This may look familiar to people who have seen the film "Tomb Raider". It was the nearby Ta Promh and one of the gates which featured more prominently in that film.
Angkor complex was another one of those places I had dreamt of seeing, actually going there was a big thrill and a big step forward in independent travel for me.
I had a teacher in high school who taught us about what had happened in Cambodia and about Pol Pot.
In university in my archaeology minor I focussed on Angkor, so to be in the place that I had studied and seen as a backdrop in Hollywood films was quite magical.
The child vendors chatted to me as I walked along, some calling out as I passed asking my name and telling my hair was beautiful and asking if I wanted a drink. I said "maybe later", as I walked back past them later one called out "Megan, it is later, do you want to buy a drink now?" They were certainly smooth.
One little girl tried to sell me postcards and I explained I had bought some the day before and didn't need anymore as there was nobody else to send them to, quickly she responded with a sweet smile, "send it to me".
Another little salesgirl, was trying to sell me anything, you buy postcard -no
you buy film - no
you but battery, drink, t-shirt, tissue - no, no no
finally she said in a sad little voice "you buy me" and we laughed together. But it did make me sad, unfortunately Cambodia is a sex tourism destination and some children are actually sold to them. So whilst it seems sad these multilingual kids were out selling goods to the tourists at least they had goods to sell, not themselves.
Many governments are working with the Cambodian government to apprehend and prosecute and shut down these sexual predators from taking advantage of these vulnerable people.
Go Trees! Love it when nature takes control! Often young parents who may have lost a partner to war, violence or HIV will send out their children to sell cheap stuff to tourists. This brings in income to single parent or big brother and keeps the kids out of school and out of an education. Often the tourist thinks "How sweet, this kid speaks perfect English" but often only enough.
Isn't nature just amazing ...it eventually takes it all back ...my daughter studied fine arts, then went to europe...she loved seeing a lot of the art she had been studying, it all became more real for her!!
What an amazing place and definitely somewhere on my 'list'. The kids in Marrakech were all good at the tourist chat and had quite a few languages but fortunately most of them were also in school (8-12am and 2-6pm at least 6 days a week!!) The problem we had was running out of small change - it's hard to just walk away.
I absolutely loved Cambodia and its people. The kids are amazing. They'll sell in so many different languages at the flip of a dime. Even though they live in extreme poverty, the people are full of life and willing to share their experiences with you. I still keep in touch with my tour guide 8 years later. Everyone I know that has stepped foot in Cambodia is deeply moved by the culture and people.
Amazing shot! Funnily enough, I only saw the building, and had to go back to look at the photo when I read the comments about the tree! So sad for the little ones, what a childhood.
It spawns horrible economies, not just the far east but Eastern Europe. I've seen some horrible documentaries and films about sex-trafficking and tourism. The yanks started it in Bangkok because it was a big leave-station for troops in the Vietnam war. Bloody yanks.
Its true....the first thing that came to my mind about this shot was: Looks familiar somehow! I'd love to go and see it myself one day. Amazing how nature finds its way back.
My favourite temple in the park so much better than Ta Prohm I reckon. The trafficking here is heartbreaking and while its true there are a lot of agencies working on reducing the problem it is still very common for the courts here to let sexual predators go or to release them after only a fraction of their sentence often straight back into the communities they preyed on in the first place....and its usually just the foreigners we read about in the papers....for every foreigner caught there are several Cambodian men behaving the same way.
March 5th, 2012
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This is a great shot Megan!