The Royal Palace (outside shot only) & National Museum - Phnom Penh
A further mode of transport to add to the belt was the 7 hour, 312km bus from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh.....travel in Cambodia is slow due to the narrow roads and many villages lining the roads which means, many bicycles, people, cows, dogs....making travel very slow. A fascinating trip as my fellow passenger was a Cambodian (around 40ish) who was orphaned during the war and he regaled stories of growing up without his parents & siblings. He was lucky to get a scholarship to a German university but after many years has returned to Cambodia, working with restoring heritage around Siem Reap - good to see the locals taking a keen interest in their culture.
When I arrive in a new place, I like to take a walk around the central (usually touristy) area to get my bearings and a feel for the place. I was looking forward to my stay in Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, and had romantic ideas of the city (no not that type!) with its riverside cafes, Royal Palace and markets.
Arriving at Sisowath Quay, the riverside was under construction (laying sewage pipes), so I walked along past numerous restaurants, hotels, massage parlours, beggars (with deformed children) and walked into a lovely new spa (one does need the odd indulgence!) Seriously, the contrast of the remnants of war, a country (and city) rebuilding itself and the phenomenal growth in tourism, is quite something.The Royal Palace was closed for 3 days and the markets were dirty, hectic, smelly......I did get to visit the National Museum - beautiful building and interesting content, swerve past the market, glance at the pagoda and settled into a couple of Femme Fatale champagne cocktails at happy hour at the Elephant Bar, Hotel le Royale!! (oh dear, another indulgence!)
On a more serious note, the Civil war was so recent and it is quite horrifying to witness the extent to which the civil war impacted on the country and the people. I was quite immersed in it as I was reading a book by British journalist Nic Dunlop - The Lost Executioner - centred around Colonel Duch who was the executioner at S21 Prison (1975-1979) where up to 8000 "prisoner" a year were tortured and then executioned and their bodies dumped in mass graves. The prisoners were not guilty of any crime, they just didn't follow the Communist ideals of the Pol Pot regime and were interrogated until they made up stories to stop being tortured. The wounds are still so raw for the Cambodians and there are hearings under way (much like Truth and Reconcilation Commission) with Colonel Duch (one of the few surviving leaders of the time) on trial. The photos attachedshow the Prison, photos of the prisoners and then the monument with skulls at the Choeng Ek (mass graves).
All in all, a fascinating stay in Phnom Penh but not entirely enjoyable!!!
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