A Country of Bones, Oceans of Blood

Welcome to Cambodia

A country of bones, oceans of blood. Welcome to Cambodia. I learned a lot yesterday. We went with a local guide to a Khmer Rouge prison, one of the largest, and learned about Cambodia's political history of the 20th century. They were under French colonial rule until 1953, and then under democratic monarchy until 1970 when the government was overthrown in a coup with help from the CIA, because the king was starting to get cozy with China. The Khmer Rouge, or literally "Red Cambodia," were communist revolutionaries supported by China and led by a Khmer leader who changed his name to "Pol Pot," short for "political potential." Pol Pot had spent years studying world dictators and their ideologies and methods, determined to develop the most "perfect" system. China convinced the deposed king to support Pol Pot and his revolutionaries with promises to restore him to the throne, which of course never happened.

The Perfect System

Pol Pot's "perfect" system reflected the communist ideals of a class-less, agrarian-based society. When the Khmer Rouge took control of the country in 1975 after years of bloody civil war, the first thing they did was to evacuate the cities - they moved all people into the countryside to become laborers and farmers. Phnom Penh, a city of 2.5 million, was reduced to 72 people. They also set out on a brutal campaign to "cleanse" the country of the "enemy" - all educated people, doctors, professionals, light-skinned Cambodians, foreigners, Viet Cong, KGB "spies," and on and on. In typical megalomania fashion, Pol Pot was extremely paranoid. Schools, temples, and hospitals were turned into prisons for these political prisoners, highlighting the regime's priorities.

All Were Victims

We visited S-21, a former school, and one of the largest of the hundreds of prisons created. The prisoners were held, interrogated, and tortured before being taken to the killing fields. Of all the prisoners in all the prisons (20,000 from this one alone), only 11 people survived the 3 years, 8 months, and 20 days of the Khmer Rouge's regime. The guide repeated that number often, like an indelible memory pressed into the hearts of the Cambodian people.

S-21 Rules

Memorial on the former prison grounds

In these 3 years, 8 months, and 20 days, between 1.7 and 3 million Cambodian people were brutally murdered. 25% of the population. Today Cambodia has very young demographics - 50% of the country is under 20 years old, and only 10% is over 50. There are very few older people around. Our guide said chillingly - "any older people in our country are either victims or perpetrators, although all were victims." Of the prison guards and those who worked in the killing fields, about 90% were between the ages of 12 and 20. Children asked to torture and kill or be killed themselves.

Three of the Eleven Total Survivors

S-21

There Were No Survivors

We visited one of the killing fields located about 17 km outside of the capital, one of I believe a staggering 388 that were used between 1975 and 1979. Most prisoners were only held long enough to beat and torture out a confession, then transferred to the killing fields. The Killing Fields is the name for the mass graves located in fields where people were executed and their bodies piled in pits.

Most prisoners arrived naked so their prison uniforms could be reused. They were killed one by one. Not with bullets, but by bludgeoning. Three guards worked at the top of the pits, smashing the skulls of the blindfolded and bound prisoners. They were then tossed into the pit where two more guards waited and cut their throats for good measure. Often when finished with a night of "work" - 100 people per night, growing to 300 a night by 1979 - the guards would pour acid chemicals on the bodies to help with the smell, and just to be extra sure there were no survivors.

The Killing Fields

Were children spared? Mothers? Elderly? No. In the paranoid mind of Pol Pot, their blood was tainted. If their parents were VC spies, even infants could not be spared. And for the record, almost none were actually VC spies.

The Children's Tree

In the middle of the killing fields was a tree. The children's tree. Where babies and small children were taken by their ankles and bashed against the tree while their mothers watched. The guards, the child guards, would then rape the mothers who had just watched their children smashed to death, and then kill them too. The naked mothers and children were found together in a mass grave. These accounts came from the guards themselves, since there were no survivors.

