S21 Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum & The Killing Fields - Cambodia

[JulieD]

S21 Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum

Cambodia is an amazing place, one moment you can be in tears and the next moment, completely uplifted by something simple.  Once you have been there you are never the same. 

It is hard to believe that the S21 Prison used to be a high school.  There is very somber feeling when walking around. 

There is a sense of sadness there, but I feel that the gentleness of the Cambodian people and their Buddhist beliefs have helped to cleanse the place of the aura of evil. 


The class rooms were turned into holding cells before/during torture sessions.


One of the torture bed/racks.  You can see the blood stains on the floor


Rules and regulations


Visitors today are reminded of the seriousness of the place.  But really you don't feel like smiling when you are there.


The full history of the prison can be found here
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuol_Sleng

[JulieD]

Choeung Ek - The Killing Fields

The killing fields are in an old orchard less than an hour away from Phnom Pen and S21.

Once again there is a sense of awe and sadness.  The first thing you notice is a tall Buddhist stupa.


From a distance, you are not prepared for what is inside. 


There are multiple levels filled with 5,000 skulls exhumed from mass graves


and clothing remnants from the mass graves


Mass graves


The walking path on the mounds between the mass graves


Music was played over a loud speaker to cover the screams of the victims.  Most adults were executed with sharp sticks as the Khmer Rouge did not want to waste bullets.


There is still a lot of poverty, with people mutilated from land mines or other deformities having to resort to begging.

A bank teller in Cambodia earns approx US$120 per month.

In spite of this recent brutal history, the Cambodian people are gentle with beautiful smiles. 

When I was there a Tuk Tuk driver asked me what I thought of his country and if I would ever return.  At the time I felt that I would be unable to return again and he predicted that I would be in his country again.  I suspect he is correct.

[Christine]

I would love to go to Cambodia.

The rules in that prison look very severe. How terribly sad it all is.

[JulieD]

It felt really strange walking over the bones.

Maybe we can go together one day to Cambodia and Vietnam.

[Christine]

I would love that.

[rainman]

That is amazing Julie. When did you go there?