Naturally Angkor Wat, the largest religious structure in the world, was the high point of my visit to Cambodia recently. But there's more to this little country than the ruins of Angkor in the north west upon which French naturalist Henre Mouhat stumbled, half-submerged in a jungle in the mid-19th century.
Although some corners of Cambodia are untouched by the excesses of mass tourism, it's quite clear this country (pop. 16 million) is being influenced by neighbouring Thailand. Massage parlours, Western-style bars and discos have mushroomed in every little town and taxi drivers are quick to offer call-girls and even child prostitutes. Heroin, hashish and marijuana mostly home-grown, are rampant and easily available. Swarms of sex tourists drift around languidly and stay on for months leading lotus-eating lives.
Having ensconced myself in a cozy homestay in Siem Reap the base point for visitors to the Angkor National Park - for a paltry US$7 (582 per night), I was tempted to stay on for a few days after completing the mandatory temple circuit. Siem Reap is calm and unhurried, and its few sights are all accessible on foot.
One of the highlights is the sprawling Crocodile farm, where these long-snouted, saber-toothed reptiles laze in the tropical sun, piled on top of each other like bizarre trapeze artists, sniping inter se often leaving gaping, bloody wounds of which they are supremely unmindful. Yet this farm isn't a centre for the protection of this endangered species.
Bu hikaye ParentsWorld India dergisinin December 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye ParentsWorld India dergisinin December 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
How To Safely Introduce Children To Bad News & Current Affairs
While much attention is drawn to the detrimental impact of violent video games on children’s developing brains, there has been relatively little discussion regarding the negative effects of news and current affairs to which children are exposed.
Creative PARENTING Help your child make friends easily
Your child may be a great chatterbox at home, but may well be hesitant and awkward in a new school, neighbourhood or city.
Helping with homework
Homework hour can be demanding with one child. And more demanding if you have children.
Sweet smell of success in FLORICULTURE
With the domestic demand for flowers growing at 25 percent annually and offshore demand rising as fast, there’s a great need for qualified individuals in this high potential agri-industry
SAFEGUARDING SUMMER: 5 VITAL CHILD HEALTH CONCERNS AND HOW TO COMBAT THEM
Summer, with its sunny days and outdoor adventures, beckons children to play and explore.
Nutritious VEGETARIAN TREATS
Madhulika vatsal, a Mumbai-based chef and founder of the popular facebook page ‘food connection’, shares three nutritious vegetarian recipes which children will love
Teen steps: NAVIGATING CAREER OPTIONS
A practical ten-point guide to enable secondary school leavers to navigate the process of making informed career choices
My son is struggling academically.HELP!
Here are some suggestions to support your son’s learning and academic difficulties:
Embrace cyclic LIVING
The ancient Indian science of Ayurveda says that human lifestyles should be in tune with the climatic seasons to ensure physical and mental well being.
Creating conducive home study ENVIRONMENT
With the new academic year all set to begin this month, PW presents a comprehensive child development guide devised by experts to enable parents to better prepare children to achieve their academic and extracurricular goals of the next year