After our long days of temple-going, we needed some different activities to entertain us at night. On our first night in Siem Reap, we went to the apsara dance show, as mentioned in my previous blog entry.
On the second night, we went to the circus! It was put on by a fantastic organization that provides free arts classes for 1,200 Cambodian children from poor backgrounds, 120 of which are now professional artists. Judging from the seven actors/gymnasts, one painter, and two musicians in the show, the organization is doing an outstanding job. The storyline for the show was a young girl learning to cope with her PTSD brought on by the war with the help of nature and companionship. The music was played by instruments that I have never seen before, with sounds that were unique and moving. The circus acts included three men standing on each other’s shoulders, flipping through double-dutch jump rope, and many other remarkable acts that I don’t even know how to describe. Fortunately, they’re touring the US in September, so you guys might not have to simply imagine what an incredible show it was!
Earlier that same day, we visited the War Museum. Our reliable tuk-tuk driver, Khan, suggested that we see it, even though not many tourists go…and now I know why. We were greeted at the entrance by a man in an army uniform who introduced himself as Cat, because he died so many times. He then proceeded to describe the 30 years of atrocities and genocide that Cambodia has only recently escaped from. At the peak of the war, there were more active land mines than people left living in Cambodia. Cat showed us a piece of scrapnel in his knee (his only knee, seeing as his right leg was a prosthetic), which corresponded to the same shape of a Russian landmine. He also pointed to a few of the tanks in the yard, telling us about various friends that had been killed in each one. This man was so determined to have a memorable impact on us, that he even showed us one of his friend’s tibias and melted shoes left in one of the tanks. Although we learned a lot on the guided tour, it left us shaken and at a loss for words. It felt inappropriate for us to take photos, or to even enjoy anything from the rest of the day. Fortunately, the circus managed to lift our spirits because it showed us how people in Cambodia can still enjoy life, even after suffering from so much physical and emotional pain.
Now we have left the culturally diverse city of Siem Reap, Cambodia, and are enjoying the happy town of Hoi An, Vietnam. What’s next for us excitable travelers? Who knows!
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