Phnom Penh, Cambodia 7th-12th February

The fabulous boulevards created by Baron Haussmann in Paris are reincarnated here in the city of Phnom Penh.  The city is, without doubt, a fusion of two cultures: Cambodian and French.  Although English is a language used by a fair proportion of young people, one is able to use French amongst the elders of this beautiful city.

Sisawath Boulevard outside our hotel

Our hotel was a short stroll to the Royal Palace, whose architecture is both grand and impressive;despite being relatively new.  The major portion of the palace was built by the French in l866.  The present King of Cambodia resides within the palace today.

The Throne Hall.

The Palace of Light: so called because the interior of the
 entire building is illuminated every time there is a full moon.

No more headaches ladies. In the Cambodian court,
 there is a designated colour for each day of the week, so
 the problems of what to wear today are greatly diminished.

Memorial stupa at Choeung Ek

Whilst standing in quiet and peaceful countryside, about 15 kilometres outside of Phnom Penh, gazing at the memorial to the Cambodian victims of  the Khmer Rouge regime, a famous quotation is brought to mind: 'Man's inhumanity to man makes countless thousands mourn'. This sensitive and moving monument, housing the skulls and bones of those massacred by the Khmer Rouge in the l970s, is a testament to the spirit of the Cambodian people and their wish to remind all nations of the horrors of genocide.  It is as much, if not more, visited by Cambodians than by tourists.

Skulls of victims of the Khmer Rouge extermination centre S-21.
More than 20,000 are housed in tiers within the stupa.

The area is punctuated by benign slopes and hollows, once mass graves, over which the grass has now grown.   This site was chosen to represent the 388 'killing fields' spread across Cambodia. The torture chambers and extermination sites were used principally to remove the educated middle classes from their society.  It is believed that several million people perished during these conflicts and at the hands of  Pol Pot's regime.

   

The Cambodian people's extraordinary warmth and generosity of spirit reveals little of their tragic history; they  offer visitors to their country only kindness and smiles, gentleness and peace. Even the scorpions are friendly - we hope.

Scorpion at Wat Phnom