Phnom Penh pt 2- The Killing Fields and S21

Territ had to work this morning. He works part time for a phone card company called Bee Line. I'm not too sure what he does but he has to work until noon. Cramer is finally starting to feel better. We walk over to a shopping mall close to the house. What does Cramer want for his first meal since having his intenstines invaded? We opt for some pizza. Which sounds amazing to me. All of this asian food is playing havoc on my intenstines too. I don't feel sick or anything and don't have to go more often than usual, but damn I haven't had a solid crap in awhile. Territ comes back and we call for a tuk tuk to pick us up. We probably could all fit on Territ's scooter, but that's a lot of weight. One of the most amazing things about being over here is how people use their scooters. I've seen 5 people on one, a whole family! Some are carrying 5 huge boxes and a bunch of huge bags of rice, while others have trailers attached. Pretty much anything you can imagine a scooter being used for is being used in that way over here. PP is the capital of Cambodia. It is not huge like Bangkok or other giant metropolises. It has many people living in it, but still has more of a medium sized city feel to it. There aren't any sky scrapers, some tall buildings. There are many new buildings as well as many run down shacks and what not. Some of the smells around town just make you shake your head like "what the hell was that?" Not good. Driving here is an absolue trip. Just like everywhere else over in this part of the world scooters are king. But on the streets of PP, traffic rules and laws are mere suggestions, not things that have to be followed. Pull out in to on coming traffic, u-turns infront of 50 speeding scooters and cars, driving down the wrong side of the road for blocks, large intersectons with no traffics signs at all: yes, yes yes, yes!!! Just merge and swerve baby. I think watching how people drive and manange not to get into any accidents is one of the most amazing things about being here. It truly is mesmerizing. Every time we drive I just wish everyone could see this. It would be funny to put up a web cam at a busy intersection and just have it for people to watch, it is that entertaining. Alright back to the story. Territ, Cramer, I take off to see the Killing Fields.

"The Killing Fields were a number of sites in Cambodia where large numbers of people were killed and buried by the Khmer Rouge regime, during its rule of the country from 1975 to 1979, immediately after the end of the Vietnam War.
At least 200,000 people were executed by the Khmer Rouge[1]. Analysis of 309 mass grave sites by the DC-Cam Mapping Program and Yale University indicate at least 1,386,734 victims.[2][3] Estimates of the total number of deaths resulting from Khmer Rouge policies, including disease and starvation, range from 1.4 to 2.2 million out of a population of around 7 million.[4] In 1979, communist Vietnam invaded Democratic Kampuchea and toppled the Khmer Rouge regime. - Wikipedia"

The Khymer Rouge took control of the country and pretty much killed off more than a quarter of their own people in 5 years. The killng fields were located all over Cambodia and contained the mass graves of many victims of the Khymer Rouge Regime. The place we visit is only a few miles outside of PP and has been turned into an historical center to remember the atrocities committed. We first visit a large building which contains the remains of 9,000 victims that were discovered in various mass graves on the grounds. It also contains the clothes they were wearing.

As we walk aournd the grounds, what makes it more unsettling is that there are still teeth and bone fragments on the ground as we walk around. More clothing is still coming through certain spots in the ground as well. Near one mass grave there is a large tree that was used to beat and kill children against. Then they were dumped into the nearby pit, some dead, some still alive to die later. After walking around we head off to another chilling place called s21 Prison.

Some local kids near the killing fields pose for a picture, then ask for some cash. S21 is a converted High School in PP that was used as a prison during the Khymer Rogue period. They used the prison for torture, interragation, and as a holding spot until they were taken to the killing fields to be executed. Here there were 1000's of pictures of the dead. The Khymer Rogue (KR) documented all of there prisoners and victims that came through the prison. There were torture instruments, tons of rooms that were converted to holding cells, and gruesome pictures. Walking aournd this place sends chills down my spine. This is much more disturbing than the killing fields.

Territ walks past some of the 100s of cells that were built inside the classrooms.

Barbed wired and bars cover all the windows to prevent any escape.

Tons of the victims were woman and children.

This was used to hang people upside down until they passed out, then they dunked their heads into vats of foul smelling water to wake them back up, or drowned them.

Territ and Cramer outside of S21 Prison- also called Tuolsleng Genocide Museum. After having enough for one day we head back to the house. Cramer is finally feeling up for it, so we all head back out to the Happy 7 Restaurant. Territ and I went there every night. It is a great spot for locals, it has great Cambodian food, good prices, is clean, and has a great atmosphere. All 3 of us to eat huge meals and drink a few pitchers of beer costs about $15. We're all tired after a long day and stuffed now. Cramer and I have to catch a bus tomorrow to the Thailand/ Cambodian border at 8am. Then get on another one from the border to Bangkok, and then one more from Bangkok to the islands in the south of Thailand. Its going to be a long long day.

Cramer, me, and Territ toasting "ChumWeay" at the Happy 7. Later I found out Territ's toast really means "Fuck More". Hahaha.

Territ and a neighbod kids outside the house.