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| Intra Ngean Pagoda |
Our only stop in Cambodia was on the west coast of the country in an area with a major fishing fleet and what is considered to be some of the best beaches in the area. This country's tragic history most recently culminating with the fall of Khmer Rouge in 1979 was responsible directly and indirectly for the deaths of over 3 million, with the elite and the educated the first to be executed. They are currently under the rule of the Cambodians People Party, the only party available with opposition forces jailed. The country is slowly recovering from the devastation of the Khmer Rouge regime, but the corrupt communist government makes true recovery impossible. Poverty is evident everywhere. The "World's Most Beautiful Beaches" were covered with litter, vendors overwhelm visitors, and beggar children are a common sight.
We started with a visit to the Intra Ngean Pagoda, the city's prominent religious site. The reclining Buddha and temple are on the same grounds as a Buddhist monastery and a number of young monks were moving around. Next, we traveled to Ochheuteal Beach for a walk on the waterfront. The beaches were fairly deserted during our morning visit, but a large number of businesses and restaurants indicated that perhaps later in the day that the waterfront is crowded.
The bus then moved to the central market, where we had the opportunity to buy a wide variety of products with haggling as a part of the process. Local seafood and exotic produce were the highlights of the market.
Finally, the bus traveled to the local fishing village of Tumnuk Rolok. Most of the boats are leased by the fishermen because the $7,000-$30,000 (USD) cost of the boats is far beyond their means. Rickety
wooden docks were filled with dozens of boats of questionable integrity. Fresh squid, shrimp, crab, and small fish are brought to the docks each day by 3-4 AM, so the seafood can find its way to the market where there is a substantial markup. Shrimp selling for $1-2 a pound at the dock sells for $5-7 a pound at the market.
The tour was an interesting but very brief snapshot of the country.
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