world: cambodia

One of the greatest contrasts I have encountered was between the character of the people of Cambodia and their recent history.

Having wrought tremendous violence on themselves through self-genocide, many people now live next door to the very same people who killed their brother, their teacher, their doctor, their mother.

There is a feel to the character of the Cambodian people - an alomst aggresive sense of pride in their ancient history. Yet there lurks a feeling that modern Cambodians have never achieved what their ancestors have done - the giant mouldering temples standing as testament to that.

But Cambodia is much more than the history we define it with. It is scooter taxi rides through warm jungle nights, reflections of pale yellow lights in the river dodging through trees and possibly the warmest and most joyous people I have met..