Same same but different

Its been almost a week, since I've arrived in Cambodia. Cambodia thus far has been a beautiful country. From the ancient temples at Angkor Wat to a boat ride from Siem Reap to Battambang (9 hours, but it was fun), passing through rural river villages, the country thus far has been a pleasure visit.

Same, Same but different is a phrase that is rampantly used here and has even made it to the T-Shrit market (I just got one, in a snazzy jean-blue color). Its a funny phrase and I've enjoyed hearing it and using it in the markets and whatnot.

I've been delighted with the smiling children, running around the streets and playing in the river. Everywhere, Carolyn and I go, there are always packs of toddlers and children waving their hands at us, saying hello and giving us the biggest grins in the world.

From what I have witnessed, the people, today, are strong, resilient and witty and always willing to send a smile your way. Its amazing to see such joy in light of the tragedies that Cambodia has faced. First the mass genocide under Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge, and then the mass famine after his downfall. We visited some of the sights of the mass executions and graves, which was a somber and emotionally moving experience. Its hard to believe that places like high schools were turned into prisons and places of torture. Its hard to believe that these atrocities only took place a mere 30 years ago and what's even more sad is that there are still mass genocide still occurring!

I've had some downtime over the past week and took advantage of being in bigger citities, i.e. have English movie theaters, so I've checked out 2 movies that are probably out of the theaters in the States. The first film I saw was "The Kite Runner" based on the novel by Khaled Hosseini. While I normally think that the book is always better than the film production, this movie was better than most movie-book adaptations. While the story feels a bit rushed, the overarching themes of friendship, family, loyalty, culture and love are conveyed well. I highly recommend the book if you haven't had a chance to read it yet.

The other film I saw was Sweeny Todd. I'm a sucker for musicals and while this one drasticly different from any musical I've seen, its quite good. In Tim Burton fashion, its a very dark movie, with lots of singing that makes it kind of light-hearted. Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter do a superb job. It is quite gory, but in the sense that its over the top, blood gushing out, making it seem kind of fake. So two movies to check out if they're still out in theaters.

Anyhoo, I've arrived in Cambodia and waiting at the airport for my friend, Carolyn to fly in. My lodgings are great compared to Singapore, I actually have a blanket and a towel provided! Also, its nice to have a single room, since I was sharing with 7 other people in Little India. I never got enough sleep with people coming in and out. I haven't had a chance yet to check out Phnenom Phen, as I got in kind of late last night. But will update y'all soon!