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Phnom Penh
Wed 18.12.19 - Thu 19.12.19
This morning up early again! We took a ‘luxury’ coach to Phnom Penh - the capital city - and what is now the industrial, commercial, cultural and historical centre of Cambodia. The journey took us along very dusty roads past paddy fields, small and large towns busy with traffic and people, massive Chinese factory complexes and just outside Phnom Penh a huge Army HQ. We dropped our bags and met Piotr and his sister Milena (who both live in London). We then went to Romdeng for lunch, a social enterprise restaurant helping marginalised young people. Charles then took us on an orientation walk passing the Central Market, the old French colonial Post Office, Wat Phnom (across the road there was a tree with lots of huge fruit bats the like I haven’t seen since Sydney), the night market (which was just setting up) and along the river by Sisowath Quay stopping for a few beverages in a bar overlooking the river. Had a Lebanese dinner - good falafels and very creamy homous.
The next day we were collected by our guide and visited the Choeung Ek Extermination Centre more commonly known as "The Killing Fields". It’s hard to comprehend the enormity of the atrocities carried out by the Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge regime - the sheer number of men, women, children and babies that were exterminated throughout Cambodia. There is a glass shrine housing 8,000+ human skulls......I have no words. We then headed back to the city to visit the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (also know as S-21), which was the secret centre of a network of around 200 prisons used but the Khmer Rouge and one of the most feared prison and torture camps. This made it so real with pictures of the young soldiers and the prisoners. The length of time spent here depended on how quickly they gave up their friends, colleagues and family. They were then transported to "The Killing Fields” for extermination. They exterminated everyone with an eduction, in the government, who wore glasses, teachers or anyone who might oppose them, closing schools, hospitals and factories etc. The population dropped from 7m to 4m in less than 4 years. I only managed to go to the 2nd block in the museum I couldn’t continue (F). After our tour we caught a tuk tuk to the Russian market...Fee’s kind of market as there was a large section with tools, stopping for lunch at Vibe a vegan restaurant. We started to walk to the Royal Palace but it was just to hot and sticky so we caught a tuk tuk. The Royal Palace is the King's official residence. Although the enormous throne room is closed to visitors the doors and windows are open so you can see in. Very ornate painted ceilings, gold everywhere and huge chandeliers. Even the outside of the buildings are very ornately decorated. Indian for dinner - excellent aloo gobi. Selena announced she’s leaving the tour tomorrow morning to head for Angkor Wat which leaves the four of us. Phnom Pehn is reflective of the rest of Cambodia, a country divided by poverty and wealth, families living in slum conditions whilst luxury cars/SUVs drive past. 35% of Cambodians live in poverty ie earning less than £1.50 per day/£550 per year (with the average salary being £2,500 per year). On the outskirts of Phnom Penh there were quite a few big executive housing developments.
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