My mom doesn't understand why I like to go to poor places. It's true that Cambodia is not as developed...but there are reasons; the floods, the landmines, the genocide. You cannot always see, but it's still affecting the country today. I love Cambodia because I love the locals. I love to see how they are slowly rebuilding their lives and country. Sometimes, beauty is in the most abstract form...and that, I think, separates people who like to travel to Europe and those who like South East Asia.
After Siem Reap, I took a bus to Battambang, which is much more calm and less touristic. There isn't much to do there. I just went around the countryside, and watched some Philippines singers by the river.
...and look, the woman is working so hard and the men is just watching, haha.
...and it looks like the man is working too.
I went to see a circus show in Battambang, and it was the best thing I've seen in a while, not because of their talent, but because of their aspirations and the positive energy they reflected. They are raising money so that two of them can continue to train in Montreal with Cirque du Soleil for one more year. I think it was much more worth seeing than a professional show.