Crossing the border to Cambodia was the quickest and easiest of our border crossing experiences so far, for which we were grateful. On our first full day in Phnom Penh, we took a trip to Choeung Ek Genocidal Center, best known as the killing fields. The Center is a place that reflects the most barbaric crimes committed by the Ultra Communist Khmer Rouge Regime during 1975-1979.
As you walk through the entrance, the first building you come accross is the Memorial Charnel, which holds 8,000 human skulls displayed inside to ‘remember the spirits of victims’.
Walking through the fields was a harrowing experience, as we passed many shallow graves where people had been buried. The most disturbing part was an area that was sectioned off, which contained shards of human bone pertruding through the soil; a tour guide informed us that the bones often come up from the soil during the rainy season. This shocking scene emphasised the extent of horrific acts and devistation that took place during those years.
This was followed by a visit to the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum – another truely upsetting experience. Here is where the victims were kept prisoners. There are rows upon rows of photographs of each person kept in the prison along with the prison cells and some gruesome photographs of the tortured victims.
Although visiting such museums are emotionally challenging, they do serve as a reminder of the terrible truths that should not be forgotten or repeated.
Hope I haven’t depressed anyone too much! On a much lighter note, we ended our day with a lovely meal in Chiang Mai restaurant, which serves delicious food – we would recommend most dishes but the Amok is certainly worth tasting.
