13 December 2011 - Phnom Penh
I wasn't feeling the greatest but didn't want to miss out on some sightseeing so went to Tuel Slung (Genocide Museum). This was a fascinating Museum. Absolutely horrible. The prison itself was responsible for a small number of deaths compared with the overall death toll of the Khmer Rouge. Only about 25,000 people were tortured here to be killed at the killing fields some 15 km away. But first they were tortured for up to 6 months.
We ended up spending over 3 hours walking through the exhibits, watching a film and wandering through the tiny rooms. It is crazy to think that a small group of people was responsible for so much terror and death. It seems even sadder when you see how happy and beautiful Cambodians are for them to have such a harrowing past. I just can't imagine wanting to take away those smiles!
It's also insane to think of Phnom Penh as an empty city with all the buildings having barbed wire around them. I just can't imagine this city, that has just a life of it's own, completely empty! It also is a reminder that it wouldn't have just been this city but any of the cities we had visited so far.
It makes it that much more precious to see old people. Since I'm writing this after already entering Vietnam I can say that seeing older people was striking after being in Cambodia. At the time it seemed like there weren't many but not that there were really so few until compared with Vietnam!
14 December 2011 - Phnom Penh
I was feeling better today but didn't want to overdue it. Unfortunately John started to feel sick. I went to a market looking for a hat I had seen in Siem Reap. It was a folding fan that could be made into a hat!
Then headed to the riverside to enjoy lunch. As I sat there a girl and boy in their 20's came to sit by me and chat. We had some halted conversation prior to just enjoying each others company as it was too much for either of us to continue miming. It was nice to have the presence of someone that just wanted to be a companion.
I then headed to the palace with the silver pagoda. It's one of those places that is overpriced but you have to go see. Most of the palace grounds are off limits so you really only get to see the silver pagoda. It is impressive with etched silver tiles for the floor and a large buddha weighing over 20 kg of gold and 2900 diamonds. There is also a smaller buddha that is kinda in a corner that is 5 kg of gold and 1500 diamonds...I found it funny that this buddha was pushed to the side as if it wasn't anything special.
15 December 2011 - Phnom Penh
My recovery was suspect today so I went to restock supplies of food and lotion and then headed to a couple different cafes to enjoy a book and relax.
I wasn't feeling the greatest but didn't want to miss out on some sightseeing so went to Tuel Slung (Genocide Museum). This was a fascinating Museum. Absolutely horrible. The prison itself was responsible for a small number of deaths compared with the overall death toll of the Khmer Rouge. Only about 25,000 people were tortured here to be killed at the killing fields some 15 km away. But first they were tortured for up to 6 months.
We ended up spending over 3 hours walking through the exhibits, watching a film and wandering through the tiny rooms. It is crazy to think that a small group of people was responsible for so much terror and death. It seems even sadder when you see how happy and beautiful Cambodians are for them to have such a harrowing past. I just can't imagine wanting to take away those smiles!
It's also insane to think of Phnom Penh as an empty city with all the buildings having barbed wire around them. I just can't imagine this city, that has just a life of it's own, completely empty! It also is a reminder that it wouldn't have just been this city but any of the cities we had visited so far.
It makes it that much more precious to see old people. Since I'm writing this after already entering Vietnam I can say that seeing older people was striking after being in Cambodia. At the time it seemed like there weren't many but not that there were really so few until compared with Vietnam!
14 December 2011 - Phnom Penh
I was feeling better today but didn't want to overdue it. Unfortunately John started to feel sick. I went to a market looking for a hat I had seen in Siem Reap. It was a folding fan that could be made into a hat!
Then headed to the riverside to enjoy lunch. As I sat there a girl and boy in their 20's came to sit by me and chat. We had some halted conversation prior to just enjoying each others company as it was too much for either of us to continue miming. It was nice to have the presence of someone that just wanted to be a companion.
I then headed to the palace with the silver pagoda. It's one of those places that is overpriced but you have to go see. Most of the palace grounds are off limits so you really only get to see the silver pagoda. It is impressive with etched silver tiles for the floor and a large buddha weighing over 20 kg of gold and 2900 diamonds. There is also a smaller buddha that is kinda in a corner that is 5 kg of gold and 1500 diamonds...I found it funny that this buddha was pushed to the side as if it wasn't anything special.
15 December 2011 - Phnom Penh
My recovery was suspect today so I went to restock supplies of food and lotion and then headed to a couple different cafes to enjoy a book and relax.
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