The Children's Tree

The Mass Grave Next to the Tree

Personal Reflections

It was a hard day. I wasn't sure how I would react or be able to handle this going in, and it wasn't what I expected. When we crossed the threshold of the site, I got very agitated, like I wanted to crawl out of my own skin. I kept watching the ants underfoot and it was hot and I was sticky and why did the guide stop here for so long?! I wanted to scream and scratch my skin, it was a powerful and horrible feeling. It took me a few minutes actually until it dawned on me - was I reacting to this place? Yes, I'm hot and bothered but I've been hot and bothered for the last 1.5 months straight and haven't felt anything like this. It was as if the anguish of the victims, the terror and pain they felt in their last moments was still screaming from the dirt and dust. Country of bones. Oceans of blood.

Memorial Building at the Killing Fields

Skulls Recovered from the Mass Graves

What We Have Done

The Viet Cong invaded in 1979 after Pol Pot tried unsuccessfully to invade Vietnam, and ended the Khmer Rouge's reign of terror. How do we keep learning this lesson and repeating the absolutely unthinkable, most inhuman behavior we're capable of as a species? Bosnia. Rwanda. Burma. In philosophical discussions, I used to believe that the basic nature of humans is good, that at our heart we are good and are of goodness. I don't know what to believe anymore. Something more complicated and darker. We're capable of such good and such horror, and none are exempt.

That was hard to write, but it's important to me that I remember. That I can share and bear witness to these atrocities, even in the 3rd, 4th hand and continents and years away. As a collective whole of humanity, we must not forget what we have done and what we are capable of. 

Petra, Wadi Rum, and the Dead Sea

Continued from "Hiking the Jordan Trail"

Little Petra

One of the more technical and exciting parts of the trail came on our way into “Little Petra,” where our donkeys and guides left us and we had to scramble down through and over rocks on narrow ledges and high cliffs. We rested for lunch in a clearing at the bottom, in the shade of the cliff and some trees, surrounded by delicate desert wildflowers that were blooming because of the recent and unseasonable rain. 

Desert Wildflowers

Climbing up into little Petra felt like a scene out of Indiana Jones or Tomb Raider, climbing roughly hewn stone steps into a narrow passageway. I can imagine how crazy and exciting it must have been to “re-discover” this area - although, caveat that the local Bedouins were quite aware of Petra well before white people “found” it. Today this mysterious staircase emerges into a gift market, which was surprising and not just a little jarring after days of being in the wilderness. 

Discovering Little Petra

Bedouin Craftwoman in Little Petra

Little Petra is filled with transient shops set up by Bedouins in the passageway, selling scarfs and other wares to tourists. We stayed that night in a camp in little Petra run by Bedouins, our first night out of a tent and in a bed and also with people outside of our group. It felt strange to be among other people again, we had gotten so used to our relative solitude. 

Bedouin Camp at Little Petra

Petra

The next morning we made the ~2.5 hour hike from little Petra into the back of Petra. I would highly, highly recommended this entrance to anyone physically able to make the walk. Suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere, the enormous Monastery emerged from the rock cliffs we had been walking through. 

The Monastery Emerges among the Goats

Pausing for tea and picture on the way into Petra

Petra is a very large site, which I did not realize, previously only having seen pictures of the famous Treasury. However, it’s a whole city which spans quite a large area. Petra was created by the Nabateans and was at its height in the 1st century BC. Unfortunately, the Nabateans did not record anything about themselves or their history, so all that is known about them is from contemporary historians. The Nabateans ran a flourishing trade route through the crossroads of Asia until the Romans ran them out of business by diverting trade to Egyptian ports rather than the lengthier ground route through the desert. 

Hirable Donkey Guides

All the names in Petra, such as the “Monastery” and the “Treasury” come from the nicknames the Bedouins had for them, but they’re not accurate to their usage. The “Monastery” for example was called such because there were crosses carved into the wall, but archaeologists believe it was used to prepare bodies for burial. However and like the entire complex, theories on its usage are educated hypotheses that can’t be confirmed due to the lack of records. 

The Monastery in Petra

I recommend entering Petra via the Monastery rather than the Treasury because the Monastery is all the way at the other end and after a long, steep uphill climb that would be punishing in the heat. It was punishing enough going downhill, which is what we did. The Monastery is stunning and worth seeing. It’s less ornate, but larger than the more famous Treasury, and far less crowded. 

