Phnom Penh here we come
We are now in our last day in Cambodia in the capital of Phnom Penh. From Battambang we took the bus down and, in typical fashion, we’d been told it would leave at 9am, our ticket said 9:30am and we actually left at 10:30am. Oh well, we had nothing better to do!
We were the only westerners on the bus and so garnered lots of attention from the others on the bus, especially the children who were very curious of us.
The bus was comfortable with nice seats and aircon and took about 5 1/2 hrs. We stopped twice for bathroom breaks, a couple of times to drop off/pick up people and then once for about 1/2 hr so the drivers could eat lunch and everyone could get snacks. The final potty break was interesting in that they also washed the bus!
Soon after we headed out they started the ëntertainment”which was the VERY popular dance / music programs that seem to be on every tv ALL OF THE TIME. The men sit around the lobby’s of hotels watching it, every time we get back to our hotel room the maids have put it on, it’s just everywhere. So, thank goodness Jim had gotten a splitter for the ipod before we left home so we can each have our earplugs in and listening at the same time!
Upon arrival in Phnom Penh we took a tuk tuk to our first hotel choice Bright Lotus 1, unfortunately, it was full. So, off to Indochine II, our second choice and luckily, after much discussion from the staff, they determined that they could allow us to stay for 4 nights, not just 1 as they originally stated was available. It’s a nice corner room for $25 with 2 huge bright windows, hot water, fan, aircon, and 2 double beds which could be cement blocks…they are VERY firm! The staff is lovely and also do tours, bus tickets, and vietnamese visas. We got the last 2 seats on the 8:30a bus to Vietnam on Wed, 5 Dec. and right now our passports are off getting our Vietnamese visas put in.
Our first full day here was on Sunday and we decided to take it easy. After a full week of heavy duty touring and 2 long travel days we just strolled around getting the lay of the land, spent some time in cafes, etc. There is quite a lot of French style architecture here left over from the French occupation and some lovely buildings. The city has a very worn feel overall though with the last 30 years of war and neglect and , as usual, is pretty filthy. There are more foreigners, especially Americans, here than we have seen at any other time on our trip and a bit odd to hear american accents again! One thing I had forgotten to mention previously is that Cambodian currency is in such bad shape is is literally unexchangable anywhere else in the world. So, they operate almost completely with the US dollar. So, ATM machines give you US dollars, prices are quoted as such, etc. It only becomes confusing when you get part of your change back in US and part in riel! (which is currently $1usd = 4100 riel)
Day 2, Monday, was yesterday and we had a day of touring that really is essential but tough to take. We took a tuk tuk and first went to the Genocide prison that used to be a high school and during Pol Pots reign of terror became the interrogation prison. When Vietnam invaded in 1979, ending the khmer rouge reign, they arrived quicker than expected and the khmer rouge only had time to kill the final prisoners and leave. Like the nazi’s they had been immaculate record keepers, taking photos of each prisoner after they arrived, after they died during interrogation, and had records of all things-including the thousands of pages of forced confessions. The first few rooms still have the metal beds and shackles where the prisoners were tortured as well as a large photo on the wall of the occupant that was found dead there on the day of the takeover. Other buildings on site have every single photo of the new arrivals as well as some of the dead and was simply haunting. Young, old, men, women, children…no one was spared from the khmer rouge kiling spree. Lots of other memorabilia and a short film featuring one of the survivors (out of 20,000 held in the prison only 7 survived) and some of the former guards, who had often been there by force as well.
Next out to the killing fields where they took everyone who didn’t die in interrogation to be killed. They had mainly cleared out the entire city of Phnom Penh for almost 3 years but some workers were still on the outskirts so they actually had speakers set up so they could play music so workers in the area couldn’t hear the moaning of the people as they were executed. Pretty horrifying.
That was certainly enough for the day! We had lunch and lazed around a bit, did some computer work, etc. Jim had a bit of an upset stomach all day so we headed out for a couple of drinks along the waterfront for the evening and then watched a movie on Pol Pot and the regime. One interesting note there is all of the video footage of the US soldiers in Cambodia both before and during the Vietnam war when according to the US we weren’t even there! We just got room service from the hotel restaurant and hit the sack. It was one of those travel days that is a bit hard to take, who can ever understand the atrocities human beings are wiling to do to eachother. Too bad we don’t seem to learn from our mistakes as basically the same type of thing is happening right now in the Sudan as well as other countries.
Today, we slept in and are going to the central market as well as the royal palace and silver pagoda. Our last day in Cambodia and then Vietnam here we come.
We got to call (and see on webcam) our sister/brother in law Ken & Wendy as well as Jim’s parents today which was great fun! Wendy and our friends Ron/Dario had also just sent photos via email and got to say, as much fun as we’re having on this trip we certainly enjoyed a taste of home!
Love to everyone and next post from Ho Chi Minh City!
Cheers – J&R
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