The Heavy Side of Cambodia.

Once I crossed in PP from HCMC, I checked into my pre-booked guesthouse by the river. It was PERFECT! When I say a guesthouse is perfect, it just means that it has a hot shower.

So, once settled into my guesthouse, I had the day to go exploring while I waited for my travel buddies to arrive; Mummy from Belgium was meeting me with her Colombian husband, Frog.

I headed to the market to exchange some USD to Cambodia Riel, and to see what the market had to offer. Of course, I shopped...but just a bag and a shirt was what I walked away with. After walking around PP for the afternoon, I ended my day down at the river, eating dinner and having an ice cold draft beer. Then I headed back to the guesthouse to wait for the couple, but fell asleep before they got in...at 3AM!!! AHH!!!

They got in, and we all went to sleep till morning. Once awake, we did the "hello hugs" and etc. Then it was time to start it up! We shotgunned a morning beer (well, it IS our holiday!), did some T.E.N. pushups, and wandered to the market. We are some local noodle soups/rice dishes, and then it was time to do the heavy stuff....Killing Fields and the Genocide Museum.

**A little background: in the 1970's - 1980's, a man named Pol Pot came to power and led Cambodia under his dictatorship. He led the Khmer Rouge in a mass genocide, killing an estimated 1.7 million Cambodians. The Killing Fields is the most famous site for the graves from the genocide.

Once at the Killing Fields, we got Audio Guides to tell the story of life at the fields. I'll tell the tour in pictures...it isn't pretty.

The Killing Fields Stupa

Human Skulls inside the Stupa - victims from the Khmer Rouge

The Khmer Rouge used the sharp edges of the Palm Trees the slit throats

One of the mass graves....400 bodies in this one

Hard to see, but pieces of clothing from victims are still coming up from the ground

You can still see human bones as well

This tree was used to kill babies. Sickening.

The "Magic Tree" - the Khmer Rouge played music from speakers hanging from this tree to drown out the victim's screams.

In case we weren't repulsed enough from the Killing Fields, it was time to head to the Genocide Museum (S-21). This was a school that the Khmer Rouge had taken control over and turned into a prison. Here are some pictures from S-21. Again, not pretty.

The rules for the prisoners

Building A

The Gallows...they would hang them by their hands until they passed out, dunk them in water to wake them up, then hang them up again....

Building C

The barbed wire so the prisoners can't jump out of the building

2 cells...you can tell they are small because they both fit in my viewfinder on my camera.

Graves of the last 14 victims.

After seeing this, you may ask the same question that I was asked "Why do you want to see this on your holiday?" Well, Yes, it IS my holiday - but I am in a history-filled foreign country. Of course I want to enjoy the beach, the beauty, and the nightlife, but I also am curious about the people. I don't like being viewed as an ignorant tourist. I want to know about the people who are from the land I am choosing to spend my time in. I was never big into history in school, but being abroad has MADE me interested. Now when I go to foreign countries I want to see the good, along with the bad. I know many people may not choose this route - and will beach their way through the country, and that is fine with me. However, for me the country means more to me if I understand the struggles it went through to get to a place that is welcoming to tourists. Plus - how many of you ACTUALLY knew about this genocide that happened in such recent times? Not many, I'm sure.

Ah Gun,
Apes 

Vietnam 2.0

Whelp, time to head back to Vietnam. Yes, I have already been...BUT I missed out on the Chu Chi Tunnels so I HAD to go back. What's so important about the tunnels? Well, during the Vietnam War, the Vietcong lived in these TINY underground tunnels. Since they were open to see, of course I had to do it!

So I arrived in Vietnam on Saturday AM (Fri night) at about 1am. I grabbed a Taxi and headed to my guesthouse. I checked it by 3am, and went straight to bed. When I woke up, I had a day to do NOTHING but relax before my Tunnel Tour on Sunday.

So I started my day with a cup of Vietnamese Coffee. MMMM, I am 100% sure this is my FAVORITE coffee in the world (so far anyways). While sipping my morning feul I chatted the 2 older men beside me. They directed me to a great massage parlor, at which I spent my mid-morning. I get a GREAT oil massage, then treated myself to a pedicure as well. All for less than $10. Yup - I MUST be back in SE Asia!!

Afterwards, I grabbed some lunch and ended up sharing my table with a Kiwi named Allister. He bought me a beer since I shared my table. Friendship made. We chatted about life in "Nam (he lives/teaches there). His funniest story; "I was walking around District 1 (backpacking area) and I got tired of being asked 'what you want sir' so the next time someone asked me that I looked at the woman and said 'a husband' and she paused, thought a minute and said 'ok, one minute' and ran off" HAHHAHA. Those store owners can find you ANYTHING! After sharing stories, we headed to his rooftop to see the sunset, and go swimming (yes, a pool!!). Once the sun was set, I was ready to get back to the backpacking district, so I bid adieu and headed back to my guesthouse. Once at my guesthouse I had planned to go to bed early, but instead stayed up chatting with my 'dorm roommates' about their travels and even tried my first Macaroon (I know understand why they are Blair Waldorf's fav cookie!!).

