Holiday in Cambodia 2
Dänk 1010011010
interesting, the country has some serious problems.
Cambodia reminded me strongly of Mexico for some reason. Perhaps it
was the heavy air pollution and undrinkable water, but mostly it was
the seemingly omnipresent Cambodian People's Party. The CPP doesn't
seem to do much except advertise itself, and signs promoting it can be
found in even the most remote areas. Cambodia is theoretically a
democracy, but as in Mexico the ruling party always wins.
Like Mexico, Cambodia has extremely poor roads, sanitation, and other
infrastructure. Major highways are paved, but most of the country is
served by dirt roads. The streets are filled with garbage and I could
even smell sewage. Compare this to neighboring Vietnam, where the
streets are swept constantly.
Cambodian Customs was less of a hassle than Mexico, though I had
applied for an e-visa beforehand. As in Mexico, Cambodian Customs
officials often try to overcharge tourists for their visas, so the
government created an online application that lets you pay for the
visa beforehand. Cambodian officials also did not confiscate my
personal items; Mexican officials have been known to confiscate
electric razors from tourists, claiming that they intended to resell
them in Mexico (like anyone flies to Cancún to resell a razor for a
few dollars profit).
Unlike Mexico, Cambodia has some excuse for its extreme poverty,
notably the genocidal extermination of a quarter of its people -
including everyone with an education - just thirty years ago. When
analyzing Cambodian economic statistics, keep in mind that the Khmer
Rouge abolished money entirely during its rule. All numbers are in
reference to Year Zero, and can only go up.
Both Cambodia and Mexico are home to fabulous ancient ruins, and both
countries realize how important they are to tourism.
Both countries have strict drug laws - passed largely in response to
U.S. pressure - and both tend not to enforce them because tourists
want their drugs. I had as much trouble finding marijuana in Cambodia
as I did finding hookers in Vietnam, and the tourist district features
several "Happy Pizza" restaurants which use marijuana as a pizza
topping.
Cambodian prostitutes are cheaper than Mexican, though, and uglier
ones can be had for as little as ten dollars an hour. Overall, the
Cambodian people are very attractive, and except for the slightly
asiatic eyes they might even be mistaken for Mexicans.
But despite its flaws, Cambodia is a fascinating place to visit. The
Khmer people are extremely friendly, perhaps even too friendly for
American taste. I didn't get (want) to try too much native food, but
the one local dish I tried (coconut sour soup) was very tasty. The
major cities have lots of foreign restaurants, from Indian to
Indonesian - everything except McDonalds. Tourist hotels are air-
conditioned, and you can hire your own personal tuk-tuk driver for a
whole day for only $15.
The ruins of Angkor Wat in Siem Reap and the Killing Fields in Phnom
Penh are probably the best reasons to visit Cambodia, but there is
still lots more to do. Keep in mind that Cambodia is near the equator
and is very hot and humid the entire year, and that touring for fat,
lazy Americans is pretty much limited to early morning.