The heat was so unbearable last night that I hardly got any sleep. I kept waking up drenched in sweat. We rose pretty early, took cool showers and grabbed a quick breakfast. Nutella on white bread with fresh fruit. Yum. Our Aussie friends Tim and Laura were off, so we said our goodbyes and headed out.
Around 10 we caught a tuk tuk ride to the Killing fields. The journey was definitely interesting. There seems to be absolutely no rules when it comes to Cambodian driving. People go as they please and honk their horns nonstop. The poverty was incredibly worse than anything I've ever seen. Trash fills the streets and wild dogs roam aimlessly. Amongst it all, the Cambodian people seem happy. They go about their simple lives and let us tourists snap pictures of their despair. Along the way we saw a river filled with froth and sludge. Before we could think the smell hit our noses and triggered our gag reflexes. It was the most hideous odor. Let me just say my dog's farts smell like roses compared to this. After passing the stench-filled waterway, we finally reached our destination. We paid 4 dollars and received our headset for the audio tour.
Nothing could have prepared me for the Killing Fields. The large indentations of mass graves, the mounds of untouched sites and the tower of cracked and broken skulls brought tears to my eyes. A space no bigger than my car was sectioned off. Teeth and clothing still surface there during the wet season. As I looked down I saw 2 adult teeth peeking out from the earth. It sent shivers down my spine.
Further on the tour I saw a large tree standing alone. When I got closer I could read the sign beneath it. The tree had been used to kill infants. Khmer Rouge soldiers would grab babies by their ankles and bash their heads against the trunk. Once their skulls had been cracked, they were thrown in a ditch. Tourists and locals have placed bracelets all around the area. Alexa and I finished the tour and walked quietly to our tuk tuk.
We were silent most of the way home... until... that smell... that nasty, river of grime and filth attacked us again. We gagged, laughed and gasped for air.
Around 10 we caught a tuk tuk ride to the Killing fields. The journey was definitely interesting. There seems to be absolutely no rules when it comes to Cambodian driving. People go as they please and honk their horns nonstop. The poverty was incredibly worse than anything I've ever seen. Trash fills the streets and wild dogs roam aimlessly. Amongst it all, the Cambodian people seem happy. They go about their simple lives and let us tourists snap pictures of their despair. Along the way we saw a river filled with froth and sludge. Before we could think the smell hit our noses and triggered our gag reflexes. It was the most hideous odor. Let me just say my dog's farts smell like roses compared to this. After passing the stench-filled waterway, we finally reached our destination. We paid 4 dollars and received our headset for the audio tour.
Nothing could have prepared me for the Killing Fields. The large indentations of mass graves, the mounds of untouched sites and the tower of cracked and broken skulls brought tears to my eyes. A space no bigger than my car was sectioned off. Teeth and clothing still surface there during the wet season. As I looked down I saw 2 adult teeth peeking out from the earth. It sent shivers down my spine.
Further on the tour I saw a large tree standing alone. When I got closer I could read the sign beneath it. The tree had been used to kill infants. Khmer Rouge soldiers would grab babies by their ankles and bash their heads against the trunk. Once their skulls had been cracked, they were thrown in a ditch. Tourists and locals have placed bracelets all around the area. Alexa and I finished the tour and walked quietly to our tuk tuk.
We were silent most of the way home... until... that smell... that nasty, river of grime and filth attacked us again. We gagged, laughed and gasped for air.
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