Into Cambodia, first stop the capital: Phnom Penh

Ferry crossing on the way to Phenom Pehn
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So, after leaving Koh Chang, I found myself with two days of transit to get to Phnom Pehn, the capital of Cambodia. Day one involved taking a ferry from Koh Chang back to the mainland, taking a minibus to the Thai/Cambodian border, crossing the border and getting ripped off for a visa (ahh, institutionalized corruption...) and then spending the night in the border town on the Cambo side. The second day was occupied taking a minibus along the comically bad road from the border to Phenom Pehn, taking no less than 4 ferries to cross and re-cross a river... the same river, all four times :-) The ferries were tiny and picturesque, though often our minibus would show up and we’d have to wait two or three ferries before it was our turn. Patience is key in Cambodia (and SE Asia in general) so you just have to look at the whole thing with a smile on your face and realize that it’s all part of the experience. Day 2, in theory 6 hrs, realistically 8 1/2hrs. Good fun.

Some old ladies waiting for the ferry with us...
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Having just left a large group of good friends on Koh Chang, I was curious what the new friends my time in Cambodia would produce. Beautifully, I had my question answered for me as I climbed on the minibus to get to the Thai/Cambo border. For the two day journey to Phenom Pehn, it turned out to be just myself and one other: a lovely Brazilian named Cristina. Although in effect ‘stuck’ together for the two days of travel, we quickly hit it off and had a lot of fun together.

On arrival in Phenom Pehn we ended up staying in an area called the ‘Lakeside’ which is a nice relaxed section of the city (pop: 1 million ) situated on a lake (really just a glorified pond, but I’m not one to argue...). It ended up being a nice place to stay, close enough to the main part of the city to see sights, but out of the main chaos that is created in congested cities everywhere. Our guesthouse also had a good hang out area on the water outfitted with pleanty hammocks to unwind in.

Cristina and I in the back of a tuk-tuk.
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Cambodia in general is an interesting mix of the colorful, rich cultural heritage associated with the ancient Khmers, combined with the dark horrors of Pol Pot’s Khmer Rouge regime and the genocide it pursued during the late 70s. The beautiful ancient history can be found in the northwest of the country, with Angkor Wat and the other impressive 9^th – 11^th century structures around the Siem Riep area (later blog) , while the atrocities of the Khmer Rouge are tangibly present around the country, but specifically in Phnem Pehn. The most dramatic sights to see are the Killing Fields just outside of the city, and S-21.

Sunset over the lake (pond) in Phenom Pehn.
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Pol Pot’s Khmer Rouge took control of Phnem Pehn in 1975, two weeks before the fall of Saigon. There goal was to institute a communist, agricultural society. Pol Pot set a new calendar, it was now “Year Zero” and they had work to do. The Rouge systematically imprisoned, tortured, and killed thousands upon thousands or Cambodians. Anyone who was educated, politically active, religious, or socially undesirable was quickly imprisoned. Children and the elderly alike were slaughtered, with methods and techniques too gory for this commentary. Normal Cambodians were forced to join with the Rouge or be killed, and were often killed or imprisoned during their time of service anyway. It was an incredibly horrific and dark time for Cambodia, and anyone that you talk to throughout the country will have a story of a loved (their lucky if only one...) that was disappeared during the Rouge reign of terror.

Skulls of people recovered in the mass graves at the Killing Fields outside of Phenom Pehn. Set up behind glass in a monument.
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Many of these horrific scenes took place in and around Phenom Pehn. The first stop that Cristina and I visited was the museum of S21. ‘S21’ stands for Security Office 21, and was the main center for torture and death within the city itself. It was formally a school until it was taken over by Pol Pot and changed into a top secret death camp. It is a graphic and touching place to visit... of the 14,000 people that passed through it’s gates, less than a dozen survived. It is something that leaves you speechless for some time afterwards. The other Khmer Rouge era sight near the city are the Killing Fields, another example of the systematic terror of the Rouge. It is now a peaceful country field with a memorial in the center housing thousands of skulls and bones recovered when the mass graves were unearthed after the Rouge were pushed from the area. It is another powerful place.

Some other buildings on the lakeside.
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It is truly amazing to see these horrible sights, and then step back into the city chaos and see life continuing as normal for the people of the country. And for Cristina and I, it was quite a contrast to go from these dramatic scenes and end each day back at our guesthouse, swinging in a hammock and watching the sun set over the lake. The week that we spent there was a very interesting time, to say the least. Certainly a learning experience! But then it was about time to move on, so we decided to head on up to Siem Riep next and see the infamous temples of Angkor Wat. But for now that’s where I’ll leave you... Hope all is well. Appreciate what you have!!

evan