Cambodia

I first visited Cambodia in December and fell madly, passionately, obsessively in love with it. It just absolutely gripped my heart and has yet to let go. It's like being in high school again and having an agonizing and unrequited crush: you think about that person all the time, stare at his picture, and even dream up scenarios of happily ever after. However, when you emerge from your fantasy world you are holding your own hands and practicing your "I love you, too" expression by looking at your own eyes in the mirror. Y'know, not that I ever did any of that stuff, I'm just saying....

Anyway....Cambodia feels almost like a lover who is just beyond my grasp. I stare at pictures from my trip there, admire the beautiful Khmer Buddha that I purchased there, and read books about its tragic and bloody past. And yet, there's just no way to really hold and grasp onto the energy there. No way to really make it mine. No way to really possess it because it is huge and heavy and complex. And the people there are lovely and beautiful and hopeful and broken. I just can't get enough of this place.

I am headed back there in less than a week. Last time my trip was blurry with a full agenda of sights and tuk tuk rides and items to be checked off of my "to see" list. This time I plan on slowing down, wandering the streets, discovering Phnom Penh's delicious bistros, weaving my way through museums, and even setting aside time for a massage at an incredible spa. My pace will be languid--allowing for moments of stopping and staring at the Tonle Sap River as it eases past this effulgent treasure of a city.

I can't wait.

I'm eventually going to figure out how these new-fangled contraptions like Flickr and Photobucket work. For now, however, I'll post some of my favorite pictures here. My Facebook friends can find the rest on my profile page!