Phnom Penh

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I like Phnom Penh, it is a laid back city of one million, the people are friendly and there is a nice ambiance brought about by some nice colonial French architecture. (Unusual legacy from such a xenophobic culture!)
We spent one chilling day visiting the solemn sights of the S-21 prison, and the El-Chouk killing fields where thousands of innocents (men, women, children) were tortured and murdered under the brutal Communist regime of the Khmer Rouge headed by Pol Pot. At the killing fields there is a monunent where all the skulls uncovered from the mass graves there have been stacked upon each other; it an unhappily tall building.
On the way home we quite inappropriately, but very enjoyably, journeyed to an illegal shooting range where we were unleashed with AK-47s (Kalashnikovs), Uzis, and shotguns. The power of these weapons was so awesome it seemed unnatural, to use or face one in anger must be a very hairy experience! For an amusing photo of me toting a Tommy gun and a Kalashnikov see Kate's website http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/TravellingKate/. As we left we were sold the possibility of venturing into the mountains so that we could shoot rocket launchers! There really are no boundaries out here! Maybe next time...

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