Phnom Penh

Following Angkor Wat, we spend the weekend in Cambodia. It happened to coincide with the annual Water Festival, and two million other Cambodians arrived in town as well. As many may know, there was a devastating tragedy on Monday. I don't know any more than what I read in the press, as we left on Sunday. Phnom Penh was a mix of fun and sad.
While still in Siem Reap, I was able to witness the preparation for the Water Festival. Groups of people practiced competitive rowing in long boats on lovely Siem Reap river.
And the big races on the Tonle Sap river in Phnom Penh.

Tuk-tuk drivers patiently waiting...

The festival gets going at night.

And fireworks and floats for everyone to gaze at.

The following day we went to the Genocide museum in a former school-turned-prison. The Cambodian genocide of 1975-1979 is an atrocity on the largest scale, and unfortunately frequently absent from western history curriculum. (Or at least mentioned perfunctorily.) Under the leader Pol Pot, 2 million Cambodians were brutally murdered. Seeing the museum, as well as the killing fields (one of the major sites where the executions were perpetrated), was a chilling experience. It has taken Cambodia a while to recover and reflect on its history, but the root of strong memorials are now present.
Back to my original comment that Phnom Penh is both exciting and depressing: the many troubles (economic, political) of the country are well-known. Touts and begging are a frequent experience, something far less common in Thailand. The exploitation of children in these operations was very visible, especially around Angkor Wat. Corruption is extensive here. The first time I experienced blatant solicitation of a bribe was when crossing the border into the Cambodian town of Poipet. Nevertheless, people are super friendly and seem to enjoy life despite the hardships. Poverty and tourism are bound to cause some uncomfortable friction, but people are able to get along with dignity in Cambodia.