[Travel] Vietnam and Cambodia holiday ideas etc

[Badger]

Just got back from my latest trip to Cambodia. If it hasn't been mentioned already, the infamous S21 is a must visit. Be prepared to be humbled. I had the honour of meeting one of only 12 (known) survivors of the camp, an elderly gentleman called Chum Mey. He could see how visibly upset I was and gave me the warmest of hugs. This wonderful gentleman is a reminder of something that isn't widely talked about in the west these days, and it happened in a lot of our lifetimes. 25% of the population wiped out in a little over 3 years. A reminder of just how brutal humanity can be.

Oh yes, I met him too and bought a copy of his book. He was describing how they used to torture him, often using electrocution. He seemed genuinely pleased to meet tourists who wanted to hear his story.

 

[SeagullinExile]

country still run by khmer rouge ...no...??

Yup. Kind of. But I guess all sides had to be engaged to reunify the country. The main culprits all eventually paid for their crimes (except the ones who died before trial) Including 'Duch' (Kaing Guek Eav) the most hated man in Cambodia.

I guess it shows how nations can be rebuilt after such a horrific period. It's also a very young country, something like 70% of the population were born after 1979, which I find incredible.

 

[SeagullinExile]

Oh yes, I met him too and bought a copy of his book. He was describing how they used to torture him, often using electrocution. He seemed genuinely pleased to meet tourists who wanted to hear his story.

Agreed. We were also planning The Killing fields on the same day, but we just couldn't do it. We waited a couple of days, and i'm glad we did, especially after seeing the chankiri tree when we did go - Heartbreaking stuff.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Agreed. We were also planning The Killing fields on the same day, but we just couldn't do it. We waited a couple of days, and i'm glad we did, especially after seeing the chankiri tree when we did go - Heartbreaking stuff.

Is that the tree with the...stuff about babies on it (I hesitate to use the bleak truth)? Just when you think you've seen and heard all that humans can do to other humans, something like that comes along. We did that and the prison. A sobering day.

 

[SeagullinExile]

Is that the tree with the...stuff about babies on it (I hesitate to use the bleak truth)? Just when you think you've seen and heard all that humans can do to other humans, something like that comes along. We did that and the prison. A sobering day.

Yes. That's the one. I don't know how you could do both in one day. We had more than several stiff drinks back in Phnom Penh after that.