Walking through Petra is surreal. While nearly all of the freestanding structures that existed are ruble now because of earthquakes, the facades carved into the stone are stunningly well-preserved. It’s nearly unfathomable to contemplate their age, well before the time of Jesus. Our guides explained (and it’s self-evident) the skill, artistry, planning, and engineering that went into each structure. They are carved directly out of the rock, perfectly proportioned and symmetrical. 

Facades in Petra

The Treasury in Petra

Cats of Petra

We returned to Petra in the cooler evening for “Petra by Night”, a music show, story, and light-show. Our group of skilled professionals and consultants was relentless in its critique and recommendations for ways to improve the experience (all valid). While the production itself was underwhelming, it was special to walk in guided by the candle-lit luminaries that lined the Siq (the long, narrow slot canyon entryway), and simply sit in front of the Treasury in the calm and cool of the night. 

Petra by Night

Wadi Rum

After spending the morning exploring a little more of Petra, we departed for Wadi Rum, a protected desert wilderness reserve. If you go to Jordan, you must include Wadi Rum on your itinerary, and I’d recommend at least a couple full days. It’s almost impossible to describe the scale, beauty, and impact the place has. It’s been used as the setting for foreign planets in movies such as “The Martian” and the new Star Wars series because it’s absolutely otherworldly. One of our guides was an alien extra in the newest Star Wars in a scene that was shot in Wadi Rum. 

Wadi Rum

We raced into the desert on what they called “jeeps” (pick-up trucks with bench seats) and it felt like a scene out of Mad Max. We climbed up a sand dune in bare feet and felt small. We posed for silly shots on a natural rock bridge and watched a soft sun set over the dunes, and finally headed to our camp on the reserve. 

Wadi Rum "Jeeps"

Group Shenanigans in Wadi Rum

Strike a Pose

The Dead Sea

On our final full day, we headed back to Amman, but stopped at the Dead Sea on the way for a few hours. What an odd sensation! Floating in the Dead Sea is what I imagine it might feel like to be submerged in gelatin. It’s impossible to sink. Our entire group did the self-service mud treatment, where you slather yourself in thick, dark Dead Sea mud, let it dry (“bake” in the sun), and then rinse off in the sea. It’s supposed to have all sorts of rejuvenating qualities, but at a minimum it was fun and my skin and hair felt very soft afterwards. 

Dead Sea Spa Treatment

Wadi Mujib

On my final day in Jordan and after the official end of the trip, I visited Wadi Mujib with some of my new friends. “Wadi” means canyon. I was a little on the fence about going; my thought process: “Eeeeh, more hiking?” But it was supposed to be a pretty cool water hike through a canyon. I had no idea. This was one of the highlights of the trip, and I almost didn’t go! We went early in order to be the first to arrive (which turned out to be a great idea), and kind of laughed when they made us wear life-jackets. 

Due to the recent rains, there was much more water than normal. It turned out to be a canyoning, rock-climbing, swimming obstacle course! We hiked up against the current, which was so strong we had to use ropes in some places to pull through against it. I led the group through some of the most challenging parts, problem-solving the best path and best technique to get through. I can’t remember the last time I’ve enjoyed myself with such a childlike joy. The hike ends at an impassible waterfall, then you turnaround and go back. There were some great stretches where we were able to just ride the currents. 

Wadi Mujib

Amman

For my last sunset in Jordan, I visited the Citadel, an archeological complex sitting on the highest hill in Amman. I wandered around in the golden light, marveling at the effortless juxtaposition between ancient and modern, being thankful for this beautiful experience and for being exactly where I was at that moment.

Amman, Old and New

The Citadel in Amman

Hiking the Jordan Trail

The Jordan Trail

The Jordan Trail is a newly designated official trail that traverses Jordan from North to South. It’s gaining popularity since National Geographic featured an article on it a few years ago, saying "the hike sets you up to enter Petra in a receptive frame of mind, ready to absorb the mystical qualities of the Rose Red City."

I joined two work friends to hike a small portion of the trail, from Dana to Petra, and kick off my sabbatical. We went through a Jordanian travel company named "Experience Jordan" and booked a 5 day trek, plus a couple extra days for Wadi Rum and the Dead Sea. 

