Sightseeing in Phnom Penh

Breakfast was included on the room rate and did everything to confirm that the food here at the hotel is not that good.
TJ my TukTuk driver was waiting for me at 8.45 and there were three items on my agenda. The Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda, The Killing Fields and S21 the detention Centre.

The Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda in many ways is similar to the Royal Palace in Bangkok, minus the cheating gypsy bastards that hang around outside trying to rip you off. In my opinion it was nicer albeit not as renovated in some areas. It was very much worth a visit though.























































The next stop was the killing fields of Choeung Ek. The former orchard is now a peaceful memorial to thousands of people executed between 1975 and 1979. A 35 metre memorial has been built in the centre of the orchard and houses some 8,000 skulls and bones of the victims. As you wander through the almost serene gardens there are fragments of clothing coming through the ground on the paths. One can only imagine the horrors that took place. There is a museum that charts the history of the area and a film tells the story. This is only one of many areas that served as an extermination camp. It is a very peaceful place now, people are wandering around in silence. I lit an incense stick and laid some flowers in memory of the dead.















































I was in two minds whether to visit but decided in favour. It is an important part of Cambodia's recent history.

Choeung Ek is about 15km outside the city. From there we headed back into town for the third stop. The infamous Tuol Sleng or S21. Formally Tuol Svay Prey High school it was taken over by Pol Pot's regime and turned into a detention centre and prison. The last stop for many before being taken to Choeung Ek.

The various blocks of the school house photographs of the victims, the cells and implements of torture.

























One very poignant piece of graffiti was been written on the wall.

' When this was a school, nobody died'
' When this was a prison, nobody learned'










































It is hard to imagine what went on here. It is in a residential area, in fact there are houses nearby that overlook the school courtyard and buildings.
One of the blocks has 8 citations from people who used to work in S21. They were interviewed again in 2002 and the ' now and then ' photos accompany the narrative.

A very sobering morning............

I left TJ at the hotel
' You, know Mr Steve, the worst thing is we did it to each other'
I arranged to meet him at 7pm, he was going to take me on a night tour.....
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Location:Monireth Blvd,,Cambodia