Stupa at Choeung Ek |
Choeung Ek today - one of the killing fields. It was odd really - lots of grass and shady trees. Some Khmer harvesting plants. Quite pleasant. Apart from an audio guide detailing the facts of the atrocities committed there. Mass graves with 450 victims. 166 headless corpses. And the stupa - full of skulls. Staring mournfully out through glass. Each one a face, a potential life, snuffed out. The hollow eye sockets are accusing - what did /you/ do to save me?
At S-21, the faces are made flesh. 20,000 mugshots, all starting at the camera. Most are defiant, some with a hint of fear. A few are on stretchers. Only a handful survived.
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Monday night. We're taking it easy back at the hotel. It's only 9pm, but feels so much later. Traveller's diarrhea is not incapacitating, but it is... inconvenient, and somewhat draining (unintentional pun alert!). Had warm banana in coconut for dessert - very sweet. And a Korean ice cream on the way home. Jelly-ish consistency.
Bought a 'Big Issue' style magazine, Soid. Seems like everywhere here has been damaged in some way. Really want to help.
One more day in PP - want to see a bit of the city. Then on to HCMC on Wednesday. Hopefully stomach will have settled by then.
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