Cambodia Trip Part One. Angkor Wat, Bangkok and the Journey to Siem Reap.

Thank You to National Geographic Atlas of the World, Eighth Edition, 2004

Cambodia Information and History

A mostly flat and forested land, Cambodia is a small, compact country. But for more than 500 years, Angkor (in northwestern Cambodia) was the capital of the Khmer Empire, which controlled mainland Southeast Asia from the 9th to the 13th century. Thailand and Vietnam encroached upon the kingdom until 1863, when France made Cambodia a protectorate. Independence came in 1953.

The Vietnam War spilled into Cambodia, igniting conflict, and in 1970 a pro-Western military government overthrew longtime ruler Prince Norodom Sihanouk. Five years later Pol Pot's Khmer Rouge guerrillas began brutally enforcing radical communism, killing some two million Cambodians. After intense border clashes, Vietnam invaded and occupied Cambodia from 1978 to 1989, with up to 200,000 troops. In 1991 three rebel groups and the Phnom Penh government signed a UN-sponsored peace accord. Returned from exile in 1993, Sihanouk became king, leading the new constitutional monarchy.

Coming into the 21st century, Cambodia enjoys relative stability; but subsistence farming employs 75 percent of the workforce and many live in poverty. Cambodians hope that tourism focused on Angkor Wat, meaning "capital monastery," will bring prosperity; it is the largest temple at Angkor—its image is on Cambodia's flag.
ECONOMY

Industry: tourism, garments, rice milling, fishing, wood and wood products.
Agriculture: rice, rubber, corn, vegetables.
Exports: timber, garments, rubber, rice, fish.

Text source: National Geographic Atlas of the World, Eighth Edition, 2004

Population
13,329,000
Capital
Phnom Penh; 1,157,000
Area
181,035 square kilometers
(69,898 square miles)
Language
Khmer, French, English
Religion
Theravada Buddhist

Currency
riel
Life Expectancy
56
GDP per Capita
U.S. $1,600
Literacy Percent
70



Angkor Wat

Angkor is one of the most important archaeological sites in South-East Asia. Stretching over some 400 km2, including forested area, Angkor Archaeological Park contains the magnificent remains of the different capitals of the Khmer Empire, from the 9th to the 15th century. They include the famous Temple of Angkor Wat and, at Angkor Thom, the Bayon Temple with its countless sculptural decorations. UNESCO has set up a wide-ranging programme to safeguard this symbolic site and its surroundings.



Also, here below are some pictures of the journey from Bangkok to Siem Reap and soem shots around the city. We left Bangkok at 6am on the "3rd class only" train to the border. Once we walked across the border we hired a taxi with a couple of girls from California to Siem Reap and then tuk-tuks to our respective hotels. Hope you enjoy!




And finally, just some random shots from Bangkok