This afternoon we spent an hour or so in a narrow, dusty, hot,
\ncramped stationery and book store in Siem Reap – we were happy to
\nfind that many childrens’ books and educational puzzles were
\navailable, so we bought quite a lot for the school.<\/p>\n
Then we took ‘time out’ and drove over the river to the residential
\narea.<\/p>\n
With so much development (chiefly hotels) taking place in Siem Reap
\nit would be easy to think that life was changing for the better for
\nthe impoverished population. Indeed, travel books, newspaper
\narticles and travel documentaries we have seen all convey the
\nimpression that great progress has been made and life is so much
\nbetter than before for the people of Siem Reap.<\/p>\n
What nonsense!<\/p>\n
Today we joined people where they actually are living. Of course,
\nthere was not a tourist in sight. That’s not surprising really for
\nthe only way of getting around the lanes and alleys (no roads) which
\nappear more like canals, is by vehicle remotely equipped for
\ntraversing mud, putrid water and slime. There are vast sections of
\nSiem Reap’s residential area under water i.e. around 1 metre in
\ndepth covers whole tracts of the area. Imagine having filthy water
\nsurrounding your dwelling and likely under your dwelling too!<\/p>\n
Children fall or splash in this putrid water – one woman was even
\ndrinking from it!!<\/p>\n
We saw one family whose ‘dwelling’ was a raised wooden platform –
\nthe size of your loungeroom – no walls and a thatched roof. All
\naround and underneath was this putrid water and the whole family
\nlives there.<\/p>\n
Many, many people are living like that and it will continue until
\nthe monsoon rains end next month.<\/p>\n
No wonder this province is one of the world’s ‘leading’ areas of
\ndisease – a high proportion of the population has tuberculosis, or
\ndengue fever, or malaria.<\/p>\n
Yet we can leave it and return to the comfort of our hotel – not for
\nthe population of Siem Reap is that an option.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
This afternoon we spent an hour or so in a narrow, dusty, hot, cramped stationery and book store in Siem Reap – we were happy to find that many childrens’ books and educational puzzles were available, so we bought quite…<\/p>\n