Sunday morning it was CHU CHI TUNNEL TIME!!! So I got up, grabbed some breakfast from the lobby and waited for the bus. After a while of calling/emailing the tour, they FINALLY came to get me (they had forgotten lil' ol' me!!). Luckily, they forgot another girl as well, so we boarded the bus together. We arrived at the site of the Tunnels about an hour or so later...I'm not sure how long, I fell asleep. Here are some of the pix once we were there....

So you're just marching along, shooting the enemy, when all the sudden....

...the ground opens below you, and you fall onto the spikes and die.

This is how you get in and out of the tunnels....

...look at how small they are!!

Many more weapons from the Vietcong.

New friend Anne....with her in the tunnel, you can see how small it is!

You have to squat-walk in these.

Well, back when I was in 'Nam I was busy shooting guns in Ho Chi Minh City

So there ya go - my time in the tunnels. I wish the pictures would show more of how small they were - but I barely fit through, my arms touched the sides of the tunnels, and I was squatting the whole way. We only went 100meters, but I can't imagine how people survived actually LIVING in those tunnels for as long as they did.

Whelp, now that the tunnels have been crossed off my bucket list...time to head to Cambodia!!!

Gum awn,
Apes :)

On Holiday....

Sorry guys - but I will be inactive on the computer for 2 weeks. Where will I be??

CAMBODIA!!!!!

That's right - I've got 2 weeks, and I am getting out of the snow. I'm exchanging my fleece tights for shorts, my winter coat for a tank top, and my snow boots for flip flops.

I'll be landing in Vietnam (Saigon) and staying for 2 nights, then busing to Cambodia to meet with Mummmmyyyyy (from Belgium) and her husband (from Portugal) and spending a week and half in Cambodia. Then we will cross into Thailand and stay in Bangkok for 2 nights.

Off to start an adventure....I hope I have enough room in my passport...

Ghamsamnidah,
About to be a MUCH warmer Apes :)

Live like a Korean

After the new year (HAPPY 2013 EVERYONE!!), the teachers in Jinan went on another cultural trip. This time is was to live/talk like a Korean.


Wednesday morning we woke up and grabbed our chartered bus for the 6 of us (Me, Marilize, Hanco, Jaclyn, Don Myeong, and Ms. Park) and headed into Jeonju. We were to stay in Hanok Village for the night. So we checked into our guesthouse that was an traditional Korean house, and were joined by the rest of our group (Miguel and Rob). We first went to the Camera Museum and enjoyed some coffee and vintage cameras.

That's a pretty big camera!

Vintage!

Afterwards, we had lunch (a pretty good Korean noodle soup) and then headed to learn some Hangul (Korean)!! For about 4 hours we learned greetings, food, and telling time (along with other random sayings). The best lesson for me was telling time!

Afterwards, we headed to dinner and it was AMAZING! It was a pork dish (of course) and it tasted soo good. It was like a sweet rib dish. MMM. Then we headed back to our guesthouse and drank some home-made Moju and played Yut-Nori (a traditional Korean game).

I was on Ms. Park's team....we just lost a point to Jaclyn's team :(

Thursday we woke up and had Korean breakfast (I had bibimbap, it's my favorite!) and then we headed to an art museum where they had a paper airplane exhibition!

Airplanes for everyone!

You write your wishes, then fold it into an airplane and throw it :)

After we got our fill of airplanes, it was off to a KOREAN CONTEST! That's right, we all had to compete to see who was the best at Korean. Well, I wasn't too excited for these reasons:

• Hanco - been living in Korea for 4 years
• Marilize - been living in Korea for 3 years
• Miguel - been living in Korea for 2 years (maybe longer)
• Rob - fluent
• Jaclyn - already been to Orientation (where you learn Korean)
• Me - been living here for 4 months, with no orientation

Needless to say, I didn't have much hope. Luckily, we were put in teams.

• Hanco/Jaclyn - I don't remember their name
• Miguel/Marilize - team monkey bobble
• Rob/Me - Soultang (sugar in Korean) 

Me and Rob ended up coming in 2nd place - BARELY! We had a lead of 1 point, then of course the last question was worth 2 points and team Monkey Bobble ended up getting it and pulling out the win. Good job to them though.

Afterwards, it was LUNCHTIME and we went western...that's right...ITALIAN! Amazing pasta was eaten by everyone, and we were quite happy :)

Then it was off to make our own Makgeolli - rice wine. We learned all the steps, and they we got to do the draining/bottling steps. We took the fermented rice and squished out all the juice with our hands, and then bottled it to take home. 

Marilize and Ms. Park bottling it up

Makgeolli Model

Then it was time for our last thing - the Keum San Sa Temple. We hopped on the bus, napped, and when we woke up, we were there!! Here are some photos to give you an idea of what I saw....

Tallest standing Buddha in Asia

The Jinan Group from my viewpoint

Panaromic of the Entrance/Exit

And when we finished the temple - it was over. Time to go home...back to living Hangookan (Hangul + Waygook).

Ghamsamnida,
Apes :)