We started in Amman, Jordan, the capital of Jordan and a large city. We met our guides, Mahmood and Taz, and our group of 14, which varied in age from 24 to 66. Just like Istanbul, Amman was unseasonably cold, and I was worried I didn’t have warm enough clothes especially for tent camping in the desert. Luckily, I was able to pop into a shopping mall and buy a (cute) winter jacket on clearance from a shop called the American Store. We departed early the next morning to Dana to begin our hike.

View of the trail from the Dana Reserve 

Those First Few Steps

We descended into the misty valley from the Dana Reserve. It’s a poignant moment to take the first few steps of what you know is going to be a journey of many, many steps. We walked all day, slowly getting to know each other and our own legs. That first night we set up our first camp, and by “we”, I mean we walked into camp where the team supporting us had already pitched our Coleman tents and transported our big, overnight bags. I was assigned a roomie, an awesome nurse anesthetist originally from Philly but living in Hawaii. We had a our first Bedouin-style dinner, sitting on cushions in a tent, enjoying a family-style meal prepared by our cook. The food on the trip was simple, fresh, full of herbs, delicious and satisfying. I’m sure our enjoyment of the meals was also amplified by 7-8 hours of walking a day. I’m not sure if I’ve ever eaten with such gusto.

Home Sweet Trail Home

Life with the Bedouins

The food in Jordan is what I’d describe as a mix of Mediterranean and Arabic. We ate a lot of rice with vegetables and meat, and mezzas - hummus, lebenah (a creamy, rich yogurt), baba ganoush (smokey eggplant dip) and cucumber, tomato, and parsley salads with pita bread. The first night we had lamb meatballs with peppers and onions in a curry over rice. Again, it might be the exhaustion, but it was one of the best meals I’ve ever had.

Dinner Time

The second day, we had two Bedouin guides and their donkeys join us, because despite how many times our Jordanian guides had walked the trail, they still didn’t know the terrain well enough to navigate through the mountains. I should mention that the Jordan trail is not marked like the long, through-trails in the U.S, and I think it would be impossible to navigate without the help of local guides.

Bedouin Guides on the Jordan Trail

A Bedouin and his donkey

Group Dynamics

Walking for many hours a day left plenty of time for both silent contemplation and getting to know our group. Personal opinion here, but it takes a generally interesting person to want to visit the Middle East and do a wilderness hike. In our group, there was a guy from Vegas who had spent four years in his twenties traveling the U.S. in a train with the Ringling Brother’s Circus. A lawyer who had converted away from Mormonism and retired at 55. A trio from Australia who were all in their mid-60s and could keep up and/or beat the youngest of us. The young geologists also from Australia who worked in mining. It was a diverse group and made for many hours of interesting conversation. Our Jordanian guides were also very good and very involved. They made such a funny duo, Mahmood a young, energetic guy recently out of school, and Mutaz (Taz for short), a serious and thoughtful man in his early 30s with a passion for the outdoors. They were willing to share so much of themselves and their lives, our friendship with them added a lot of substance to our trip and to our understanding of their country.

Group photo on the trail

Views from the trail

The second night we camped on a cliff with a brilliant view of the mountains. It was reminiscent for me of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia, they way they gently folded into the distance. The wind was so strong that night, we thought we might blow away.

Unique Desert Terrain

The trail itself was very beautiful and different then other terrain I’ve walked through. It was desert, but not the flat or sand dune covered walk I might have expected. We climbed up and down, through and around the dessert mountains, frequently pausing in awe of the long views over the land. We were close enough to see the West Bank.

Also as an aside, we drank a lot of tea on the trail - usually black tea steeped with fresh herbs such as mint, sage, or wormwood, giving the tea a deep, strong flavor. I had tea break withdrawal when our trek was finished.

My favorite campsite was nestled among strange rocky formations that looked like skulls. Next to our site were structures that had been carved into the rocks that our guides estimated to be 2,000 years old and had been likely used for crushing grapes and making wine. It was also warm enough that I was finally brave enough to take a camp shower consisting of a cup and bucket of water. Again because of the warmth, we stayed up “late” that night, lounging on our cushions in the Bedouin tent, talking about topics ranging from religion to tax law. We were so exhausted every day, staying up past 9 pm felt extreme.

