Traveled to Phonm Phen the capital of Cambodia where we stay for three days. Visited temples and killing field from days of Khamer Rouge who came to power following civil war in 1975 and purged the country of its enemies - all military, politicians, teachers, lawyers, intellectuals, etc. farmers and working class people were safe. Over 2.2 million of total population of 7.5 million were killed, they were taken to killing fields - hundreds of sites throughout the country, killed and put in mass graves. Many were tortured to extract confessions and names of other undesirables - if one of a family was determined to be undesirable the whole family was killed to prevent survivors seeking revenge. Our guide lost family and was put in the army at 11, he is lucky to be alive.
I’m still learning this program and pictures don’t always load in the sequence desired - sorry for jumbled order below. I’ll try to figure out how to get them in order.
Mural at a temple.
Boarding Viking Saigon, notice the first class gangway.
We spent a morning touring on a rickshaw bicycle, this sign is for the Cambodian new year on April 14.
Some yummy chicken feet being grilled.
Monks at Buddha park - men can become monks from 7 years old.
Another high quality gangway situation.
On rickshaw ride.
Memorial at the killing field we visited.
Reception hall at the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh.
Skulls were grouped by sex and age. Khamre Rouge was ousted in 1979 and many graves dug up, such as these bones - King then ordered no more excavations to let the dead rest in piece.
Temple on grounds of Royal Palace.
Buddha park.
We each had a separate rickshaw - Susan is in this one.
Me and my rickshaw driver - it was very hot, he worked hard.
This is the memorial structure housing the bones.
Reclining Buddha at Buddha park.
Royal palace.
Visited a small village, this is a home we got to go in. Most houses are on stilts due to flooding in rainy season. Six people live here, no plumbing in upper floor, cooking done at ground level.
Bones in pit at killing field.
Young cows, there are many cows and water buffalo, used to work fields, mostly very skinny with ribs showing.
Killing field,
Vender selling bbq chicken, smelled wonderful but not ready for dinner.
We shared a Tuc Tuc with two women (Nan and Sophia) getting to the killing fields memorial - our driver in front.
Rickshaw ready to go.
Former high school turned into a prison during Kashmir Rouge period - 14,000 were taken here for torture and interrogation, everyone eventually “confessed “ only 7 were spared the killing field. Horrific things happened here.
Royal Palace.
Bamboo bridge to island in the Mekong river. This bridge has been rebuilt each year for many years as it is washed away when the rainy season comes. Until recently it was much wider allowing trucks as there is now a permanent concrete bridge so this is for only foot traffic.
Ashes on cremated Buddhist’s are placed in elaborate pagodas, most are for one family, this one is a common one for those who cannot afford one of their own.
Parking brake on rickshaw - sandal in the spokes.
Businesses selling religious items are everywhere - these are placed at homes and businesses to honor the gods, this and other good deeds results in a better next life and eventually Nirvana.
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