Flew over from Hanoi for a quick trip to Siem Reap to meet up with an old friend. This gave me some hope that if Cambodia could come this far since I worked here that there is hope for everywhere ravaged by war. I spent a great deal of time in Cambodia during the war and in 89 and 90 and I saw nothing to give me reason to believe that anything would ever change ... so those long rows of five star hotels, the smiling people, the resturants full of tourists was a surprise, and nice to see. I had forgotten just how often the people smile here and how welcome they make you feel. It was a fast trip but I spent the entire time thinking perhaps someday the world will get better, more peaceful and I might be sitting in an internet cafe in Falluja someday enjoying the breeze and watching people walk by. Andrew and I once went by road from Phnom Penh to Battambang, no idea why except it was there and ran into a fight on the road which resulted in a few extra nights while the fighting went on. Now... these are tourist stops. There is hope!
