Where to begin with when talking about Angkor? In a world of inflated superlatives it gets difficult to find the right words to describe something which is indeed exceptional. Guidebooks compare the Temples of Angkor with the epic proportions of the Great Wall, the detail and intricacy of the Taj Mahal and the symbolism and symmetry of the pyramids. I can not tell whether the comparison is entirely justified, but I can assure you I am not easily to be impressed.
Read more →When I crossed the border to Cambodia , it was hard not to think about what had happened here in the late 70’s … The Khmer Rouge, led by Pol Pot – also called “Brother No. 1” – started a cruel “experiment” by creating a purely agrarian-based Communist society. Speaker of the Red Khmer announced the beginning of a new revolutionary era in which every form of oppression and tyranny would be abolished. However, within the first months of this revolutionary era the country was transformed into a giant labor and prison camp.
Read more →