Cambodia!

The Cambodian Flag

5 on a bike - not uncommon in these parts! Although I saw 4 men fall off a bike shortly after this photo was taken!

The Palace gate in Phnom Penh, capital of Cambodia

I met this monk at the bus station. His name is Chhom and has been a monk since the age of 12. (now he is 25). Like many people he gets up every day at 4am to study, pray and study more throughout the day. He and a group of monks were having 3 days off and were on their way to the beach for a swim.

Museum, Phnom Penh

Water Festival to celebrate a historical victory in battle, the Kings birthday, the changing of the flow of the river and a rowing competition between the different provinces.

Some of the rowing boats hold 75 people, they can be seen flexing with the force during rowing

A popular spot - many visit from the countryside (over a million people gather in the riverside districts)

On a sadder note, Cambodia has experienced a terrible episode of genocide in the recent past at the hands of the Khmer Rouge under Pol Pot. This was memorial at one of the largest killing fields just outside the centre. A group of mass graves numbering approximtely 120 in one area estimated to hold the bodies of 20-25000 people. Only about 89 of the graves have actually been excavated.

A quarter of Cambodias population were murdered during 1975 - 1979 and this amounts to more than 1 million people. Many were beaten so as not to waste bullets. Truly shocking.