Day Six - S21 and The Killing Fields

Today has been one of emotion, but I knew it would be.  Motion, not emotion lol again this morning lol so I popped two Imodium, which means I have one left. Mmmmm, meet tuk tuk driver who sounded like his name was Wanda lol, so that's what I called him and first stop 'pharmacy'.  What is it with me? I'm served by a charming young man with more foundation on than the cosmetic hall in Selfrdge's.  On the shelves were boxes of well known drugs but the boxes looked old.  I suspect this is where all our out of date drugs end up.  Back to the Imodium, he looks under the counter, everything was under the counter. He puts a blister strip on the counter and says how many do I want? At this point I decide to put my glasses on lol.  Imodium was in fact Valium lol lol. I laughed and said oh I have a box of these already and pulled them out to show him, followed by NY one Imodium lol.  We did laugh, it was rather funny.  I then asked how much the diazepam were lol and for 12 it was $1 about 70p!!!! I might bring some back if anyone is interested lol.  The Imodium cost $2 for six lol.

Back in tuk tuk with Wanda lol and we go to collect his son who speaks English. Rotha will be 19 on Friday and is still at school.  His parents pay to send him. They have to pay $50 a month, if the don't have the money, he does not go to school.  He used to have english lessons but his parents can no longer afford it.  His English is very good and he's a lovely young person.  His dad drives the tuk tuk as his job and he has a mum and two younger brothers.  He was telling me that he wants to be an accountant, like his uncle. His uncle is qualified and earns between $350/500 per month!  But he thinks he will just have to get a job. It was so sad, this young lad has dreams, just like you and me.  I said can't you go to learn and his answer was I have to do what my mum and dad exoect of me.  He likes playing the guitar but has to borrow a neighbours as he does not have one.  He likes to skateboard but his mum has told him to stop until his studies are over, in case he hurts himself.  I said to him that he was safer on his skateboard than his father driving that bloody tuk tuk all day. We did giggle.  We complain and moan about waiting for this, or not getting that on time - we gave nothing to complain about.  Oh I know why they are looking at me too, Rotha explained.  Firstly, they don't see many western women especially my age and especially on my own.  Normally, women travel in laura/groups do that is why I stands out.  Secondly, after the Pol Pot years, people were starved.  There was no food, people died of hunger and remember this was in 1976, even I can remember it and I'm 29.  People are used to little food even now so chubber her stands out - sad but true.

The first place we went too was a school -S21. The Khmer Rouge used it as a detention centre, here they bruterly murdered and tortured men, women and children! Quick history lesson Pol Pot a brutal dictator wanted to take over Cambodia and turn the clock back to year zero. Anyone who was seen as a threat suffered torture and death. But it was people like doctors, teachers, academics then all their family too.  People were accused of spying for the KGB and the CIA people must have been terrified beyond belief. I won't lie to you S21 was an awful place.  You can see blood stains that have soaked in the tiles. Hideous and horrendous.  I watched a programme recently with Sue Perkins who was in Cambodia and she met in of the remaining survivors from S21! Today I had the privilege of meeting this man.  He saw his wife and child murdered and every day now he comes her so people don't forget.  We hugged each other and both cried. A truly remarkable man.

This place was horrific. This happened in my lifetime. But how many more times does it have to keep happening - nazis, Rwanda and today the awful news I woke to about IS.  Man's greatest enemy is man.

Wanda come back with the tuk tuk and we went to a Bhuddist temple. Very different to the ones in Thailand. Because of dicky tummy I didn't want a lot to eat, to be honest I rarely do when it's so hot. So I wanted a bread roll, so soft touch here buys Wanda and Rotha a couple of pastries, water lol. We then head out of town to The Killing Fields.  This is where people were taken to be executed.  If us no a genocide museum. You pay, only if you are a foreigner, to get in, a few dollars, then for another dollar you can hire headphones that explain it to you. We both had one each in our respective languages.

This place was beautifully awful.  You see mass pits where people were lined up and killed.  Not with bullets, that was too expensive.  People were backed, clubbed, stabbed to death - men, women, children and babies.  As you walk round you can see, coming to the surface still, bone fragments and clothing. I was so mindful of where and how I was walking.  The place had a smell about it.  By 1979 3.5 million out of 7 million in total population had been executed, starved.  Horrific, pointless madness.

This pagoda holds some of the remains found here.  So many, it was totally overwhelming but there was worse to come.

Then, and I did know about this, we saw the killing tree. Next to the tree was a pit.  Here the Khmer Rouge would swing babies and small children by their ankles, smashing their skulls on the tree then tossing them into the pit.  Words fail me. I cried and cried. So many people around were crying.  Pinned to the tree and around the tree hang bracelets. When you make an offering to a Bhuddist monk they give you a rope or wool bracket.  Some of you would have noticed mine maybe.  I was so moved by this simple act of kindness and compassion.  I'm sorry Claire but that beautiful bracelet you gave me some time ago has been left by the tree in memory of those children - I hope you understand why I had to do it.

This is the killing tree.

By now I was a bit drained to be honest, so we made our way back up into the city.  Rotha starts school at 6:00am dud you get that 6:00. He wants to learn; he wants an education.  So this was my plan.  Instead of him and his dad collecting me at 9:00, Rotha goes to school so he doesn't miss anything.  Wanda collects me at 11:00 and we go to the school to collect him, then start our day sightseeing.  My friends, the smile on that lads face was priceless. Before we went to meet his dad i fave him $12 - his reply was that he will spend it on his education.  What can I say? Words today have failed me so many times.  To have my own personal tuk tuk driver, Wanda, for the day was $25 (£16 approx) and I will go the same tomorrow - probably lunch too lol.  Oh Rotha and I are FB buddies now lol check him out and if anyone wants to sponsor his further studies, let me know - oh to win the lottery.

I went back to my room and had a rest then shower etc and thought I would venture out.  Must if the food here is meat or fish from the lake/river. If you saw that you would understand why I'm not eating fish lol. The city is manic, so busy, you just have to walk and hope.  I looked around where I am staying snd there was nothing then I found a market.  It was so noisy, so many mopeds and hello madam tuk tuk lol or motorbike lol I mean as if lol.

The people here will speak and want to try english. I always speak to them, even if they don't understand me.  Eventually, I went to a NY pizza diner place, run by Americans.  It was gorgeous and I feel stuffed and sleepy now.  So back to my room to write this.  I'm sorry today's post is depressing and sad, but unfortunately it is what it is.  Khmer people are very simple living and have a warmth about them in a different way that is hard to describe than the Thai people. As my friend Daniel would say ......... Thank you universe for sending me here x