More Phnom Penh

Almost forgot to mention in my last post: Alex convinced us to get a "Dr. Fish" treatment in Siem Reap. The treatment consisted of sitting on a bench around a giant fish tank and dipping our feet into the water. Different size fish sucked and nibbled dirt, dead skin, and god knows what else from our feet. We've got pictures!

Just got back from a long day of intense emotions. Nate suggested hiring a tuk-tuk driver for the whole day; a driver by the name of Ali. We walked around the corner shouting Ali's name and sure enough a cute and friendly Cambodian fellow jumped out of the woodworks.

It took about thirty minutes to travel to the killing fields. Looking around it's hard to imagine the devastation that happened. The fields are full of shady trees and flowers. Reading about Pol Pot and Khmer Rouge was terrifying, heartbreaking, and overwhelming. I'm never quite sure how to process tragedies, though I think it's important to bear witness and share the story. Though the number of deaths in the genocide is unknown some say three million died during the three year reign; many spent their last moments being tortured and beat by shovels and sticks because Pol Pot wanted to save his precious bullets. The skulls founds in the mass graves are on display for all to see in the middle of the field. After the fields we went to the torture museum; an old high school transformed into a series of horrific prison cells and interrogation rooms. After a while I had to leave, sit on the building steps, and be with my own thoughts. Though a valuable experience, it was a lot to process.

We then went on to lighten up the day at the Russian Market. I'm getting really good at haggling! The trick is to keep a smile on your face; it makes the whole experience much more enjoyable for both parties! Back at the hostel now, ready to play cards with our new friends and then out on the town tonight (a Cambodian drag show?!?).