My 7 Links - A Quick Look at the Archives

Summit morning on Mt Kinabalu

I was recently (or months ago, but who's counting) nominated by Annie of Wayward Traveler and Dave of What's Dave Doing to take part in the "My 7 Links" project.  The brainchild of the fine folks @ Tripbase, it's a neat way to look back at what is coming close to two years here at Skinny Backpacker.

1. My Most Beautiful Post:  Underworld Live Redux

 

I'll be honest, I don't know what my most beautiful post is.  Maybe you can pick for me instead.  These days, I'm listening to a lot of Underworld, and I really like this photo I shot so let's go with that.

2. My Most Popular Post: Unreal Antarctica

My first collection of photos from the least inhabited continent on the planet, Unreal Antartica.  Who knew that pictures of ice, snow, and penguins pooing would be so popular?

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My Date with an AK-47

This article is part of a new series called "The Travelers Mind" dealing with the psychology of travel with the goal of creating an ongoing discussion.  If you have any suggestions for future posts please feel free to leave a comment below.

I have a strong aversion to guns.  I recall a time a few years ago when I was over at a friend's home geek-ing out on film and home theatre tech, when he brought out a handgun he takes to the shooting range.  I didn't want to be around it at all, not even in the same room.  When I did pick it up, I was surprised by the weight.  Perhaps I was thinking it should be more like the weight of the plastic, water-shooting varieties that I was used to as a child.  Any way you shake it though, I didn't want anything to do with it or to be anywhere around it. 

I've often attributed this anti-gun feeling to my upbringing in Canada, and our reputation as I was growing up as a country who was a only a peace keeping nation.  My experience with war was from what I experienced through books, film, news and anecdotes only.

My time in Vietnam and Cambodia marked the first time that I was faced first hand with war and what it leaves behind in it's path.  In some areas, it's not unusual to pass by loaded rocket launchers and automatic weapons just lying around while the soldiers sit back, chat and smoke like it's no big deal.

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Photo of the Day - Tonle Sap From Above

Every year the Mekong River backs up and increases the size of Tonle Sap, the largest lake in Southeast Asia, from 2700 to 16000 square km.  A prime breeding ground for fish, Tonle Sap is responsible for 75% of Cambodia's inland fish catch, and 60% of it's protein intake.  Unfortunately, pollution (you can see in green), and planned dams along the Mekong threaten the lake, and the people who depend on it.

I was fortunate enough to travel along the shores of the lake, take a boat onto the lake, and also fly over in an ultralight aircraft to see it from all angles.  This photo was taken from high above one of the floating villages.  

Photo of the Day - Death Bed

It was once a high school, but when the Khmer Rouge took power in Cambodia, it became the infamous S-21 prison.  This metal frame bed and the blanket on top are all that remain in this room used between 1975 and 1979 to interrogate, torture, and kill.  It is thought that 17000 people came through this prison, though the number could be as high as 20000.  There are only 12 known survivors.

The S-21 prison has been turned into the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

Today, more than 30 years later, the first of five surviving senior officials of the Khmer Rouge was convicted by a UN-Backed Cambodian war crimes tribunal.  S-21 prison chief 'Duch' (now 67 years old) was sentenced to 35 years in prison, though will likely serve much less.

Chao Ponhea Yat High School