Cambodia , and a preview

Wow! Sorry everyone, but we've been really bad about keeping up. A lot has happened, so here's a preview of what's to come:

• Angkor Wat -- Angkor Wat is massive... and so I hope you'll understand that it has taken us some time to get around to posting about it. Like the Ancient Thailand posts I think we'll have to break it up into several different posts.
  
• Japan and the Mugai Ryu tournament -- Information on my trip to Japan.
  
• The Temple of Literature -- A look at an ancient Confucian temple in Hanoi.
  

Phnom Penh



Phnom Penh, capital of the Kingdom of Cambodia, is probably not one of the world cities most Americans think about when they start listing off the capitals of various foreign powers. You may get Tokyo, London, Paris, Rome, Moscow, Beijing, etc. (and probably 'Sydney', too), but I doubt you'd get Phnom Penh in the top ten.



The people of Cambodia have a long and impressive history in the Southeast Asian penninsula. Originally centered on the northwest shore of the Tonle Sap, the ancient Khmer capitals near Angkor date back to the 8th century, and their occupation continued up until 15th century, when the forces of Ayutthaya conquered the Khmer and put their own puppet on the throne. The Khmer king and his court escaped to Phnom Penh, further downriver and away from the Siamese.



Wat Phnom had been built in the 14th century (Phnom means 'hill' and it is the only one in the city, apparently). It became the center of the new capital. Eventually the Khmer pushed the Siamese out of their country, and now the town near Angkor is known as Siem Reap, or 'Defeat of Siam', but we'll save that for another post.



Phnom Penh continued as the capital of the Khmer kings. Eventually, they came under French colonial rule, and remained so until the mid-20th century. They obtained their independence from France and had Independence Monument built in 1958. In throwing off the yoke of European colonialism, however, many turned to Communism. An extreme form of the socialist doctrine was behind Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge, who instituted a bloody revolution. Its goal was 'Year Zero'--which included as a goal the complete extermination of all scholars, even those who only wore glasses. The bloody reign of the Khmer Rouge was eventually countered by the invasion of Vietnam, which itself set off a wave of conflicts throughout the region.



Today, Cambodia is one of the poorest nations in Southeast Asia. Phnom Penh is a mix of the old colonial wealth and modern poverty in a milieu of an economy that is on the rise, though still hampered by widespread corruption. The people, however, are some of the friendliest people in Asia.

This is a country with a proud past, and has the potential for a bright future. In the days of Angkor, the fields of the Khmer were so fruitful they could grow three crops of rice a year. There are still landmines in the forests, but they are being slowly cleared. Currently, I believe that Cambodia is definitely a hidden jewel of Southeast Asia.