The Killing Fields

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Geo: 11.5588, 104.917

We awoke from our jungle home-stay on very little sleep to the sound of another storm beating down on our tin-shed roof. We gathered our things, bid thanks and goodbye to the locals and were soon off to a locally prepared breakfast at the community center. The food consisted of baguettes with garlic butter, eggs and my own invention of coffee-tea. This occurs when you are not aware which pots contain water, which contain tea, and your host speaks limited to no English.
Today's itinerary involved a trip back to the capital Phnom Penh. Most of us grabbed forty winks on the way, and a few hours later we were back where we started.
First we enjoyed an incredible lunch. Tapas, smoothies and my choice being Brie, Bacon and Green Apple combined. Sounds crazy yes? But most tasty I assure you.
The days two activities were most informative and incredible, yet dire and demoralizing. The first being the infamous 'killing fields.' Some 20,000+ people were tortured and executed here just some 35 years ago under the Khmer Rouge regime of Pol Pot, with some 2.2million killed in total. Here there were several landmarks to a variety of mass graves, along with a massive monument of human skulls.
From here we went to the S21 museum, where several buildings were used as prison and torture cells during the same period. Many of the cells were as they were just years ago. Tiny, brutal, chains still intact, barbed wire, scratching marks in the walls and torture devices prevalent. There were photos and the stories of the perpetrators and victims of this horrible period in Cambodian history. The tour was made all the more vivid with our tour guide being one directly impacted by the tragedy.
From here, we're off to dinner for the evening, and likely an early night!
Tomorrow we're off to Kompong Cham for a new adventure!

*** For the next day, we will be staying at Kompong Cham.
*** I expect that the next oppertunity to upload blogs & photos will come from Siem Reap (gateway to the Angkor Wat temples). So until then!

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Photos

Arrival at the Killing Fields
Location where the horrors of Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge were prevalent for all to see. 2.5 million dead, and over 20,000 in this location alone.

Path through the killing fields
Eerie. So green and lush, but still so raw and full of death. Its all so recent, just 35 odd years ago. You're walking over bones, shreds of clothes, pieces of people who were brutally slaughtered.

The Magic Tree...
an ironic name.

A Butterfly resting
On the graves of thousands

Ghastly Tree
Why? So brutal.

Disturbing
Not only are there human remains everywhere, but theres a real feel of untouched, rawness about this place. It hasnt been cleaned up.. pieces of human bones and bodies are still being washed up on a day to day basis