We left early this morning to the infamous, "Russian Markets" -- the main market for tourists. I cannot tell you how much I love the atmosphere of the market. Aside from everything being gloriously cheap, everyone vies for your attention and bartering becomes its own dialect. "This is my one vice," Jim remarks. Indeed it is...while heading out, Jim was accosted by a vendor selling various silk items (bags, scarves, etc.) and Jim ended up adding a few more items to his bag of goodies. I had never really bartered before, and from having learned from the pros (Jim and Kevin), I quickly caught on. I was able to make a couple of friends, too. The first vendor we went to loved all of us, since we bought several items from her shop. Another vendor further down named Sophia, was very sweet. She called us her "good luck friends" (probably because we ended up paying more than we should have) and even tossed in a couple of freebies!
What's funny is that all of them will tell you something like, "For any other customer, I charge $18 but for you only $15 because you're my special friend." Special friend. Sophia even fanned Kevin and I while we were looking through her shop! Now this I can get used to.
Among our treasures, Jim and I purchased a wooden Cambodian sword (for those of you who know me, this should come as no surprise). I, of course, will teach Jim a few basic saber techniques before challenging him to a duel. I'd mentioned to Alli that on our next visit, I'll teach a fencing class for the kids; using pool noodles, though!
Teoul Sleung
After the Market, our next stop was Teoul Sleung -- a school converted into a prison (referred to as "security offices") during Pol Pot's reign of terror (for a brief summary of the Khmer Rouge, please read blog post, "Being a Global Christian").
What were once classrooms dedicated to educating potential leaders of Cambodia were converted into interrogation rooms, torture chambers, and holding cells prior to execution. Most rooms had a single metal bed frame where prisoners were shackled to and beaten with whips, among other methods of torture. Hanging up on one of the walls was a photo of the prisoner shackled to their bed, left to die. Thick barbed wires were used to fence off the ledges, to prevent prisoners from jumping off their floor to plummet down to a merciful death. Barred windows were enforced with glass so as to mute the cries and moans resonating from inside the cemented walls of Teoul Sleung.
Pol Pot believed that only peasants and farmers were the only ones "pure enough" to lead his revolution, so all educated, talented, intellectual, politician, doctor, lawyer, teacher, religious leaders and activists were regarded as enemies to the nation who threatened to pollute the country with capitalism, religion, and any other pursuits that sought the overall development of its people. For example, the "medical facilities" in Teoul Sleung did not have doctors; instead, Pol Pot recruited female peasants and farmers. Because they were illiterate and uneducated, many of their patients died from things that could have been prevented or treated with actual doctors.
The entire tour felt surreal; it felt strange touching the rusted shackles which once chained the hands and feet of a human being who, in general, was not aware of the "crime" they were being accused of committing. Or to touch the metal framed beds where women and children lay dying of starvation or choking on their own blood after having been tortured for hours.
Prisoners were strung upside down and interrogated until they lost consciousness. To wake them up, the perpetrators dunked them into large vases filled with putrid water (used to store animal excrement) so they could be interrogated further.
Another torture device in which prisoners were shackled (hands and feet) and drowned.
Clothes of the executed prisoners.
Skulls of the prisoners. Many had deep lacerations signifying severe head trauma (either by ax or club); others, bullet holes.
What many fail to realize, is that another similar form of torture is running rampant today. In villages like Svay Pak, in the illuminated brothels of Phnom Penh, young women and men, little girls and boys, are abducted and trafficked around like livestock to satisfy the cravings and corrupted pallets of thousands and thousands of pedophiles from all over the world. In a cruel irony, memorials like the stupa in The Killing Fields which were constructed in order to "prevent cruel and barbaric crimes against humanity in the future" have only replaced one evil for another.
The Killing Fields
"I will show you fear in a handful of dust..." - T.S. Eliot
The Killing Fields once held 189 prisons; 380 killing fields; and 19,403 mass grave sites. The largest mass grave held 450 bodies. Walking through the Killing Fields feels like you're entering a massive, open tomb; there are mass grave sites everywhere, and remnants of clothing and bones from the victims can be found peeking from under the earth, or stacked against trees.
Site once filled with 100 headless bodies.
This particular tree (below) is called, "The Killing Tree". Former commander of the S-21 army, known as Duch, admitted to grabbing babies by their legs and smashing them against the hard, twisted bark. Babies and young children were executed for fear that they would take revenge later in life. Babies were killed and buried alongside their mothers, many of whom were found naked.
Bones and teeth beside The Killing Tree
The Memorial Suta
The first tier (below) displays the several beaten skulls of young women between the ages of 15 and 20.
Collected on the floor base are also the victims' clothing...
It feels so strange to walk upon the earth which thousands upon thousands were murdered; even stranger to see life (grass, flowers, butterflies) actually living on this blood stained soil. While walking along the fenced perimeter, we saw a few people sleeping on hammocks and living in shanty houses. I don't know how anyone could sleep in such a place, let alone live here.
The Royal Palace
Well, needless to say our entire morning and some of our afternoon was incredibly somber so we were hoping to have our spirits lifted by visiting the Royal Palace.
The Royal Palace which we were prohibited from entering.
Unfortunately, we were unable to take a tour of the actual Royal Palace; only the outer courtyard is available for tourists. There are some interesting looking buildings that are museums, displaying various items within the royal household. Other buildings have Buddhas which several visitors pay homage to.
Look, Christmas tree lights!
We weren't allowed to take pictures inside, either, so I took one of Jim and Kevin peeking from inside one of the windows.
All in all, the tour around the Royal Palace was not all that exciting. We were disappointed that we didn't get to say "hi" to the King or ask him questions like, "What do you think of the sex trafficking of your people?". Oh, well...perhaps another time.
My Final Blog...
Well, dear reader, this will be my final blog of our trip. We leave tomorrow evening for home, and we'll be spending the day debriefing with Don and Bridget, and saying farewell to the children at Rahab's House. I'm sad that I have to say good bye to my adorable Ka-moi, but Jim and I hope to Skype with her and keep up-dated on what's going on in her life. I know Kevin will miss Little Pi; she has also grown very attached to Kevin. Overall, my personal experience here has both met and exceeded my expectations. It is my hope that we will take what we have learned, what we have seen and felt, and channel it all into something powerful that we can do for AIM while we're in the states. We have a few ideas of what we want to do, and are eager to get started. It's easy to be inspired by a trip like this, but the danger with having only the feeling of inspiration is that it becomes a bucket rather than a well. We risk becoming these buckets, filled with inspiration but there's no overflow. What we need to be are wells; wells that continuously spout living water! From the overflow of our hearts, may we be able to meet the needs here in Cambodia.
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