On Sunday we decided to visit Kanchanaburi - about 140 kms west of Bangkok and the site of the famous Bridge on the River Kwai. We didn't actually make it to the bridge this time - mainly because it was so hot, but also because the actual bridge is not the one created by the Allied prisioners of war. That was destroyed in 1946, and believe it or not the film 'Bridge on the RIver Kwai' was actually shot in Sri Lanka.We did spend about 30 minutes in the Kanchanaburi Allied War Cemetary - home to almost 7,000 British, Australian and Dutch soliders who died at the hands of the Japanese. It was a very surreal and moving experience.
Lindsey,
ReplyDeleteI know exactly what you mean - very moving and humbling. It was summed up for me by words on one of the graves. It simply said 'He died so England can live'.
Andrew.