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Phnom Penh 

05.02-06.02

I asked my great uncle about the relationship between Vietnam and Cambodia and he told me they have an ambiguous one that dates back to a bitter past. This was the feeling I had by talking with local guides but I didn’t dare express it. Although Vietnam may have defeated the Khmer Rouge when it entered Cambodia in 1979, many Khmer still view the Vietnamese march on Phnom Penh as an invasion, not a liberation. This contentious relationship started long before the rise of communism in both countries with the unclear common land and maritime borders that have been source of tensions since the Vietnamese southward territorial expansion started in the 16th century.

I am travelling alone again, just for a few hours in Phnom Penh before going back to Paris, while my parents went back to Hô Chi Minh City for last purchases and goodbyes. I wanted to see the Mekong River for one last time. That river soothes me. It's a mix of calm and bustle, with fishermen's boats skimming past ferries carrying hundreds of scooters. I also believe it's representative of the current and past conflicts that punctuate the region. The river flows through six countries: each of them seeks to defend its own interests, but they must also unite to protect themselves from outside aggressors.

I took a ferry boat to cross the river and watch the sunset over it, and it was the best way to round off my trip in style. The next day, I am flying back to Paris to celebrate Tết (the Vietnamese New Year) with family in France. Chúc mừng năm mới !