I’m typing this in one of the hotels in Phnom Penh and standing before me is an extremely cute Cambodia bartender. Hee~ I will be leaving Phnom Penh for Ho Chi Minh by bus first thing tomorrow. Being in this wonderful country for 4 days has taught me how lucky I am to be born a Singaporean. You and I don’t know what poverty and pure human torture is about. I’ve never been through war – and I hope no country will never have to experience one again.
Visiting S-21 and the killing fields were of the most sobering experiences I ever encountered. There before your eyes thousands of cracked craniums and a pile of tattered clothes worn by the massacred victims lie in a glass cupboard. Hundreds of those numbered and tagged victims had their photos taken- grim faces and fearful eyes not knowing what is going to happen to them. I had a better understanding what happened to Kampuchea (then) and Pol Pot’s Khmer Regime to turn the country upside now – taking lives of the innocent who dared defied.
It breaks my heart to learn that now – the new Phnom Penh still has lingering traces of sorrow and poverty. However, it had just come out of 2 wars after 1979 and a few more years after the Democratic Kampuchea took over (they too were overthrown).
I’m glad I chose to do this trip to a still-developing country. A lot to learn for this girl.
It’s not easy leaving some memories behind . Honestly.
I will update my travel blog as soon as possible. Have already written some stuff. Just need to upload them.
Btw, I would really like a trip to Batam! =) Sadly, no hunkie no cachorrito no abrazos no besos to accompany me. Voy a distrutarme!
