Today we are in Sihanoukville at "Serendipity" beach on the southern coast of Cambodia. It is...OK. There is nothing serendipitous about the beach. The beach front is swarmed by people selling all sorts of items, including food, trinkets, massages, and manicure & pedicures. Women and girls hover until you buy what they have. Their persistence, aggressiveness and excellent English language skills are impressive, but I feel like I am in a tourist trap. Needless to say, our first beach day was not relaxing. But we are here and are making the best of it.
Our day in Phnom Penh was much more eventful and memorable. Friday was an extremely packed day, with emotions ranging from high to low. We began our day with a trip to the Choeung Ek Killing Fields where the Khmer Rouge regime executed about 20,000 people between 1975 and 1979. The genocide was kept a secret to the rest of the world and most of Cambodia until 1980 when bodies began to surface from the mass graves. The experience was quite somber and weighed heavily on both Carla and me. We were able to see the pits where entire families were buried after being beaten to death with axes and garden hoes. It was difficult walking throughout the fields and seeing bones, teeth, and clothes pushing through the ground. We kept asking "why?" particularly because genocide has occurred in so many other countries in the world and is happening today. A memorial and a Buddhist stupa was built by the government to acknowledge the genocide and honor those that lost their lives. The memorial includes a glass case that holds nearly 7,000 skulls that were exhumed in 1980.
After the killing fields, we needed something to lift our spirits. Instead of the genocide museum, which was next on our itinerary, we decided to make a stop at the local orphanage. We bought some rice to donate to the orphanage. This is when we learned that no appointments are necessary. In my western way of thinking, I almost said to Carla, "Do you think we can just show up? Don't we need to make an appointment?" During the entire trip, we have made no appointments, but I guess the trip to the orphanage seemed more important and special to me. When we arrived, the boys were playing volleyball and the girls were in English class. They were learning their ABC's. Meeting the kids and learning about where and how they live was just what we needed to remind us of the good that exists in this world. The orphanage houses 99 children from ages 3 to 18 and all children attend school and learn English and French. Many of the kids have lost their parents due to complications related to AIDS.
Happy, hungry and sleepy, Carla and I rode back into town in our tuk tuk which we rented for the day. After a nap and a yummy chicken coconut curry meal, we attended a concert of traditional Khmer music at a local community center. We topped off the evening with a beer on the Riverfront.
Our Cambodia adventures continue and I am definitely looking forward to Angkor Wat. But for now, we will feast on fresh seafood and will try to make the beach experience a better one. Adios!
Our day in Phnom Penh was much more eventful and memorable. Friday was an extremely packed day, with emotions ranging from high to low. We began our day with a trip to the Choeung Ek Killing Fields where the Khmer Rouge regime executed about 20,000 people between 1975 and 1979. The genocide was kept a secret to the rest of the world and most of Cambodia until 1980 when bodies began to surface from the mass graves. The experience was quite somber and weighed heavily on both Carla and me. We were able to see the pits where entire families were buried after being beaten to death with axes and garden hoes. It was difficult walking throughout the fields and seeing bones, teeth, and clothes pushing through the ground. We kept asking "why?" particularly because genocide has occurred in so many other countries in the world and is happening today. A memorial and a Buddhist stupa was built by the government to acknowledge the genocide and honor those that lost their lives. The memorial includes a glass case that holds nearly 7,000 skulls that were exhumed in 1980.
After the killing fields, we needed something to lift our spirits. Instead of the genocide museum, which was next on our itinerary, we decided to make a stop at the local orphanage. We bought some rice to donate to the orphanage. This is when we learned that no appointments are necessary. In my western way of thinking, I almost said to Carla, "Do you think we can just show up? Don't we need to make an appointment?" During the entire trip, we have made no appointments, but I guess the trip to the orphanage seemed more important and special to me. When we arrived, the boys were playing volleyball and the girls were in English class. They were learning their ABC's. Meeting the kids and learning about where and how they live was just what we needed to remind us of the good that exists in this world. The orphanage houses 99 children from ages 3 to 18 and all children attend school and learn English and French. Many of the kids have lost their parents due to complications related to AIDS.
Happy, hungry and sleepy, Carla and I rode back into town in our tuk tuk which we rented for the day. After a nap and a yummy chicken coconut curry meal, we attended a concert of traditional Khmer music at a local community center. We topped off the evening with a beer on the Riverfront.
Our Cambodia adventures continue and I am definitely looking forward to Angkor Wat. But for now, we will feast on fresh seafood and will try to make the beach experience a better one. Adios!
Pictures of Choeung Ek Killing Field
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| Choeung Ek Killing Fields |
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