Sad enough, the city no longer appears like the "Pearl of Asia" it was referred to as in the 1920's. The air of extreme poverty which plagues the city, and entire country, hits you like a ton of bricks from the moment you leave the airport. Driving in the mess of traffic along the dusty "roads", watching several young barefoot children piled on a single bike as you pass by, it is impossible not to immediately recognize the vast disparity between these peoples' lives and my own. However, not only is the hotel that we are staying at the most relaxing, and tranquil place on a lakeside, but the locals we have already met are some of the friendliest and most genuine people I've ever encountered.
That's all for now, as I finally splurged and bought a towel at the market, and I have never been so excited to shower in my life. I. AM. DUSTY. But I feel great and I'm so happy to be here. I also bought a book about a prisoner who survived Pol Pot's Khmer Rouge, only because he was an artist. After my shower, Carly and I are going to take our books out to the patio which overlooks the lake, have a deliciously cold local beer for 70 cents, and put our feet up after a long day of traveling and walking.
Tomorrow: Royal Palace, Killing Fields, and the Old Prison from the Khmer Rouge. Should be as haunting as it is fascinating.
I miss you all at home, and will not be able to call for a while because these computers are very VERY basic (aka no Skype and headphones).
love.
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