Phnom Penh

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We began south-east Asia with 2 nights on Bangkok's notorious Khao San rd. Guest houses, street stalls, bars, vendors and travellers of every size and shape created its tacky, noisy, throbbing atmosphere. Knowing we would later return to Thailand, we wasted little time in booking a flight to Cambodia's capital.

The mellow vibe in Phnom Penh chilled us out immediately and completely. Unable to leave our comfortable guesthouse for days we passed our time in hammocks on the lakeside, eating banana pancakes. Before all our plans went up in smoke we wrenched ourselves from this passive existence to see some of Phnom Penh's sights.

Getting around in Phnom Penh first involved slipping past the resident guesthouse drivers (where are you going?) to find a cheaper deal on the street. Then there were two choices - moto (back of a motorbike) or remorque-moto (like a cart pulled by a man on a motorbike). The roads were always interesting and exciting: overloaded motos criss-crossing in co-operative chaos and ever-changing roadside views of food stalls, markets and jostling locals. The laid-back Cambodian lifestyle was perhaps best illustrated by the countless pyjama-clad women doing their shopping!

Coupled with some new friends we arrived at S21 (Tuol Sleng). This was the largest detention centre in the country during the horrifying Pol Pot regime. It was used to incarcerate and torture hundreds of thousands of innocent people. This former school building was converted into individual and group cells and torture rooms. Touring the museum we viewed a huge collection of photographs of the victims: men, women and children who were put through the interrogation process whereby they had to admit guilt to avoid torture. Walking around the tiny, individual brick cells, knowing that much of the evidence is still to be compiled left us feeling the sick reality of this recent humanitarian disaster.

During the regime around 17,000 prisoners from S21 were taken to the infamous 'killing fields' at nearby Choung Ek. We now made this same journey ourselves to visit the chilling location. The huge stupa (monument) stands at the centre and is used to store skulls and some of the clothes of the victims. In the surrounding area are many dug-out pits, that were used as mass graves for as many as 400 people each. Beneath our feet, bones and tattered clothes were still visible.

The S21 documentary film gave us an insight into the effects of this history on former prisoners and guards still alive today. In the 1970s when all this was happening, where was the rest of the world? Where are they now in helping this extremely poor and under-developed country.

Cambodia has its problems, past and present, but its people are relaxed and friendly, and know how to live for the moment.

We visited the riverside for some people-watching: locals relaxing, food stalls sizzling and small children scavenging in the bins for food.

The silver pagoda in the royal palace was quite impressive but David stayed home that day with another bout of tummy trouble. He also had to visit the dentist to have his root canal filled by a kind and capable American dentist. What a relief after Beijing!.

After one last banana pancake and a movie in our favourite bar we prepared ourselves to venture north. We were already loving this country.

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Photos

S21 Museum
Just a fraction of the faces on display

The Russian Market
Siesta for the workers

Comments

[Liz]

hi guys
Hi guys! Your trip looks absolutely amazing, I'm so glad you are having what seems to be such a mind-blowing experience! Great blogs and piccies. Bit concerned that all these years I may have been eating dog and not Tofu...! Lots of love from Lectern Lane : ) Liz xxxx

[jimmy?]

chilled out in Pnom Penh
what with laid back pyjama-clad shoppers and chilled out guesthouse tennants, it's hard to imagine the terrible past the people of this contry have had to endure. It speaks volumes of the local people that they could even be friendly with the outside world which abandoned them in those terrible Pol Pot years. Any way it seems from your blog that the people have adapted and moved forward without fogetting their past suffering.

[jimmy?]

chilled out in Pnom Penh continued:
It's nice to see you looking so completely relaxed and well David. (see Ahhh! photo). Just looking at the blog it seems to me, I may be wrong, that their is this most incredible family togetherness within the local community inspite of the obvious poverty. Anyone got a byke to sell or even share?

[Chris]

Thank you!!
Hello guys! I came home today to a wonderful surprise! Thank you so much for the lovely T-Shirt (I opened it a little early than I should have, but it's certainly a cool Birthday and Christmas present)!! Hope that you are both well and safe and enjoying the road. Are you guys still in China? My love to you both wherever you may be (I hope that it's warmer than here...) and have a wicked (alternative) Christmas!! with love from Chrisxxx

[Em, Em and Kez]

Hey you
Hey you, it's christmas eve and the girls are all together but there's one missing. We miss you babe, so much although we can go out and have a drink together we miss you loads. Christmas Eve was always the time we would always be together no matter what. I hope you are having a fantastic time and thinking about us becuse we are missing you loads. Calls us soon, we want to hear from you. Happy christmas, hope you have a fantastic time, we're all thinking of you and talking about you loads. Lots of love Emily, Kerri, Emily xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx