The Heavy Side of Cambodia.

Once I crossed in PP from HCMC, I checked into my pre-booked guesthouse by the river. It was PERFECT! When I say a guesthouse is perfect, it just means that it has a hot shower.

So, once settled into my guesthouse, I had the day to go exploring while I waited for my travel buddies to arrive; Mummy from Belgium was meeting me with her Colombian husband, Frog.

I headed to the market to exchange some USD to Cambodia Riel, and to see what the market had to offer. Of course, I shopped...but just a bag and a shirt was what I walked away with. After walking around PP for the afternoon, I ended my day down at the river, eating dinner and having an ice cold draft beer. Then I headed back to the guesthouse to wait for the couple, but fell asleep before they got in...at 3AM!!! AHH!!!

They got in, and we all went to sleep till morning. Once awake, we did the "hello hugs" and etc. Then it was time to start it up! We shotgunned a morning beer (well, it IS our holiday!), did some T.E.N. pushups, and wandered to the market. We are some local noodle soups/rice dishes, and then it was time to do the heavy stuff....Killing Fields and the Genocide Museum.

**A little background: in the 1970's - 1980's, a man named Pol Pot came to power and led Cambodia under his dictatorship. He led the Khmer Rouge in a mass genocide, killing an estimated 1.7 million Cambodians. The Killing Fields is the most famous site for the graves from the genocide.

Once at the Killing Fields, we got Audio Guides to tell the story of life at the fields. I'll tell the tour in pictures...it isn't pretty.

The Killing Fields Stupa

Human Skulls inside the Stupa - victims from the Khmer Rouge

The Khmer Rouge used the sharp edges of the Palm Trees the slit throats

One of the mass graves....400 bodies in this one

Hard to see, but pieces of clothing from victims are still coming up from the ground

You can still see human bones as well

This tree was used to kill babies. Sickening.

The "Magic Tree" - the Khmer Rouge played music from speakers hanging from this tree to drown out the victim's screams.

In case we weren't repulsed enough from the Killing Fields, it was time to head to the Genocide Museum (S-21). This was a school that the Khmer Rouge had taken control over and turned into a prison. Here are some pictures from S-21. Again, not pretty.

The rules for the prisoners

Building A

The Gallows...they would hang them by their hands until they passed out, dunk them in water to wake them up, then hang them up again....

Building C

The barbed wire so the prisoners can't jump out of the building

2 cells...you can tell they are small because they both fit in my viewfinder on my camera.

Graves of the last 14 victims.

After seeing this, you may ask the same question that I was asked "Why do you want to see this on your holiday?" Well, Yes, it IS my holiday - but I am in a history-filled foreign country. Of course I want to enjoy the beach, the beauty, and the nightlife, but I also am curious about the people. I don't like being viewed as an ignorant tourist. I want to know about the people who are from the land I am choosing to spend my time in. I was never big into history in school, but being abroad has MADE me interested. Now when I go to foreign countries I want to see the good, along with the bad. I know many people may not choose this route - and will beach their way through the country, and that is fine with me. However, for me the country means more to me if I understand the struggles it went through to get to a place that is welcoming to tourists. Plus - how many of you ACTUALLY knew about this genocide that happened in such recent times? Not many, I'm sure.

Ah Gun,
Apes