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Frangipani flower soemone left next to anamunition box in Tuol Sleng Museum. HAVE SOUND ON AND PRESS PLAY FOR VIDEO ABOVE!!! 😊
Hey again everyone!! We're actually writing from Northern Thailand but as the internet was so slow we couldn't update properly from Cambodia.
Well... Cambodia was incredible!!! Despite nearly getting killed by the worst pilot possible (Cue Holly screaming again) Such a beautiful country of contrasts. We had such an amazing life changing time there but it was literally half good and half bad. For those of you that don't know much about what happened in Cambodia in the 70's during the reign of the Khmer Rouge here's a brief outline;
Hard to write about something so awful in such a short space but between the years of 1975 and 1979 the people of Cambodia were subjected to unthinkable things during the Genocide.
In 1975 Cambodia was a mainly agricultural country. Pol Pot decided it should be completely agricultural. This meant all the people from the towns and cities were forced to move to the countryside. Pol Pot also decided that agricultural output should double in 4 years (a totally unrealistic target). Private property was banned and collective farms were formed. They were supposed to grow 3 tonnes of
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Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum rice per hectare (again, a completely unrealistic target). People were made to work very long hours to try and grow the extra rice. They were given insufficient food and many fell ill and died from a combination of exhaustion and malnutrition.
That was not all... Religion was banned (people caught practising Buddhism were executed). Family relationships were banned (on the grounds that parents exploited their children). Furthermore the smallest infringement of the rules resulted in execution. Although they were half starved people caught foraging for food were executed. People were also executed for being lazy. Needless to say anyone who complained or showed any emotion whatsoever was executed.
Furthermore the Khmer Rouge tortured and murdered intellectuals. Soon people who could speak a foreign language or who even wore glasses were executed. This nightmarish situation was only ended by a war with Vietnam. The Vietnamese invaded in December 1978 and quickly prevailed. MILLIONS of innocent men, women and children were executed. Unfortunately Pol Pot escaped and he did not die until 1998. We hope he rots in hell as punishment for his crimes. And we hope that the people who died rest in peace in the most beautiful heaven
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Bed in one of the torture rooms. Tuol Sleng. imaginable.
Ontop of this Cambodia has the most landmines out of any country in the world. So you should never ever leave any well trodden path. Not even to smell a flower (as Holly has a habit of doing!)
It is so hard to imagine what it was like for these wonderful gentle people and every time you see someone who was obviously born before the 70's you cant help but think about what they have seen in their lifetime. The country is still unbeleivably corrupt and has a massive lack of educated and skilled people. The police even try to sell you weed for a few extra bob. There are beggars EVERYWHERE here in Phnom Penh. Mostly children or amputees from Landmines and there is no social security system in place at all to help them so all they can do is beg. It is heartbreaking to see a 3 year old on their own crying for food or an amputee who once fought for his country now reduced to sitting on a street corner asking for money. Something we will never forget. We tried to give as much as we could but you can never be
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Pol Pots horrendous rules. so idealist as to think that you can make a world of difference because you cant. You just have to do as much as you can while you're there and pray that one day they get the support that they deserve.
Anyone reading this because they are about to go to Cambodia please please please NEVER EVER EVER ignore a beggar! IT does get a bit overwhelming having people bothering you constantly and kids jumping all over you. If you don't want to give then that is fine, tis is your choice but do NOT act as if they dont exist. We saw alot of people either ignoring or shouting at beggars. If you cant be polite and you want to act as if this stuff didn't happen then dont bother coming to Cambodia. This country has a real problem and all these people want is food and a roof over their and their familys heads. Buy them food and give them some time! They will be just as grateful for that as handing over cash. You cant afford to help everyone, they know that, but a smile and a 'Sorry!' doesn't cost anything. There is not enough charity
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Pictures of Genocide victims aimed at Cambodia.
Anyhoo!! As you can tell we have been really touched by Cambodia. While in Phnom Penh we visited the Genocide Museum Tuol Sleng which was utterley horrendous. It is an old high school where they took people to torture and interrogate them before shipping them off to the killing fields (which we also visited) to be executed. We were a bit silyl and didnt actually realise how bad this museum would be but there was still bullet holes and blood on the walls and floors and the iron beds and torture equipment all still in place. Above each bed there was a huge picture of the victim from that particular room and what had happened to them. In the next building there are thousands of black and white headshots of the victims. All of them knowing their fate but none of them displaying any emotion as they would have been whipped with electrical wires had they done so. At the killing fields people were either shot or clubbed to death and buried in ditches. There are still bones and clothes poking through thwe soil and they skulls of the victims theyhave excavated are on display in
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Fated Mum with her baby. Tuol Sleng. a big beautiful tower where you can pay your respects to them with inscence and flowers. We've taken some pictures so you will get a better idea of what happened during this awful time.
Also while in Phnom Penh we visited the royal palace silver pagoda and got shown around by 2 friendly monks who were learning english 😊. We were also astounded by the way that Cambodians drive!!! (Basically on any side of the road they feel like at the time!)
We also visited the NACA Orphanage home to 30 wonderful kids. We visited during the day, played with the kids teaching them some English etc and took some food and gave them a $30 donation (enough to feed all of them for 3 days). We also went back that evening and they put on the most INCREDIBLE little Khmer dance show for us. They could dance so well! Honestly had us both in tears. Then they made us get up and dance hahaha. Was a brilliant day 😊 just wish we could bring them all home with us!!! Its awful to see kids living in dirty slums like that but atleast they are getting clean food
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Cells in Tuol Sleng. and water when needed.
Their website is: http://www.myspace.com/nacaorphanage PLEASE visit, add them as a friend and spread the word!!! They rely on people popping in and on random donations. (Anyone in/going to Cambodia they're situated behind the French Embassy in Phnom Penh!) 😊
Really sorry this has been a bit of a depressing entry. We really loved Phnom Penh. It was an experience we will never forget. Tourism is one of the only industrys bringing much needed money into the country at present so we were glad to help. The people are so friendly and fun and it is a beautiful, vibrant city where you NEVER know what you're going to see next!!! 😊
xxxx
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Hugh
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Depressing
Well.....a tiny bit depressing.....but then amazing to see how quickly the country turned itself around and is now back on its feet and happily getting on with it. V glad you loved cambodia - it was my fav place of all my travels in the whole wide world!!! Where are you two off to next and when are you back? And why does the world need to know on facebook that you can smell Nick's penis???? Hugh. x