Phnom Penh - not a particularly pleasant read

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Dear All,

I know its only been a couple of days since my last update but after today I have to write some of it down as this has been one of my best (and worst) days & its my last full day in Cambodia.

It started whilst eating breakfast watching the world go by. I now know what 'people watching' really means, I could sit all day here and just watch. There is everything imaginable on the roads. One bike had 6 large sacks on the back (about the size of cement bags) and on top was his passenger - about 6ft up! Where there is a will, there is a way. There are many monks in their orange robes just walking along the river. There are women walking along carrying huge trays of food on their heads. Everything.

I hired a moto/driver for the day & my first mistake was wearing cream trousers - within 10 minutes I was covered in a nice layer of red dust, it was even in my ears. I must have breathed in the whole city's exhaust fumes as tonight I'm having a little trouble breathing. My driver very kindly offered me his baseball cap to wear for the day (he donned a crash helmet!)

The ride was terrific though, I saw things I would have missed otherwise. Like the little boy pulling his dog along the road (a piece of string tied to a brick). Three little boys having a sword fight with sticks in the building sand (their mothers were busy working at the construction side - obviously no babysitters required out here, just bring them to work)

My first stop was the Killing Fields. Umbelievable. I won't go into too much detail as its really far worse than anyone could imagine. But it needs to be said. There were very few visitors there & the guide told us a lot of what happened as he took us round each mass grave. He described - in detail - how the genocide came about, how the men, women and children were killed and what life was like at the time. What really brought it home for me is he's the same age as myself.

When he was just 6 he had to stand in a field each day to be a scarecrow to stop the birds eating the crops for the soldiers. All he had to eat were any insects he could find, and eat them raw. Just 6 years old, to be living amongst all that death on a daily basis really is horrific. There was one mass grave holding just women & babies, a tree stood next to it. This tree was used to kill the babies before throwing them in a pit, either by throwing them against it or by hanging. Some of the other stories were just as bad but I will spare you.

This one really gets to me - for the soldiers questioned afterwards they were not in the least bit ashamed of what they had done, it was all 'just fun'. Today they are living normal lives in/around Phnom Phen.

My next stop was the prison (formerly a school). Here it showed the classrooms made into cells, torture chambers etc. Gruesome pictures were shown together with hundreds of pictures of the victims. A lot of cannibalism went on too.

Many of the soldiers were aged between 10 - 16yrs old, once they reached 17 the 'new recruits' were brought in but had to kill the ólder' ones first.

Had enough yet? okay I will stop but when I think about what went on and it was only a short while ago I find the people incredible.

My next stop the the museum. Totally boring! Full of old relics (obviously)

My final stop was the Kings Palace & the Silver Pagoda. The highlight for me was accidentally emptying my bottle of water into someone else's shoe - I scarpered pretty quick.

Being on the back of a moto or walking down the street or even just sitting watching - the best way I can describe it is - BIZARRE. I absolutely love the place, it is dirty, noisy, crazy but I love everything about it. It has taken me by surprise as I thought Thailand was pretty cool but this place beats it hands-down. It is like stepping back in time and its just the best place I've ever been to.

So I hope this wasn't too awful for you to read. I have spared you the photos.

Until the next time

Jen

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