I enjoy coming up with tabloid-esque headings for my inane ramblings. A guilty pleasure. We visited the impressive ancient ruins of Angkor Wat, the proud, talismanic, and iconic temples of the Cambodian people that can even be found on the national flag. Originally the burial sites of 12th century kings, then the tranquil domain of Mahayanan Buddhist monks, followed by target practice for the fiercely atheist Khmer Rouge, the huge site now serves as stomping ground for tourists like us, and a livelihood for hundreds of locals who peddle their mock-up carvings and coconut drinks for good price sir.
As we wandered through the mystical passages and the tourist souvenir gauntlet, we chanced on this pleasant gentleman [in photo] in a red plaid scarf, popularised by the Khmer Rouge. It was difficult to figure out whether this still popular fashion accessory pre-dated the Ultra-Communist movement and therefore is rooted in the Cambodian culture, or if it was one of those 'silver lining' remnants of the war. Answers on a post card to our genocide fashion memorabilia competition.
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