Phnom Penh, Cambodia

They say you would never treat humans that way.... Dont you think this looks very much like a cattle truck?!

I was a little grumpy when I arrived in Phnom Penh. I think it was just a combination of it being too hot all the time and not getting enough sleep. My mood didn't really improve the next day either.. poor Reena! I was ready to pack up everything and fly straight to Perth where the temperature was a much cooler 19 degrees, but I decided to stick at it and get through the rest of our stay in Cambodia as quick as possible. That way we could spend the rest of our time in Asia chilling on a Thai island until our scheduled flight to Perth. It gets really tiring being on the move all the time, and the heat just drains all your energy.

Block C of the S21 Prison.

We only stayed in Phnom Penh for one full day. We made it to the S21 Prison, a former high school which was converted into a concentration camp used by the Khmer Regime. People of all ages were detained here and were tortured until they confessed to working for the CIA or KGB. A vast majority of the victims were innocent, with simply the torture producing their confessions. There are hundreds of photos of the victims on display, along with the various torture implements. I can't count the number of times I got chills down my back while walking through the museum... and I dont know why I spend so much time looking at photos like that. It stops me from sleeping at night!

Cells built in what were orginally class rooms

Barbed wire prevented the detainees from escaping or from commiting suicide by jumping to their deaths.

After the confessions were made they were transported to the Choeung Ek extermination center, better known as the Killing Fields. We took a trip there early the next morning. The first thing you notice when you arrive is the tall stupa. As you walk up to it, you quickly notice that its packed full of human skulls. Over 8000 in total. With a closer look you can see the injuries that must have caused the deaths of the people brought there. Its really easy to spot the skull fractures. Quite a few of the skulls have sections missing due to the heavy blows to the head. I think it was the 'hack' marks from sharper objects that troubled me most. The skulls on the bottom shelf that were within easy viewing were those of girls aged between 15 and 20 years.

The buddhist stupa containing over 8000 skulls

It became more disturbing walking through the mass graves. It wasn't until a little later that I started to notice all the clothes that were still half burried in the ground along the paths.

The unearthed mass graves

Really? Surely not... Its hard to believe people can actually do that. But they do.

Clothes still half burried in the ground

People were hung on this tree if they made any noises to drown out the moans of the other dying people.

After our time at the Killing Fields we decided to get an a bus north to Siem Reap to marvel at the greater aspects of Cambodian history.