Phnom Penh

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After a bit of internal debate we took a tuk tuk to the Choeung Ek Killing fields. It was an interesting drive though poorer parts of town for 14 km along overcrowded roads and smells!!

The Killing Fields were deeply upsetting. There was an excellent audio tape which guided us around a number of significant sites.. The Khmer Rouge leader, Pol Pot, recruited country boys and drove the educated professional people from the cities in an effort to make all people equal. The intellectuals were sent to the couuntry to be "reeducated". Over 2 million people were killed. Babies and children were bludgened against a tree. There were bones and clothing poking up from the ground. The Khmer Rouge were actually recoginised by the UN as the official government but were toppled when Vietnam invaded. 1 in 4 of the population were killed. However, the audio guide was great with orchestral interludes and a well paced delivery. Interesting links were made to other genocides and the fact that "man's inhumanity to man" is universal. Some sobering thoughts.

We then went to Tuol Sleng Museum which had been a prison in a former high school where the interogations took place..a bit awful but not as bad as the killing fields.

We tried to walk back to town but got very confused as to directions and had to resort to a tuk tuk to the market place. The Royal Palace had quiet expensive admission fees so we opted to relax in air conditioning as it was very hot and humid.Gin and Tonic was $2.00. Excellen tmeal at the street kids restaurant...blueberry mango daiqueri, chicken spring rolls with tamarind sauce, and chicken, cashew and mango stir fry. Too full for dessert.

Next day was a very long bus ride to Siem Reap. Lots of traffic as we left Phnom Penh but hen we got to an expressway which went most of the way through the countryside. We stopped for lunch in a town with cockroaches running around and crickets on the menu. ( There were cricket traps, suspeded pastic sheets, on the farms). The bridge was built by Australian aid.

Arrived in Siem Reap about 4pm. Met by. driver and taken to Riverside Hotel ($20 inl breakfast and pool). Driver wanted $40 per day for car but settled for $25 for a tuk tuk. Great backpacker restaurant bar area in Pub Street. Saw a traditional dancing show over dinner.

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