Holiday in Cambodia Part 9

In the morning our tuktuk driver was there right on time. We told him everywhere we wanted to see and he started us on our way.

First stop of the day was the shooting range. A ways out of the city, down a few side streets and past some fields we entered an army compound and were directed towards the range. An army officer brought us out a 'menu' listing the weapons and the prices for them. The prices had gone up since the research i had done had been published, but i figure i dont often get a chance to fire weapons of this caliber. We decided to shoot an AK47 and an M-80. The M-80 especially on automatic mode was deafening. Also they both were very fun to shoot. We were offered a chicken to shoot for $15. we declined.

After that it was off to more somber destinations. the Khmer Rouge took over Cambodia and created a genocide that was as bad, if not worse than the holocaust. We first visited the killing fields, where many Doctors, artists, lawyers, and anyone educated was taken to be killed brutally by the Khmer Rouge soldiers. There were pits where the mass graves had been dug out, and some areas that the graves were left undisturbed. It was an eerily peaceful place, with the centerpeice being a large pagoda with the bones of the deceased on display.

Our Next stop was S21. Formerly a school, S21 was turned into a prison and one of the most notorious torture centers in Cambodia. Some classrooms were subdivided with simple brick and mortar into cells smaller than a twin bed. The Khemr Rouge made many records of thier prisoners, so rooms were filled with the mugshots of the prisoners who went through the prison, the majority of whom were then killed at the killing fields.

After those somber destinations we went to the National Museum. It was full of statues and relics that were rescued or returned from the Angkor ruins and other ancient temples around the country. As pretty as they all were eventually stone statues of Hindu Gods and Buddhas just blend together. The real highlight was the very impressive looking teak building that it was housed in.

By now it was already midafternooon and seriously time for us to have some lunch. Our driver took us to a place just around the corner from the Museum. Very good Khmer and Thai food selection.

There was one last stop to make for the day. While we were in Siem Reap we noticed that the gas station had Mountain Dew. MD is not sold in thailand, so this was a big deal. I bought 4 cans but they said that was all they had, and I hadnt seen any since. It took some explaining but we were able to get our driver to take us to a supermarket. There in the back, under cans of Dr. Pepper i found the jackpot. 24 packs of Mountain Dew. Was it very expensive? ungodly so. Did I still buy 2 twentyfour packs. Yes.

They were a hassle and a half to get accross the boarder. Not because it was hard to get past coustoms, but because everyone thought it was a fancy beer and wanted a free handout. It was incredibly frustrating and it really caused me to have a bad taste in my mouth in regards to the Khmers and their desperate begging and touting.