Phnom Penh

I slept most of the 5 hour trip to Phnom Penh so didn't see much of the scenery, I did see some busy little farming villages close to town. Cambodia is so flat its incredible, I read that it didn't exist 5000 years ago and was one big bay with some islands, slowly the Mekong filled the bay with sand and silt and formed Cambodia, the islands are still visible today as hills on the flat planes. I got off the bus in Phnom Penh and was surrounded by the usual mob of tuk tuk/moto drivers, one guy offered to drive me round till I found a place for $3US so I took his offer. Found a place on the Boeung Kak Lake which had cheap rooms $3 but plastic doors which you could easily open even when locked, ended up settling for a room $4 with my own shower/toilet. The place is right on the lake, quite beautiful, there are hammocks on the deck surrounded by water, nice place for watching the sunset.
Today I visited the killing fields of Choeng Ek, where thousands of Cambodians were executed and buried in mass graves. There is a massive 17 story white Stupa filled with 9000 skulls and other bones visible behind glass, it was built as a Today I visited the killing fields of Choeng Ek, where thousands of Cambodians were executed and buried in mass graves. There is a massive 17 story white Stupa filled with 9000 skulls and other bones visible behind glass, it was built as a memorial and a reminder of the horrific past, Surrounding the Stupa are over 120 mass grave sites which look like craters in the earth. Next I visited Tuol Sleng Museum, the former Security Office 21, it was once was a high school until converted into detention center for interrogation, torture and killing by Pol Pot. The rooms which were once class rooms had been divided up into tiny cells and the front of the building had been covered by a net of barbed wire to stop prisoners committing suicide. Was feeling pretty emotional after visiting both museums, what a horrific past! It is hard to imagine what the people here have had to deal with and still effected by today. I spent the rest of the afternoon wandering around the National Museum, it was a lot lighter than my morning, saw some beautiful sculptures from the Angkor era and other Khmer art. I have decided to leave Phnom Penh tomorrow and get a bus down to the coast to relax on a beach for a couple of days before heading to Vietnam.

The Place I Stayed on Lake, Tonle Sap river, White Stupa at The Killing Fields, The Victims skulls, The Mass Grave Craters, The Torture Rooms at Tuol Sleng, Barbed Wire Net on Front of Building, Cells, Some of the Many Victims Photos.

THE NEW REGIME
Poem by Sarith Pou
displayed at Tuol Sleng

No religious rituals.
No religious symbols.
No fortunetellers.
No traditional healers.
No paying respect to elders.
No social status. No titles.

No education. No training.
No school. No learning.
No books No library.
No science. No technology.
No pens. No paper.

No currency. No bartering.
No buying. No selling.
No begging. No giving.
No purses. No wallets.

No human rights. No liberty.
No courts. No judges.
No laws. No attorneys.

No communications
No public Transportation.
No private transportation.
No traveling. No mailing.
No inviting. No visiting.
No faxes. No telephones.

No social gatherings.
No chitchatting.
No jokes. No laughter.
No music. No dancing

No romance. No flirting.
No fornication. No dating.
No wet dreaming.
No masturbating.
No naked sleepers.
No bathers.
No nakedness in showers.
No love songs. No love letters.
No affection.

No marrying. No divorcing.
No marital conflicts. No fighting.
No profanity. No cursing.

No shoes. No sandals.
No toothbrushes. No razors.
No combs. No mirrors.
No lotion. No make up.
No long hair. No braids.
No jewelery.
No soap. No detergent. No shampoo.
No knitting. No embroidering.
No colored clothes, except black.
No styles, except pajamas.
No wine. No palm sap hooch.
No lighters. No cigarettes.
No morning coffee. No afternoon tea.
No snacks. No Desserts.
No breakfast (sometimes no dinner)

No misery. No forgiveness.
No regret. No remorse.
No second chances. No excuses.
No complaints. No grievances.
No help. No favors.
No eyeglasses. No dental treatment.
No vaccines. No medicines.
No hospitals. No doctors.
No disabilities. No social diseases.
No tuberculosis. No leprosy.

No kites. No marbles. No rubber bands.
No cookies. No Popsicle. No candy.
No playing. No toys.
No lullabies.
No rest. No vacations.
No holidays. No weekends.
No games. No sports.
No staying up late.
No newspapers.

No radio No TV.
No drawing. No painting.
No pets, No pictures.
No electricity. No lamp oil.
No clocks. No watches.

No hope. No life.
A third of the people didn't survive.
The regime died.