Killing in the name of

If the title didn't give it away already, Monday was spent on a tuktuk tour to the Killing Fields at Choeung Ek, followed by the equally sobering Tuol Sleng (S21) genocide centre.

Ty, my tuktuk driver for the day, took me on an interesting route to the Killing Fields. We went off the beaten course, in amongst where the rural people live amongst bumpy, sinkhole ridden roads. From what I can tell on the speed limit signs, the speed limit is about 25km/hr in Phnom Penh. The Killing Fields are 17km, which may not seem like much to you and I, but it is a good 40 minutes to get out there.

I'm not sure if I can say too much about the experience at both Choeung Ek and Tuol Seng, other than upload photos. I did have a sense of eerie foreboding the entire time, plus would involuntarily hold my breath, afraid to breathe in the spirits of those long gone.

For anyone going to the Killing Fields, please do the audio tour and go in the onsite museum. Both share poignant and horrific stories of survivors, leaving you shaking  yourhead at how horrid mankind is.

At Tuol Seng, I bumped into Hannah again so we went through Buildings A - D together. I think we were both glad to have been together. She told me she had a sensation of a hand touching her shoulder at the Magic Tree in Choeung Eck, which made her uneasy.

I was meant to go to the Russian markets afterwards, but both were so depressing that I called it a day at 4:00pm. The rain had also rolled in, so I think Ty was also glad to have a break.

9:00am
Journey to the Killing Fields, Choeung Ek

The West have gotten to Cambodia...

Gouge hole, not a pothole

Scaffolding at its best

9:45am
The Killing Fields, Choeung Ek

Station 1 at the Killing Fields

Memorial Stupa with 17 levels of remembrance

Since bullets were expensive, the Khmer Rouge used everyday items to kill their prisoners

The jagged edges of this palm tree were used to slice throats

Beyond these rice paddies and canals lay buried 40+ more mass graves. Some are under water.

Choeung Ek was originally a Chinese cemetery, which made it a convenient place for mass murders

Mothers and babies were torn apart next to this tree. Babies were held by the legs and smashed against the tree in front of their mother. Their mothers would later join them in the pit. 100 naked mothers and babies were found in this pit.

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Must have a coconut falling problem...

1:00pm
Journey to Tuol Sent (S-21) Genocide Centre

Khmer beer brewery

1:40pm
Tuol Seng (S-21) Genocide Centre

 Previously a school, the Khmer Rouge converted this place into a prison and torture monstrosity. Once (usually fake) confessions were extracted from the prisoners, the fearful prisoner was blindfolded and sent on a truck to Choeung Ek for their final punishment.

When the Khmer lost, the opposing forces found 7 survivors inside Tuol Seng. 14 had died just before the Khmer were defeated; there are 14 white graves on Tool Seng to remember them.

3:10pm Rain in PP

TOILET NOTE: I vowed to drink more water today as the results last night reflected an amber ale, rather than a healthy, functioning body. There was the option of both squat and W.C toilets at the Killing Fields. The W.C was used quite happily by myself, plus I finally used the free sample of Kleenex Wet toilet paper. The squat toilet continues to win. Squat = 2, Ngan = 0.