Phew!
Trip Start
May 03, 2008
1
14
47
Trip End
May 02, 2009
Phnom Penh,
Cambodia
Saturday, June 7, 2008
On first glance Phnom Penh is a bit daunting with it's darkened streets at night and reputation but to some extent it doesn't tell the full story. Sure it was the only place that we took tuk tuks at night (just to be on the safe side), but the food was nice and while the people weren't as friendly as Laos, they were much nicer than Vietnam!
After arriving in the late afternoon the previous day, we set out late to visit the Royal Palace which to be honest was a disappointment. Anybody that's visited the palace in Bangkok will see this one as a poor more expensive copy, it cost 4 euro each to get in, which out here is pretty high. After that we walked around a bit and had a nice dinner but setting ourselves up for the difficulty of the next day.
The difficulty was visiting Slueng 21 (Section 21) the next morning. The former school was used as detention/ reeducation/ torture camp by the Khmer Rouge in their reign in the mid seventies. Today it is a crumbling block of buildings which houses hundreds of photographs of the former guests, some rooms they were held in and some of their their remains that have been found. To say the place is bleak does not describe it and I would liken it to Auschwitz or something similar.
Tuol Sleung 21 Bats on the ceiling
What makes it strange is that the Khmer Rouge documented what they did with thousands of photographs, every inmate was photographed on entry and some photograph on their "exit". Sadly most didn't survive and the photos of their "exit" are understandably horrible to see the brutality. One photo struck a chord, most of the inmates in their mug shots held either a blank expression or a look of anger, but in one photo I found, there is a man who's expression is that of the depths of fear. It speaks louder than words.Now the area is empty and in a sorry state, there are holes in the roof where bats sleep and the walls are crumbling. Though it is good that it hasn't been brushed under carpet and that it raises awareness. However on further reading on the net, the leader of the compound is only now this minute being brought to justice, after thirty years. This is a country that hasn't been able to leave the past behind yet.
After Section 21 we headed out to Chueng Elk better known as the "Killing Fields". To the naked eye it looks like a sleepy orchard with craters dotted along but there is no mistaking the large stupa in the centre. The stupa has thirty shelves all full to the brim with human skulls and all found at this one site. Indeed there are mass graves here which haven't been unearthed yet and sadly the fate of many from Section 21 ended up here.
Suitably subdued after our day we headed back into town and booked our ticket to Siem Reap. To be adventurous we tried out a market nearby for dinner. With much pointing I had pork and noodles and it was pretty tasty and cheap. And no, no after effects at all. Another early rise the next day, another long journey.
