leolejon in asia: Phnom Penh - from the Kings Palace to the horrible S-21

This morning I went out along the river and after breakfast I came to Wat Ounalom, headquater of the Cambodian Buddhists. From 1443! The head of the countrys Buddhist brotherhood lives here, along with a large number of Monks!

After looking around for a while I continued to the Royal Palace with the Silver Pagoda - impressive architecture and decorstions with many different buildnings! Lots of tourists as well!

I went out and after a short negotiation with a tuk tuk driver we were heading torwards Tuol Sleng Museum, once a school that was taken over by Pol Pot's security forces and turned into a prison known as S-21. It soon became the largest centre for detention and torture in the country. Between 1975 and 1978 more than 17.000 people held at S-21 were taken to the killing fields of Choring Ek. This museum has become a testament to the crimes of the Khmer Rouge! Like the nazis, the Khmer Rouge leaders were meticulous in keeping records of their barbarism. All the photo bare witness of that!

During three years, eight months and 20 days, the Khmer Rouge controlled Cambodia. It started 7 January 1979 and due to the Cambodian Civil war it went on intil 1999. Time of horror!!! Hundreds of thousands of people were executed by the Khmer Rouge leadership, while hundreds of thousands more died of famine and disease. I was taken by seeing all those cruel behaviors!! Killing there own people in the name of comunism!

I decided I needed a walk so I walked all the way back, which took about an hour! I passed the Monument of independence and the Monument of friendship between Cambodia and Vietnam!

I came back to Yesterdays restaurant and sat down next to a man from Australia and we had a nice chat and a couple of beers!

Back to 11Happy and a rest before going out to the river for a dinner in an Italien rest were they offered Moule Marniered, the Cambodian style. Tasty! On the way back I stoped at another rest for a banan/chokolate smothie!