So today was our first real day in Cambodia, and it was
incredible. I have no idea how I’m going
to be able to write this post without going on forever, but I’ll give it a
go. First up, we headed down for the
hotel brekky, which was included with the room at around $30/night. The room is really nice, pretty basic, but
plenty of room and quiet, with good a/c.
Good news on the breakfast front too, I am definitely a Cambodian fan
when it comes to the crucial morning meal.
Fresh fruit, yoghurt, breads, French toast, bacon, sausages, fried
noodles, eggs or omelettes cooked to order.
It was the duck’s nuts.
 |
| View from outside our hotel |
So after a solid feed, we headed down to meet our guide for
the day, Mrs Davy (pronounced Dah-Vey) and our tuk-tuk driver Mr Paul. I discovered another thing I’m a massive fan
of, Tuk-Tuks! This is such an awesome
way to travel, you are just so in the thick of it, with trucks, cars and bikes
going everywhere around you. The view is
amazing and it’s a bit of excitement as well, there were a couple of times when
our driver headed off the main road to avoid traffic, that I swore we were
about to capsize, thankfully she stayed upright though, and we made it to all
our destinations in-tact. There was also
a very heavy police presence on most street corners, which was slightly unnerving, as they were all
heavily armed and suited up in riot gear, Davy was not sure why they were
around but I had heard on the news that protests in Thailand had escalated so
it was possible they were discouraging any similar actions here.
 |
| Armed police |
Our first stop was the killing fields in Choeung Ek, which
house several mass graves of victims from the Pol Pot regime as well as a large
memorial. The memorial that has been
constructed is beautiful from afar, but as you get closer the reality of the
site sinks in, as each of the 17 levels is filled with the bones of victims
recovered from the mass graves on the site.
To see so many skulls piled high, I don’t think it can sink in fully the
level of carnage this country has endured, but it certainly is a blunt image.
 |
| Memorial at Cheoung Ek |
While it’s hard to get a reliable figure, the UN estimates
that around 2-3 million Cambodians died under the Khmer Rouge from 1975-1979 (interesting
to note that the UN, backed by several western countries allowed the Khmer
Rouge to keep its seat with them until 1993).
We were very lucky to have our guide Davy share her personal tale, of
being dislodged from their family home in Phnom Penh, not allowed to take
anything other than what they could carry, and then her constant struggle for
survival until the country was liberated.
 |
| Mass Graves that have been dug up |
Wandering around the mass graves that still hold countless victims’
bodies, it was a little unnerving when Davy pointed down to the ground, at a bone
protruding just above the surface of the dirt.
There were several more bones that we saw semi-buried as we wandered
around, and apparently it is a regular occurrence after heavy rain for bones
and clothing items of victims to be uncovered.
What was also surprising is the level of access people have to this
 |
| Victims' skulls on display |
material, the skulls are openly displayed and bones including skulls, teeth,
etc. have been piled on top of other displays.
Not something you would see in a western museum, however the Cambodians still
hold a great respect for the victims, and efforts are still being made as funds
allow, exhuming and restoring the bones to a peaceful resting place.
Our next stop was at
the S21 Prison, which was formerly a high school, but was converted by the
Khmer Rouge to house enemies of the movement, usually meaning any citizens that
had educations, doctors, lawyers, teachers etc.
They also employed heavy torture here, so many victims were simply
 |
| The kids are always excited to see us and wave |
people named as traitors by other citizens undergoing torture and trying to end
their suffering. It was incredible the
way they had converted a high school to a place of such horror, with barbed
wire and razor wire strung up all around, and cells built out of brick and
mortar, or timber inside classrooms.
What was more upsetting though was the photos lining wall after
wall of the victims of S21. The Khmer
Rouge thoroughly documented all their prisoners before execution, including
photographs and full biographies. It was
both eerie and heart breaking to see the pictures of these people staring out
at you, knowing that they likely knew their fate. Young, Old, Men, Women, the looks varied from
defiant and angry, to lonely and terrified.
