Our days have been so full it's hard to believe we have only been here for three days!
On Friday night Synoeun & Chakrya wanted to take us dancing! A regular pastime for the youngsters is to meet in a local park where huge groups of teens all get together to dance for exercise - a mixture of traditional music, line dancing and hip hop.... we were the only westerners there and it was an awesome sight to see Bella up there dancing with all the kids - so refreshing to see kids having such innocent fun.
Yesterday was spent around Phnom Penh with Puthsak, a day full of contrast. We started off with a visit to the Russian Market, which was hot, bustling, lots of narrow aisles, strange smells and full of Khmer market sellers calling to encourage us to buy their wares.
Then off to the genocide museum which was a very somber experience, but a place we felt we should visit to give us an understanding of the history in Cambodia - There are no words to convey the horror these poor people endured, thousands were tortured and killed by the Khmer Rouge in the 1970's. A very eerie place which was a former school.
Next stop was to a buddhist temple - which was empty except for one monk - Puthsak explained how Buddhists give thanks to the gods and the protocol required on entering the temple - Such an awesome experience for me to share this with him - I can now cross this off my list of 50 things to do this year!
After stopping for lunch we went for a fish foot massage! Sitting with our feet dangling into a pool full of fish was such a funny experience - we all got the giggles as it tickled like mad, while the fish were happily chomping away on our feet! Once you get over the initial feeling of being tickled it's very relaxing and your feet feel amazing afterwards, so much cheaper than a pedicure, I might just invest in a fish tank when I get home - another thing to cross off my list ! Actually with so many new experiences I may complete the list in ten days!
On to the Royal Palace which is stunning - but hard to stomach so much oppulence when you see so much poverty on the outside.
We met Donna & Bora for dinner and went off to a traditional Khmer restaurant - superb food and good company, Stewart, Bora and the girls spent most of the time having thumb wars - Bora has exceptionally strong thumbs for a young kid and pretty much beat all of the others!
We decided to pick up some ice cream and head back to CKF to meet all of the older kids who live and study there - to say we were given a warm welcome is an understatement! -so many hugs from everyone I don't think I have ever received a warmer or more genuine welcome - it was beautiful.
Our cook at CKF is this little chubby lady named Sok she just kept squeezing us all so tight and running in for a hug every chance she got it was so funny and so delightful. We sat around eating our ice cream while everyone told us their individual stories - so touching. These amazing people who have horrendous tales of poverty and hardship, stories that are so sad it breaks your heart to hear what they have been through - yet to see the hope and dreams they have for a brighter future is so inspiring. Such a humbling experience for us - we have so much and take so much for granted, yet they appreciate the smallest things.
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