Cambodia: Phenom Phen

Waiting for the bus in Vietnam to get to Cambodia was kind of nuts. Everything is very chaotic and disorganized but to me its so fun because it all gets done eventually. People approach you with water and gum you might want to buy and bus runners grab your bag and tell you to wait here, then they tell you to wait there. When we were waiting for the bus a lady selling gum came up with her baby and he was the cutest little guy I have seen in a long time. Just a smiley little guy who kept playing with me. Once we got on the bus to Cambodia we all got settled and drove to the border. At the border we had to getting off and get our visas and walk across where the bus was waiting for us. The ride was kind of fun because Zara and Wilika were telling us about there travel experience and I realize us Americans are such pussies when it comes to traveling. Both these girls have been on the road for almost a year and they road on the siberian express across Russia by themselves for a month! Once we got to Phenom Phen we got bum rushed by the tuk tuk drivers just yelling and screaming at the same time we were trying to get our bags from the bus, it was like being on the stock market floor with all the yelling. The girls took over the haggling and got us a $2 ride to the lake side which where all the back packers stay. We checked out a few places and found a nice hostel and the rooms were $6 a night! That was $3 a piece for scott and I. It had a really nice patio area with hammocks and hang out room. The strange thing about Cambodia is that every thing is in dollars and super cheap. I would get a potato ommlette for breakfast and a smoothie for $2. There are signs that say its bad to buy drugs but we were offered pot by 3 employees of the hostel. After a nice shower and some food we walked around the city. They are definitely not use to seeing white people and people were constantly staring and waving. We were always mauled by tuk tuk drivers soon as we walked out the gates of our hostel. There rule of haggling is that you offer them a quarter of what they ask and settle for a half. We went and checked out the killing fields and SR21 which was a school that was turned into a prison. Quick history lesson to understand Cambodia's current state of poverty is that Pol pot came into power in 1975 and in 5 years killed off the all of the inteligencia. Anyone who was educated in anyway doctors, teachers, lawyers, and one who went to school was killed along with there families so the entire population that remains is not only uneducated but also don't see any value in education. Poverty is a mind frame in Cambodia and corruption is rampant. Child prostitution is so bad that Cambodia no longer allows people to adopt there children. I had a couple of run in with some Fxx*ing pedophiles in Phenom Phen and almost punched one of them in the face. These old white guys creeping around with there long pants and old video cameras. Its like they might as well have a sign that says "I molest children". The way the Cambodians in Phenom Phen treat there animals is heart breaking too, and every animal I have met in this country has had its spirit broken. I have never understood the importance of education as much as being in Cambodia. The people are very sweet and humble but are just lost. Its a nation of sheep. The killing fields were intense because they dug up the bones of the mass graves (20,000) and placed them in a beautiful glass stupa (a Buddhist shrine)so you can touch the skulls and bones of the deceased. In total 20% of the population was killed and all of them were educated leaders that could have brought Cambodia away from poverty. On the brighter side the shopping is fantastic and food was decent.