Phnom Penh Day 167 (3rd Nov)
Trip Start
May 20, 2009
1
144
191
Trip End
Dec 22, 2009
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
On the tuk-tuk journey I chatted with the boys to find out their story, where they had been and there next destination after Phnom Penh. After 30 minutes we arrived at the Choeng-Euk Genocide centre; aka the killing fields. We decided to hire a guide to educate us about the history behind this place, beyond what we know mainly from the film and the lonely planet. The guide was somber and spoke gently about the atrocities that went on in the killing fields, the brutality of the Khymer Rouge regime was shocking and made me feel numb as I saw the tower of the skulls of the victims
The Killing Fields
. Every part of the killing fields seemed to possess an even graver story then the last, the guide showing sorrow in his eyes. I thought through years of watching war films and entertainment dulling my feelings of shock and horror that I would not be that affected by the killing fields, until we saw the killing tree. Upon this tree read the sign explaining how babies were grabbed by their legs as the callous and evil Khmer Rouge shoulders smashed their bodies against the tree until they were dead. Equally shocking were the mass graves where people were buried, with woman and children being stripped naked (with some being raped), executed and then dumped into the grave. As we toured around I found it slightly haunting how so much evil went on in these beautiful tranquil fields, now a quiet resting place for those poor people, if you didn't know about the killing fields it just seems like a beautiful countryside setting, with lush grass and goats grazing. Other moments that stunned me were the clothes, bones and even teeth of the victim laying on the path, having been washed up from the soil since the recent rain. When we exited the place I felt incredibly humbled, extremely sad and anger at the waste of human life. The Cambodians are beautiful and very friendly people, resilient and proud of their country, I feel great affection and admiration for them, everyone beams with constant smiles on their faces and very accommodating
Skull memorial
.After the Tuk-tuk ride we arrived at S21 prison, where Cambodian prisoners under the Pol Pot regime were sent for brutal torture and execution or as a holding point before shipping them off to the killing fields. Larger rooms in building A contained rusted beds and gun shell containers and black and white images upon the walls of prisoners and their bloody and lifeless state after their sorry end. There are several separate buildings; A to D. The other buildings contained similar rooms for holding people, but single cells rather than larger, more crowded rooms, some of the cells don't even have windows! Despite these empty rooms containing a graphic and horrific history I cannot envisage it as they are just empty rooms now, however I progressed into the rooms filled with mug-shots of the victims presumably shortly before their demise. The pictures scream out to me, tugging at my heart, the look of fear and hopelessness in their eyes is piercing and moving, the desperation to live is clear in their eyes. Young children, old woman, mothers all staring at you in these photos, as a reminder to us not to forget. With the emotions of sadness and somberness in my mind, the next room makes me feel even more upset and stunned at the images I am viewing. On the walls are paintings of the inhumane methods of torture by the Khmer Rouge soldiers and in the room are the weapons used to end the lives of thousands
Skull memorial
. I stared at the paintings for several minutes I am gripped by them and then looking at those weapons find it hard for me to imagine the pain they felt when my life has been full of joy and happiness.Eventually we leave S21 and board our tuk-tuk just as it begins to rain. We all seemed to exhale heavily processing what we had just seen, I am glad to have witnessed and experienced an important part of the history of Cambodia, even though it was sad it is something that should never be forgotten.
Now the weather seemed to reflect the somber atmosphere lingering over S21 and the heavens opened with continuous rain filling the streets of Phnom Penh. We were so glad to be in the tuk-tuk...dry! Our relieve didn't last long though as because of the boat festival many high authorities arrived in the city meaning that roads were blocked off and we were going to have to walk home! The rain was ridiculously, we ran through Phnom Penh with the rest of the crowds of people, trying to keep dry but within no time at all we were drenched through. I laughed out loud at our predicament as we waded through the flooded streets and deep puddles, experiencing the heaviest rain I have seen.
Once we got back to Okay guesthouse Steve and me got dressed, fed ourselves and went out to explore Phnom Penh at night with Airian and Adrian. We walked past large groups of people and followed a massive queue of people, seeing where everyone was going. Eventually we ended up in the Lounge bar, a cool club with plenty of Cambodians on the dance floor, dancing to cheesy tunes and the usual western fare. We all partied the night away with the Cambodians (and all the cute girls) I went with a girl I met to another club with her friend and her partner after the club closed at 4am. I hanged out with them in another bar until 6am just as the sun started to rise! What a bloody crazy day!
