Left Siem Reap on the Saturday heading off for Vietnam. Stopping off at the capital for a couple of morbid days.
The only 2 places of note that I visited were S-21 and the Killing fields. S-21 used to be a school that Pol Pot ordered to be converted into a "security prison". People detained there were tortured during interrogations. Under the visions of the regime all proffessional city people were deemed corrupt and would not fit into the new Cambodia. Therefore the type of people detained in S-21 were teachers, doctors and other proffesionals. Those that did survive their detntion were transported just outside the city to the Killing fields where they were excecuted. The children of famillies were also killed in fear of revenge attacks. In the prison single beds in the rooms for interrogation can be seen with a photograph on the wall of what was found there after the Khmer Rouge fled.
If you check out the gallery it is very difficult to comprehend what went on in these places. The fields on the surface are a very tranquil place, but the exhumed graves are everywhere. There is a tree there where people would batter babies and children to death. And a "magic tree" which contained a loud speaker, used to mask the screams of people. It felt a bit strange taking the pictures, but wanted to show you lot what I saw.
As for the city 2 days was enough. The place I stayed in was an irish bar - it reminded me of a weatherspoons pub. I was having breakfast one morning and there was a man next to me drinking pints of White russian popping valium like they were peanuts. Looking at his legs he clearly had gout. He got off his seat and smacked face on the staircase. I'm glad to be moving