But overall it was just so sad knowing what incredible atrocities people
are capable of, especially considering this was all perpetrated by their own
countrymen.
 |
| The cells constructed at S21 - a former high school |
We spent a good few hours at the museum, and were able to
read the “confessions” of many of the prisoners there, all most likely produced
under torture. They read like complete
propaganda, professing the sorrow these prisoners had for their supposed crimes,
and the greatness of the Khmer Rouge regime.
It was interesting to also read the false confession of Australian
victim David Scott, and also saddening to read that his family in Australia are
still searching for answers from the Australian government as to why he and his
travel companions plight was ignored, while Malcolm Fraser was seeking “diplomatic
relations” with Pol Pot and speaking on his behalf to the UN.
 |
| Child victims of the Khmer Rouge |
Suffice to say it was a very powerful visit, and we were feeling
a little exhausted after this, so a lunch break was taken at a restaurant our
guide recommended. We had an amazing meal,
with Giss having Stir Fry Chicken with cashews, and I tried a traditional dish
of Pra Hok Ktis, which is pork mince cooked with peanuts and coconut milk. Our guide had a traditional sour soup with
fish which she kindly allowed us to try, it was all amazing. One of the nicest meals I have had anywhere I
have to say.
So after that we headed to the royal palace, which is and
incredible series of buildings including the residence of the King of
Cambodia.
 |
| Lunch |
Before Pol Pot (it was
interesting that Davy described most events as “before Pol Pot” or “after Pol
Pot” as the period had such a devastating impact on the country) the King was
very powerful and greatly loved and respected by the people, however afterwards
(the king fled to Vietnam for a long time) the government refused to return any
power to the royalty, and so now it is purely symbolic. The royal palace is incredible, it’s grand and
ornate, with several huge buildings and stupa’s, but somehow it all just seemed
almost disgusting, that so much money could be spent on such grandeur while so
many people lived in complete poverty.
Anyway it was very beautiful, and the history of the kings was
fascinating, so it was well worth the visit.
 |
| Us at the Royal Palace |
We visited a couple of other places before heading back to the
hotel, but one of the real highlights happened outside a cultural centre, where
there was traditional dancing. We just
happened to randomly drive past, and our driver pulled over so we could watch
the dancing. Then they started inviting
people up from the crowd, and one of them headed straight for us and dragged
Giss up onto the stage, so there she was in the middle of a traditional
Cambodian dance! It was great to watch and they were so excited to have her
there. While I was standing in the crowd,
a young Cambodian guy (around 20 if I had to guess) came up to me and struck up
a conversation, we chatted for a while and he asked me where I was from. He was
so excited when I told him Australia, as he said I was the first Australian he
has ever met, and he would never forget meeting me! He was just such a lovely guy, and we swapped
email addresses as he said he would love to correspond with a foreigner. I think for me this really summed up Cambodia
so far.
 |
| Another building at the Royal Palace |
 |
| Our local dancing star |
We’ve only been here a day, but the people of Cambodia have
stood out so much as the real highlight of this country. It is a country that has seen incredible
civil war, genocide under a brutal dictator, and now suffers under an
incredibly corrupt government (rated 160 out of 175 on the corruption
perception index). There is minimal
infrastructure, poor healthcare, widespread poverty and the average worker earns
$1 - $2 US per day. And yet they are
such a lovely and welcoming people as well, and all we have been met with is
smiles and laughter. The children are
especially lovely, and are always excited to wave and yell “hello” when we go
past. Even the 6 year olds who wander
the street at night selling nick-nacks are bright and bubbly, with a huge smile
ready to recite their ABC’s or just to mimic your conversation to someone else
if you try to ignore them.
Today we are off to see the Oudong Mountain, and a silver/copper smith village.
No comments:
Post a Comment