Phnom Penh and Siem Reap

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The journey to Cambodia was straightforward although we did spend ages at the Vietnam side of the border.

The countryside was spectacular with lots of buddist temples (unlike Vietnam which had none), with water buffalo and cows alongside the road.

The bus dropped us off nowhere near the hotel so we had to get a tuk-tuk. The hotel (Manor House) was lovely with a pool, free breakfast and a big room. The manager explained to us that the main currency was the US dollar even though they have their own currency. Even the restaurant's and bar's quote prices in US dollars. First thing we noticed was how much dearer than Vietnam it was.

The manager also booked a hotel in Siem Reap for us and told us about the buses. He was really helpful as were the rest of the staff. Our full day in Phnom Penh was spent doing the sights; The Killing Fields, S21, Wat Phnom, Central Market and the Royal Palace.

The Killing Fields and S21 (where people were held and tortured before being sent to be killed) were very moving. Reading about what happened to the 1.7 million people that were killed was hard to read at times, and equally as fascinating was the stories of the former guards who now live side by side with those people that survived. That the massacre was done by Cambodian's to other Cambodian's seems unbelievable.

After the harrowing sites we went to the Central Market where Chris got a new watch (having broken both his and mine) for $4. The final stop was the Royal Palace, where I had to hire a fetching pair of bright green trousers as my knees were showing beneath my shorts. The Palace and the buildings in the complex were very beautiful.

So after too short a time we were on a bus to Siem Reap. We were met by a guy from the hotel called Heng who took us to the hotel called the Golden Banana. The room was OK, not much privacy if you were using the loo though!

The main reason for coming to Siem Reap was to see the Temples of Angkor, which were so fantastic that there is a separate entry.

Tina

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Photos

Killing Fields
Pits where thousands of bodies were found

Killing Fields
Just some of the 8000 skulls on display

Killing Fields
The building housing the 8000 skulls

S-21
One of the buildings that held the prisioners

S-21
Some of the cells

S-21
Just some of the people murdered by the Khmer Rouge