War Museum Weapon Demo, Siem Reap, Cambodia
Upon arriving in Siem Reap, I hired most excellent Tuk-tuk driver Vannda Srun to take me around the area. The first place we went was The War Museum, a collection of old weapons, tanks, and ammo from Khmer Rouge war days. A fitting first exposure to this land of genocide and unthinable atrocity, the experience well introduced the surreal reality of trying to understand Cambodia. Visitors commonly remark in wonder at the friendly, smiling grace of locals, finding that hard to reconcile with the country's poverty and war torn history. But these unique people, generations away from the horrible crimes, seem outwardly to effectively distance themselves from the emotional trauma, perhaps in self preservation. Or perhaps their county's gruesome past has simply assimilated into their perspective of normal, all they have ever known. I can't claim to comprehend their unthinkable past and it's effects on their current lives, but it does compel a surrealistic aspect to being in Cambodia. As Vannda showed me around the weapons that devastated their land, killed and maimed their relatives and friends, he bounced around as if it was his playground, climbing into tanks and presenting smiling poses for me and my camera. They are as frequently commented, a most friendly and gracious people.
Upon arriving in Siem Reap, I hired most excellent Tuk-tuk driver Vannda Srun to take me around the area. The first place we went was The War Museum, a collection of old weapons, tanks, and ammo from Khmer Rouge war days. A fitting first exposure to this land of genocide and unthinable atrocity, the experience well introduced the surreal reality of trying to understand Cambodia. Visitors commonly remark in wonder at the friendly, smiling grace of locals, finding that hard to reconcile with the country's poverty and war torn history. But these unique people, generations away from the horrible crimes, seem outwardly to effectively distance themselves from the emotional trauma, perhaps in self preservation. Or perhaps their county's gruesome past has simply assimilated into their perspective of normal, all they have ever known. I can't claim to comprehend their unthinkable past and it's effects on their current lives, but it does compel a surrealistic aspect to being in Cambodia. As Vannda showed me around the weapons that devastated their land, killed and maimed their relatives and friends, he bounced around as if it was his playground, climbing into tanks and presenting smiling poses for me and my camera. They are as frequently commented, a most friendly and gracious people.
War Museum Weapon Demo, Siem Reap, Cambodia
Upon arriving in Siem Reap, I hired most excellent Tuk-tuk driver Vannda Srun to take me around the area. The first place we went was The War Museum, a collection of old weapons, tanks, and ammo from Khmer Rouge war days. A fitting first exposure to this land of genocide and unthinable atrocity, the experience well introduced the surreal reality of trying to understand Cambodia. Visitors commonly remark in wonder at the friendly, smiling grace of locals, finding that hard to reconcile with the country's poverty and war torn history. But these unique people, generations away from the horrible crimes, seem outwardly to effectively distance themselves from the emotional trauma, perhaps in self preservation. Or perhaps their county's gruesome past has simply assimilated into their perspective of normal, all they have ever known. I can't claim to comprehend their unthinkable past and it's effects on their current lives, but it does compel a surrealistic aspect to being in Cambodia. As Vannda showed me around the weapons that devastated their land, killed and maimed their relatives and friends, he bounced around as if it was his playground, climbing into tanks and presenting smiling poses for me and my camera. They are as frequently commented, a most friendly and gracious people.
Upon arriving in Siem Reap, I hired most excellent Tuk-tuk driver Vannda Srun to take me around the area. The first place we went was The War Museum, a collection of old weapons, tanks, and ammo from Khmer Rouge war days. A fitting first exposure to this land of genocide and unthinable atrocity, the experience well introduced the surreal reality of trying to understand Cambodia. Visitors commonly remark in wonder at the friendly, smiling grace of locals, finding that hard to reconcile with the country's poverty and war torn history. But these unique people, generations away from the horrible crimes, seem outwardly to effectively distance themselves from the emotional trauma, perhaps in self preservation. Or perhaps their county's gruesome past has simply assimilated into their perspective of normal, all they have ever known. I can't claim to comprehend their unthinkable past and it's effects on their current lives, but it does compel a surrealistic aspect to being in Cambodia. As Vannda showed me around the weapons that devastated their land, killed and maimed their relatives and friends, he bounced around as if it was his playground, climbing into tanks and presenting smiling poses for me and my camera. They are as frequently commented, a most friendly and gracious people.