Cambodia - Phnom Penh

---

The roads in Phnom Penh were the most chaotic we had experienced so far, it was a great ride in the tuk tuk to our guesthouse, on the way passing loads of bakeries and European architecture, you can't miss the French influence!

We had to stay longer than we intended due to sorting visas so we decided not to rush around and had a few lay ins which were welcome after our busy and early starts visiting temples!

We visited the National Museum, and after reading about all the gems and gold found in many of the temples we were hoping to see some, but there was non! 😞. Plenty of sculptures dating back to the 5th century so very old, but after you've seen 20 you've seen enough! We visited the Royal Palace, and the couple of temples, not much to write about here!

The main reasons for stopping in Phnom Penh are to visit S-21 and the killing fields, both uncomfortable and very upsetting experiences, but something we had to learn about.

So, the evil being that was Pol Pot somehow got into power and his Khmer Rouge reigned terror for just under four years, in that time murdering 25% of the population. From what I gather it was an extreme form of communism and his ideals included money to be of no importance and that the past would be forgotten and the year would be 0.

He forced thousands to the countryside to farm in horrid conditions, split families up, beat and starved innocent people and a lot of other unimaginable things.

First we visited the killing fields in Choeung Ek, 15 km out of town. Walking around here and listening to the real life accounts (you're provided with headphones) hearing the stories are enough to make anyone cry. You are shown the spot where hundreds of Cambodians were chucked off trucks, blindfolded, starved and tortured and then dug their own graves before being buried alive. As you walk it is hard to imagine a place so calm now was once, not that long ago, the site of the most heinous acts possible. Walking around the mass graves fragments of bone, teeth and clothing are visible in the ground, it was horrific and I can't fathom what these poor people went through, it was heartbreaking.

You are shown the 'magic tree' not sure why it's named this, the tree once hung a large speaker that blared out music to try and cover the screams of the victims. Another tree with a mass grave for women and children next to it where victims were swung by their legs, heads cracked against the tree and then thrown in the pit. Pure evil.

There is a big memorial that houses thousands of skulls, you can see cracks in them from the torture, the small ones are the hardest to look at.

After a couple of hours we headed to S-21, Tuol Sleng. Now a museum this was once a school before Pol Pot turned it into an interrogation and torture centre. You can walk inside the once classrooms to see bed frames, chains and torture equipment left as it was found when the Khmer Rouge officials fled. I didn't look closely enough, but apparently you can still see blood stains on the floor.

All the innocent people that entered this hell house had their picture taken and many of these are displayed. Their number pinned to them, some through the skin on their chest, you can see the fear in their eyes. After the brutal interrogations it was then that people were herded on trucks and taken out of town to their death.

Unbelievably there are still Khmer Rouge officials waiting to be tried for their crimes, who have the audacity to deny they did any wrong! I was also shocked to hear that Pol Pot himself lived to 82 and had a great life, thousands of his victims did not make 2 years old.

It was a sad and intense day seeing the destruction and the evil of human nature. To find the Cambodian people warm and friendly after everything they have been through to be resilient and so amiable really amazed us both.

---

Photos

The killing tree
Women and children's heads smashed against before being thrown into a pit, then burried alive in the mass grave.

Comments

[Lou Hunn]

Phnom Penh -- must have been so very moving
Hi both, Thanks for yet another interesting addition to the blog, I am really enjoying keeping up with where you are and what you are up to. This latest addition re Phnom Penh was really interesting and I can imagine you must have found some of what you saw really difficult to take in. Im sure we dont know or understand the half of what those victims went through. Hope you are both keeping well and hope you had a lovely birthday Jane. Looking forward to the next chapter in your travels. Take care both. Lou Hunn