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Published: March 28th 2014
...Coming off the boat in Phnom Pehn, we were surrounded by a mass of tuk-tuk and taxi drivers willing to offer us a good price to the hotel. Our problem was, we didn't know where to go. Jesus, a Spanish guy from Valladolid, which we chatted to on the last section of the tour, also had no idea. So we decided to stay together and look for a room. We picked a nice hotel, looking for one close to some bars, or with a TV as Valladolid where playing Barca that evening. It was Valladolid fight against relegation and they were also the team which would decide if the La Liga champions come from Madrid or Barcelona.
This was a great laugh, unfortunately they were relegated and luckily Barca won the league.
The next few days here we visited some sights, always on the search for the cheapest taxi. Jesus, being Spanish did most of the bargaining. The cheapest we got was a moped willing to take us two back home from the pub for 1 dollar.
Our first major sight being the
Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and what a sight it was. Although it has been a quarter of a decade
since the school was misused as a prison by the ruthless and mad
Khmer Rouge, time has stood still. For tourist reason of cause.
With some of the beds used for tying up suspects still placed in the rooms, torture utilities lying in the corner and the portraits of 17.000 people staring out from the past through polaroid prints its easy to feel the hate, terror and sadness this place beholds.
Its shocking and ones of the worst places I have ever been. Due to the openness of the exhibition it is some what more "in your face" than some KZ I've visited.
How a sign of hope turned into a regime of fear is described on the walls, in between the original numbers painted to count and identify the inmates. I spent a little to long inside, reading the history while Jesus and Diana where waiting for an hour outside.
I'm glad we went, as it gives an in-depth site of the
Khmer Rouge which destroyed their country and their people. The effects it has can still be easily found today.
Next of, temples. Jesus had researched his book and had a few more sights on his wish list.
We
decided to meet later at the Royal Palace to visit the
Silver Pagoda as Diana and I were not that keen on more walking and more temples.
The Royal Palace is amazing with all its gardens and buildings. Brightly coloured and exquisitely designed. The silver pagoda, as well as being nice was slightly a let down. The floor was still layered with silver tiles, but covered with carpet. It would have been nicer to forbid entrance for tourist, and to leave the tiles uncovered.
We strolled around the gardens for a while under the blazing sun until we could stand no more.
The next day it was off to Angkor, Siem Reap to view some of man-made finest buildings.
The site is truly wonderful. It was a nice welcome to see something which still left us amazed. The carving is some of the finest around, the architect is unbelievable and its all round of with the feeling of being Indiana Jones. Which was the theme we continues to whistle for the next 3 days.
Despite being so overwhelming, there isn't much to say, apart from "have a look yourselves one day".
The heat was unbearable but it didn't stop
us from spending 8 hours a day there. Well, we did cut the third day a bit shorter, but then they do start to look all the same...
After some wonderful days together, and the end coming close. We decided to make our wy back to Thailand and to enjoy the last two weeks on a beach....
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