Exploitation vs. Exploration (Angkor Wat and Cambodia)

The morning came as the sweat dripped down my cheek. The mosquito net seemed to show unseen portals for the little monsters as they buzzed in my ear. A dirty old cat laid outside the net snuggled up against my feet. Beside me, my brother breathed heavily the dusty Cambodian air. The city of Siem Reap bustled with tourists and Cambodians alike. This was a place of great history. A place where a people long past built great temples reaching skyward in a plea of acceptance from their gods; a place where mystery and culture became lost. It became a place of disregard; jungle engulfed these people covering them for millenia. One of the worst genocides happened here in the mid 70's when the communistic Khamar Rouge with tyrannical leader Pol Pot forced almost everyone into a farming state, dressed everyone in black pajamas, and rationed food for the masses. Death seemed the norm from starvation and murder, and was accepted under this regime. Land mines were and still are in many areas a thing of fear and abundance. Countless beggars with one or no legs comb the streets of Siem Reap holding their hats out in hopes to progress their small business venture...Begging. This is poverty and the 3rd world with all its challenges. The tourists seem to exploit this country for its beautiful Ankorean Temples and shrines in hopes to get the best look, picture, or feeling from this historical wonder. In turn the locals raise prices in hopes to suck anything they can from these rich obsessed westerners. Cambodia is a place of challenge, history, and beauty; a place where one must visit if they are to understand and see the realities of this world.