My initial reaction to Cambodia was a stark familiarity to a place I have already been: India. The roads, traffic, buildings, shops, even the smell bears a distinct resemblance to India. Keeping in mind my only vivid recollections of India are in Bangalore, it strikes me as odd yet almost obvious considering the proximity as well as the Developing Nation status of the two. However, there is a clear contrast in the natural temperament of the people. In India people cant wait to yell at you for stopping at a stop sign or getting out of a car. Here, although people still honk their horn like a child in a fire truck, the traffic isn’t nearly as heart stopping, the speed as head spinning, nor the cows as encompassing.
So far, every Cambodian I’ve met speaks a fair amount of comprehensible English. I’ve only been to two hotels (both rather lavish) but at the cheap price of $60-$90/per night! We’re talking Ritz Carlton here. The meals, which thus far have been on the “expensive side,” range from $3-$6. A tuk-tuk (cab) of about a 15-minute ride costs $4 for 4 people. The gas is served in liter bottles of coke at street corners along with a snack.
The parks and temples are majestic. I’ve only seen them from afar, but the area around them is so beautifully architected and well kempt that it creates an unbelievable disparity to buildings and shops around them.
The traditional Khmer outfits are very cute. I’ve already got the wheels turning on some skirts I’m going to have made (apparently its super cheap…Surprise!).
I’ve met a ton of DDD’ers and I am absolutely blown away. Is it really possible that one company has accumulated such a vast number of well-rounded warm-hearted easygoing people?