Homeless people in Cambodia

I hate it. There's no social security for them so it's really heartwrenching to see a guy scooting past you with no legs on a hand powered wheelchair (what I mean is they pedal it like a bike with their hands) which was probably blown off by a landmine or cut off by the Khmer Rouge. So since they are missing the limb they can't work and are forced to beg on the streets. I think this enables a feeling of helplessness in them. I want to help them you know? But I can't give away money to everybody, and I don't like the idea of encouraging their helplessness. So I do my best to talk with them, and if I have it, offer them some food or whatever, but there's so many people out here like that and I don't like encouraging this "white guy gives away the bank" ideology that's floating around here. It's hard. Soooo I've been donating some money along my travels to temples and monks. They normally have things in place where people can sleep and eat for at least one meal for free sooo I figured that's the best way to do it so that way I'm not supporting some Yaba (crystal meth) habit or something. I've come across soooo many beggars today it's been really hard not to just bust out crying. I feel like empowering them is the best way to do something. Give them hope that they can succeed, hope that they can do something better, so I talk with them, and treat them like people and not ignore them. Then maybe they can feel better about themselves, motivate themselves, etc. I feel like treating them like real people is the best I can do right now, and maybe when I finish college I can come back with a job that helps encourage them. I dunno, wishful thinking maybe.
That being said. I had the plan this Christmas to buy some toys and hand it out to the poor kids....that plan failed when I realized how many children are destitute...I'd be broke and have a pretty big line left. But they seem happy enough without it so I feel the temples was a better choice.
That being said, I visited the famous Angkor Wat today. It was overcrowded, full of crazed vendors, and a-hole tourists (which I hope I'm not one of"), and crazy, 11th century temples dedicated to various Hindu gods. Angkor used to be a thriving metropolis of over 1 million people in what used to be a very powerful empire. From what I gathered, like most other empires, it collapsed from within before being invaded and sacked by many other rival armies including the Siamese and the Cham.
I started my tour around the Huuuuuuuuge area at Angkor Wat and then circled to Angkor Thom, a large walled city, and lastly to Ta Promh (sp) where one of the Tomb Raider movies was filmed. I saw a lot of smaller, more remote temples as well that I had no idea what they were since I was without guide, and guidebook thanks to my handy dandy bicycle.
Angkor Wat was impressive, huge, but it was very crowded and the moment I exited I was swarmed by maybe twenty ladies trying to sell their wears. I earned the nickname "superman" thanks to my red and black spandex cycling outfit, which unfortunetaly caught a lot of negative attention from the other tourists. They felt it necessary to insult me every chance they got about what I was wearing, I just had to do my best to save face since I feel it's important in this country.
Next was Angkor Thom. It was nice, I found some old trails and just started riding. I got pretty deep in the jungle where I saw some strange squirrel like animals, wild parrots, and a host of lizards, toads, and bugs....oh were there bugs. Angkor Thom was kinda sparce with only the wall of the city remaining and a few large reservoirs of water.
Around that time I was getting hungry and stopped in at a place for lunch. I had to haggle with the shopowner but I got a free soda and a two dollar discount on my lunch (3 bucks for curry/rice/ and a coke!). There I met some pretty cool Tuk Tuk drivers. It was interesting hearing their story. One guy was absolutely certain he would live in the US after he finished school, I was impressed with how motivated he was and I hope he makes it.
The next 3 hours were spent riding around, trekking my way into the Bayon (several square kilometre reservoir the Angkorian people used as a water supply), and generally just visiting other temples and haggling with vendors about acquiring water etc. They really like ripping us whities off but it's fun talking with them since I'm on a bike they seem to take more interest in me and I generally get a better deal than the next guy if I talk with them for a bit.
The last place I wanted to visit was the famed "Tomb Raider Temple", Ta Promh.
Once there I unfortunately found it quite crowded. I think if I would have done this tour in reverse I would have beaten the crowds....damn. anyways this temple was featured in a National Geographic article I read and seeing the photos really made me want to go there. There was one spot in particular where the roots of a tree surround this one entrance into a part of the temple. the whole temple was surrounded by jungle, consumed if you will. I spent some time walking around but my adrenaline started to rise and so I couldn't concentrate. I had to find that opening, I had to be like the monk on the cover of Nat. Geo. I'm sure I was quite a site since I was frantically walking around in my cycling outfit, gloves, helmet and all.
Finally, on my third time around the temple I spotted a tree, and it looked like it could possibly be the one, but how to get there? I began climbing into small crevaces, jumping across fallen stones, entering "Do Not Enter" areas to get there. Eventually I find a small walkway and made my way around the corner and there it was.......it was soo beautiful and so awesome it gave me shivers. It was however quite popular and surrounded by tourists but I didn't care. My camera battery about dead (I had been saving it for this moment) I had a man take a picture for me. First time, the camera died outright.....Second time, *snap* and I had my photo. about three pictures later my camera died for good.
Feeling Successful I made my way around the temple one more time taking in the sights, sounds, and smells (which was a quite a nice smell minus my stinky self).
The ride back into town was fun too. I raced motorbikes, weaved my way through rush hour traffic and dodged trucks, cars, and vans. All in all it was a good day. I even had ice cream for dessert!
Tomorrow I make my way back into Bangkok by bus (10 hours.....) and will head back to the hotel I started in. There I will figure out what to do with my bicycle and get the rest of my Christmas gifts for folk and maybe see a few more sights before heading off to part 3 of my adventure, Japan.
To be honest I really don't want to leave here. I want to find a job as an english teacher or something and just live my life here a while. Whatever the case I'll be back. I may have to finish school but I'll be back, and I will live here. I love this culture, and I've met so many interesting people it's been amazing and I can't wait to come back here again.