Boat used for fishing and sleeping on the Mekong River. Cambodia.
Fisherman hacking away at the grass.
Is he looking at you or me….?
Mekong River Phomn Penh, Cambodia
Author Archives: Drewmanity
The Killing Fields Memorial at Choeung Ek Phnom Penh Cambodia
I heard a lot about this place in my travels and reading about South East Asian history, so it was on my list of things to see and try to understand that this happened in the last 35 years of humanity. I hit the road today headed to to see another sad site, very similar to my visit to Auschwitz-Birkenau and the Nazi extermination camps that I visited when in Poland. The year was 1979 in Cambodia under the rule of Pol Pot, a Cambodian Nationalist revolutionary who led the Khmer Rouge that murdered over three million people. The Memorial stands among the shady fruit groves and still present mass graves.
Located about 15 Kilometers from the down town area of Phnom Penh a memorial site called Choeung Ek which is now known as the Choeung Ek Memorial sits for visitors and history to view. The mass graves sits on 2 hectors of land, although there were others sites similar, this one may have been the main stage and most haunted by brutality. The 1988 built pagoda structured memorial stands and houses the remains from some of the 18-20,000 men, women, and children that were tortured and killed here under the Khmer Rouge regime. The area also known as the Cambodian Killing Fields.
A few of the millions who were murdered
Skulls from the Killing fields at Choeung Ek from the Khmer Rouge sieged on the people of Phnom Penh Cambodia
The killing tree, where children were beaten to death Choeung Ek of Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
The pagoda and the mass graves of the killing fields at Choeung Ek from the Khmer Rouge sieged on the people of Phnom Penh Cambodia
Squatting next to one of the mass graves from the killing fields of Phnom Penh Cambodia- part of the 3 million people who died in 1979.
Bones and dental remains
Human jaw from 30+ years ago comes to the surface after the rainy season.
Bone fragments still remain from the mass graves of the killing fields .
The 39 meter tall pagoda dedicated memorial at Choeung Ek for the rage and deaths that he Khmer Rouge sieged on the people of Phnom Penh Cambodia.
After seeing all of this, now the real life mixes with the words I’ve read manifesting inside of me to feel outrage mixed with sadness and disgust. Disgust that still today there are people in our world that have the ability to control and do such outlandish acts on other human beings. It hurts me to know that this happened relatively recently in the past 35 years and may still be happening in other places in our world today. How is it that we humans can allow for such cruel and unjust treatments of life.
Crossing over the border from Laos to Cambodia and the “Passport Visa Stamp Charge”
Standing In Laos looking south to Cambodia.
The rumors are true, crossing the Lao Cambodia border has some hick ups, be prepared to pay a “STAMP CHARGE” of 2 USD not once but twice and an additional 1USD for some medical paperwork on the Cambodian side. All in the game of Travel my friends.
Even for the wise traveler seeking a visa prior to will have to pay. As “everyone pays my friend”. Oh and the folks who like to overstay their welcome the allotted time on your visa may be 30 days, remember that each day you overstay you will pay 10 USD. So be ready to pay.
Southern Laos Cambodian land Border check out.
I heard about the “stamp charge” and or “bribe” whatever you wish to call it. I wasn’t thrilled and even questioned it, however eventually forked over 2 USD like the twenty some odd other European sheep crossing over the border. Once you cross the no mans land on the other side you will be presented the “same same but different” Stamp fee.
As for the 1 USD charge I showed the lady my Yellow Fever booklet and said “No Thanks” to the extra dollar. I think she was confused as all the other herding sheep just paid out of their fat wallets. She had her boss look at my yellow fever booklet, I was waived through.
Hello Cambodia! In addition to the visa in my passport is the arrival and departure card.
So maybe you can show your booklet too and save a buck to eat your next meal in Cambodia too. A small price but it adds up after a while when you are on the road. Minor set backs like this seem like only 4 dollars here and there but when you are a world traveling backpacker for extended time away from making money every penny counts. So whether it is legal or not, right or wrong I had to respect both countries Laos and Cambodia because that is the way they handled the border, and quit frankly I didn’t want to miss my bus on the account of not paying a “bribe/stamp charge”. It’s all in the game of travel my friends. Enjoy.
Card game with Lao locals
I was invited into a hut to watch a local game of cards. Pretty interesting situation.
One of my last stories from Laos was one I’ll remember forever. Being invited into a dark hut never seems like a good idea when there are a bunch of small Asian men with machete’s squatting around smiling at you, waving you towards… This hut was used as the local corner store selling snacks and beer but today was the hangout where a group of village men sat around the floor playing cards on a dusty matte and old t-shirt as the playing field. I clearly was already standing out as the only white boy around for hectors, so I made the most of it, I weighed my options, I stepped inside to capture the moment. It was great, the sunlight found its way through the bamboo and thatch walls illuminating the small cramped space with enough light to play. With plenty of the local brew being sipped, voices pitched as cards were being slapped down. I was waved in closer; I squatted next to them and tried to learn the game. I wasn’t going to try and capture the moment with a few clicks of my camera, but then I felt compelled to share this with the folks back home. Cheers to all my Guy friends out there to one day we play a round of cards and think of the places in the world where there are people just like us living life, doing their thing while we do ours. The big picture is just that, Life is a gamble, no matter where you live in the world and we are all in it together.
Godzilla dies in Laos, gutted, cleaned and cooked
Godzilla? gutted cleaned and later cooked.