sadly, the garbage follows one everywhere! Education is needed in this regard it seems, as this is the situation unfortunately, in just about every country I find myself in ...

For the inhabitants living in this floating town .... their toilets are perched behind the houses, holes, basically that go right into the water! I saw children swimming very near the toilet of their home .... made me absolutely cringe .... the smells alone were beyond belief ..... I wanted the boat trip to end .... this reaction was unprecedented on this whole trip .... it was so gut wrenching, that I just wanted out, period!! ...... I cannot believe that anyone should have to live in these conditions in our world today!!! .... I thought the sea gypsies of Thailand live a sad existence ... it is nothing compared to the conditions of the people of Tonle Sap. I am appalled that the government of Cambodia is doing nothing to help this village. My guide Leda and driver Vanna assured me that there is a review of their situation currently underway. Please please let me believe that, and hope that perhaps an arm of the charitable organization that Gates and Buffet have formed will have this little village in Cambodia on their radar! I will keep abreast via email of the situation. Most children hop on little boats, hoping to attract the attention of tourists cruising through ...... with snakes wrapped around their necks, of course they catch our attention ...... their only English consists of "Miss, dollah for picture" .... the little girl I photographed is only two years old; she was very tiny! These dollars we give them, help to purchase fresh produce from town. I saw many people in the floating village with all manner of skin diseases, eye infections .... little wonder given the conditions, that the life expectancy in this village is very low ....

Yes, I have arrived in Siem Reap, Cambodia, home to Angkor, the ancient capital of the Khmer Empire. Angkor Wat is beyond a doubt, one of the most magnificent wonders of the world and an amazing archaeological site. It is located in the hot and humid dense jungle in Western Cambodia, bordering, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam. The carvings on most of the temples are mix of Hindu gods and Buddhist art, although the primary religion now is Buddhism.

The people are a curious mix, in my mind at least, of Thai and East Indian .... they too are a gentle and kind people, very open and welcoming. There is a lingering certain sadness in the air, however .... given the brutal history of the Khmer Rouge and Pol Pot's murder of over two million of his own people! It is a country struggling to develop some form of economic growth and tourism is a main source of income .... yearly, millions come to visit what is known as the single largest religious monument in the world ..... the literal translation of Angkor Wat is "The City which is a Temple" ..... the temple tops resemble lotus buds .... it takes hours and hours ..... days, really to explore all the varied temples and I will make my attempt this week!