Babs Blabs: BA does Southeast Asia Day 1.5

Where am I? What day is it? This is how I woke up in Korea. Fourteen hour plane ride that I slept thru. I was only awakened to be insulted by the 'food.' Better to let me just dream of the wonderful food that awaits me when we next land.

Everyone talks about how great the Seoul airport is and we (my writing partner, Greg & I) WERE excited--casinos, spa's, business class lounge. Well none of this happened for us. The casino was on the other side of security and the spa was closed. We weren't allowed to use our United Business Class Lounge passes so we ate more bad food and made the best of it. After all we are on our way to paradise---but not for a few days. First stop Phnom Pehn to see my dearest Kidist. She was as excited to us as we were to see her!

Oh wait! The finals for the World Cup is on, where’s the sports bar? Eight blocks away we find the sports bar, SCORE. Although it’s 3am the bar is packed with cheering fans. Expats singing in German, and yes, there was plenty of beer. What a great way to start the trip. Even though I was rooting for Argentina the crowds enthusiasm was infectious. I even met some Nigerian German fans. (WTH?) Anyway….

Mass Exodus

Day One in Cambodia we go to the Khmer Rouge Museum and on to the Killing Fields. April 17, 1975 was the beginning of the end for many Cambodians. That was the day when Pol Pot and The Communist Party of Kampuchea (CPK), otherwise known as the Khmer Rouge, took control. They quickly evacuated the city, telling the people that the Americans were about to bomb. Being led to rural areas, the people soon realized they had become slave labor for the government. A government that was cruel and paranoid, killing over 3 million people, including intellectuals, city residents (they had bad habits, like thinking) foreigners and people with glasses, because only pure people were qualified to build the revolution. Does this remind you of that German guy years before?

The Killing Fields

Survivor with book

He survived and can still smile

victims

It gets worse at the Killing Fields. We see where they killed the people. The tree that they beat the babies head against until dead.

Tree used to kill babies

Who are these people? Listening to their illogical reasoning I see many similarities to the Tea Party. I won’t elaborate but if you care to know, compare the two.

This is a great civics lesson and makes me realize that we must be diligent and not ever let this happen under our watch. I’m sure that genocide is going on somewhere in the world right at this moment and we cannot ignore the suffering of others because if we do, we may be next. People always think, “No it couldn’t happen here” until it does…

We ride around the city in a ‘Tuk Tuk.” I’m thinking new reality tv show, “Pimp my Tuk Tuk.” Some have already been pimped out with lights and tv’s.

Already 'pimped" in gold

Greg & Kidist checking out strange fruit

At the Russian market we eat, drink coffee and buy presents. The sights, sounds and smells were amazing and we knew we were on the other side of the world. I love the bargaining in the market. Whatever the price, you cut it in half and haggle from there. Most times you get your price or close to it.

On to dinner at one the best restaurant in Cambodia, “Malis.” Great dinner of Fish Amok, Kampot Pepper Crab, Papaya Salad and Luc Lac. Sorry no pictures, we were so hungry and ate it so fast that we forgot to take pictures of the food. Trust me it was wonderful.