Cambodia

Even in the short time I've been here in Siem Reap, I have found it really challenging me to think about what it means to travel in a developing country. Cambodia in general is a very poor country, and Siem Reap province is one of the poorest in the country. I think most thoughtful travellers to developing countries realize that western tourism can be both a blessing and a curse, but we re-assure ourselves that spending our $$ here in the end is a good thing. There aren't that many other opportunities for the people here to make money.

I try to be a 'good' traveller. I buy things at the local shops and restaurants and take a tuk tuk ride or two that I don't really need to make sure that some of my money is going into local hands and not into the hands of the big western hotel chain owner's hands. I try to get out and actually see the city and the people and not stay hidden in the safe grounds of a luxury hotel (and there are ridiculous number of them here in this very small city) And I try to know at least a bit about the history of the place I'm visiting.

Here's the catch... is the other end of the bargain that I should be able to enjoy visiting the city and sights while I'm here ? Oh how guilty I feel for saying that, and for feeling resentful of the constant (and I mean constant) requests to buy something. These people are very poor, and how can I hold it against them for trying to make some money. The $1 they want for whatever it is they are selling means nothing to me and so much to them and yet.. I would really like just 5 minutes of quiet to enjoy sitting and admiring the view of the temples.

Other questions bothering my conscience ...

• should I buy the postcards from the children to help them out, or does that just encourage their parents to keep them out of school because this selling tactic works ?
• is it OK to be totally rude and not even smile back at the constant yells of 'hello' and 'where you from' because I know to even smile is to invite a long sales pitch for one thing or another ?
• is it OK to skip visiting the land mine museum while I'm here ? This is an important reminder of Cambodian history and yet.. I just don't feel up for that kind of museum tour
• how bad is it that by the end of a very hot day of temple visiting yesterday I thought I might actually yell at a child if another one approached me.

Below is a sample conversation with a child which will be repeated over and over and over again all day long. They will also trail along beside you for a very long time continuing this conversation until you find some way to escape.

Child (holding postcards, water, bracelets or whatever): Hello !
Me: Hello
Child: Where you from ?
Me: I'm from Canada
Child: Capital of Canada is Ottawa. Prime Minister is Steven Harper. Canada speak both French and English. Population 33 million minus one.
Me: Wow - that is very good
Child: You know why 'minus one' ? Because you here.
Me: Ha Ha
Child: Buy my postcard ? Only 3 dollars (Everything here is quoted in USD)
Me: No thanks (Trying not to let her actually put them into my hands)
Child: Why not ?
Me: I don't want any
Child: You can send to your boyfriend.. Do you have a boyfriend ?
Me: No
Child: You know why you don't have a boyfriend ?
Me: No - why ?
Child: Because you don't buy my card. How about you buy my water ?
Me: (holding up the water bottle she can clearly see I already have) I don't need any water, I already have some
Child: But I have cold water, yours isn't cold.
Me: No thanks - I don't need any
Child: How about for your driver
Me: I don't have a driver

Ok - you get the point, the conversation will go on like this for ever and ever. One girl called me a "Number 1 lier" because I made the mistake of saying that maybe I would buy some water after I visited a temple and when I didn't buy any she was not happy.

Oh yes and Angkor Wat (what everyone comes here to see) is a spectacular monument to a people's devotion to their religion. It is something like the biggest religious structure in the world and very impressive. It is also an engineering marvel. It is a series structures radiating out from the central Wat and the doorways in each are perfectly aligned so you can look through one and see all the way through to the other end.