Camping among ancient archeological sites

Relaxing in the Bedouin tent

Part 2 of my Jordan Adventure is next - Petra, Wadi Rum, and the Dead Sea!

Turkish Delites

I'm taking a three month sabbatical from work. I've been wanting to do this for a long time, and I was finally able to make it happen. I'm spending the first couple of months traveling and the remaining time with my mother. She finally scheduled some much needed surgery, so I'll be helping her R&R. In the next two months, I'll be visiting seven countries, six of which I've never been to before. It's a little bit shocking that I'm already three weeks in and have visited four countries. 

FIRST UP - 48 HOURS IN ISTANBUL, TURKEY

I'm doing most of this trip solo but started with friends, my travel buddies from work. In 2017 we hiked the Salkantay Trail to Machu Picchu together, and this year we decided to do the Jordan Trail to Petra. On the way to Jordan, we stoped in Istanbul for a couple of nights. Because we only had one full day, we arranged a private guide to show us around. It was worth every penny to get the most out of our short time. He not only added a lot of knowledge, but was able to save us time getting into the most popular sites because of the expedited, separate "guide" entrance lanes. 

We started our morning in the drizzly cold but eventually the sun came out. The same places we had been in the morning were nearly unrecognizable, the sunshine transformed the city so vibrantly.

Hagia Sofia (Morning)

Hagia Sofia (Afternoon)

Hagia Sofia is a fascinating place. It was a church for 916 years and a mosque for 482 years. It's also super old, making it's construction and existence even more impressive. At the time of it's creation, it was such an achievement that it became a blueprint for many grand places of worship that followed.

When Hagia Sofia was converted into a mosque, they built the minarets, covered up Christian mosaics and paintings, and added verses from the Koran. Plaster was used to cover up the bright gold Christian mosaics, accidentally preserving them quite well. Today Hagia Sofia is not used for religious services and is under restoration. In some parts, they're restoring the original Christian images, in others the Islamic additions. The coexistence of Christian and Muslim symbolism is quite beautiful. 

Inside of Hagia Sofia

These use to be candles

Out a window of Hagia Sofia

Uncovered mosaic from the Christian period in Hagia Sofia

We also visited the Blue Mosque, which is still an active mosque today. It was also under construction.

Inside the Blue Mosque

Blue Mosque

The Blue Mosque and Hagia Sofia are practically next to each other, as is the cistern - and underground aquifer. I recognized it immediately from a scene in Dan Browns' Angels & Demons. It was quite spooky and dark. Unfortunately the water was drained for cleaning while we were there, as I'm sure the reflections in the water would have made it even cooler and spookier. Hagia Sofia was built reusing many materials such as columns from earlier pagan temples, and the underground cistern was built using columns they didn't use for Hagia Sofia. It was very odd to see these beautiful, ornately carved, marble columns that were covered with water for hundreds of years for a purely functional purpose. 

The Cistern

The Medusa Column

We then headed to another, less crowded mosque that was not under construction. Afterwards, we sat at a rooftop cafe, sipping tea while the call to prayer started. There are many mosques in the city, and each do their own call to prayer which starts when the sun reaches a certain point. It was as if we were listening to a chorus - it started with one call, then the next joined, and the next, and so on, until we were surrounded by an echoing symphony. 

We walked through Istanbul's famous bazaars and spice market, which are truly overwhelming in the people and smells, but also very beautiful in the colors and textures. We bought some Turkish delights, which I had never seen in the "log" form before. They are much fresher and tastier than the cube version. My favorite was a rose flavored one covered in rose petals and pistachios. 

Istanbul Bazaar

Spice Market

We finished the day by taking a ferry to the Asian side of Istanbul. The city is split between two continents, Europe and Asia.

Shoreline of Istanbul

Of course while in Turkey, I had to try Turkish coffee. It is very thickly brewed and strong with cardamon, and served in a small cup. The first time I had coffee with cardamon, I wasn't a fan, but it's grown on me tremendously. 

Turkish coffee with a Turkish delight

Istanbul street at night

I'm very glad we stopped in Istanbul and saw as much as we did in such a short time, but I'd definitely love to come back and see more of the city and more of Turkey.