before we left Siem Reap, we thought we'd check out
the lovely displays of scarves, dresses etc that we'd
seen displayed at the shop in the hotel lobby. Just
looking of course!
We had a great lesson from Omar of Kashmir, on
how to tell the real stuff from the faux. The wedding ring
trick is a fallacy. The best way is to rub the silk between
the hands. As silk is a natural fibre, it will produce warmth.
It also has a lustre to it that other fabrics don't and if
draped over the shoulders, it will not slide all over the
place. The gold standard is to apply a match to the fabric,
real silk won't burn, just singe. Not a recommended test!
Here's Omar with an uber- expensive handwoven silk scarf from
Cambodia. We also got a quick lesson in the differences between
Kashmiri, Persian and Afghan carpets which were on sale.
A hand embroidered silk wall hanging
Lots of silk scarves, dresses and mats. "My" scarf is on the second
shelf!
And the purple bag gave me an idea for a project for when I get
back home! Fabricland here I come!
The other place I wanted to visit was here:
The International Hospital located right next to our hotel.
I just wanted to see how Cambodian Heath care was delivered.
At the entrance to the hospital another shrine:
To the gods of good fortune and prosperity. This place
must have been doing very well!
We asked at reception if we could have a quick look around.
Within minutes, the Marketing Manager arrived to escort us on
a hospital tour and we were handed large folders with the
specials of the month!
The place was spotless but eerily quiet.
All mod cons, X-ray and even a CT scanner.........
Lab facilities.......
and even a Haemodialysis Unit:
but we saw only a total of four patients in the whole place!
And herein lies the difference between Cambodian health care
and the NHS in Britain and Medicare in Canada.
If you don't have the money, you're S.O.U.L. and,in fact, you're
left to die.
We heard numerous stories from different people that we met,
about sick people lying in hospital with no care being given
until a relative showed up who had money to pay the bill.
Then the health care team swung into action. No family,
no $$ and no health care........
This hospital was for tourists, those with health insurance or
those with $$.
In the reception area this was reinforced:
One could buy Gold, Silver or Junior insurance plans ( for
children). And here were also listed the special deals for the month!
This leaflet was in our folder: a two- for-one prenup special!
I guess the pelvic ultrasound is to check if the hips are
sturdy enough for childbearing!
As one who strongly believes in socialist medicine and health
services to be freely available to all, I found all of this a bit
distasteful. The Cambodian people are one of the poorest
In Indo-China, mortality and morbidity is extremely high.
On the streets we saw people and children begging and
many amputees - victims of land mines. The people themselves,
very, very gracious but many are starving and look extremely
emaciated.
The story of Cambodia is extremely tragic. They have been
invaded over the centuries, by the Chams from Vietnam
and then by Thailand. In the 19th century, French
missionaries came to Cambodia and the people turned
to France to protect them from Thailand and Vietnam,
All was well for a while and then the Japanese invaded
during World War II. After the war they became an
independent country. During the late 60's the Communists
rose to power and the country was bombed by
Americans in1975 to stop the spread of communism.
In 1975 a horrific and tragic era began under the Khmer
Rouge .(Communist Party) under the dictatorship of Pol
Pot. During his rule 2 to 3 million Cambodians were killed.
He was a total freaking nutcase. He decided Cambodia would
become completely agrarian and moved everyone from the
cities to the country, regardless of age, health etc. He set
ridiculous quotas that were impossible to meet.
People died of exhaustion and malnutrition. No
private property was allowed, religion was banned and
Buddhists were executed. Intellectuals were murdered,
foreign languages were not permitted and people
who wore glasses were executed. Vietnam invaded
the country and Pol Pot escaped. Land mines are
still scattered all over the country as remnants of
the war and evidenced by high numbers of disabled
people.
Today Cambodia has a king as a constitutional
monarch, and a Prime Minister who served under
the dreaded Kmer Rouge regime- need I say more?
The movie " The Killing Fields " tells some of the story
of these people.
Today Cambodia remains extremely poor, the power
and the wealth concentrated in the 1% of the population.
The main industry is textiles and tourism but, in addition, due
to a weak and ineffectual government, illegal activities
such as the child sex trade operates.
I have never seen such poverty and malnutrition in
my life.
The people of Cambodia are extremely gracious. Sampeah
is the Cambodian way to greet. Everywhere we went, we were
greeted in this manner:
It is an important part of the Khmer culture to show respect and
politeness but one can also see the sadness and suffering in their eyes.
We were glad that, later in the day, we headed here:
and landed in Da Nang, Vietnam and heading for Hoi An!
Talk soon
Zoe
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