I felt like I saw Phenom Penh at its worst and its best today.
The Khmer Rouge’s Phenom Penh holding prison and then its associated killing fields are the first scheduled activities of the 2 week tour. It’s hard to think of a more morbid way to start.
Followed by a free afternoon where I walk 6km of determinedly unwalkable streets to go to a bookshop.
I admire the artistic vision my budget hotel has for its dining room signage.We have the same bus for the whole two weeks. Old ladies sigh a breath of relief when it’s explained the driver is very accommodative of toilet stops. Topics of conversation on the bus are centred around the closest mall to the hotel to buy underpants, the best smelling mosquito spray (why are menopausal women obsessed with this smell?!) and, the crown jewel, menopause.The end of the Vietnam War gave communism control over Cambodia. Royals were done. This was a brutal strain that wanted nothing to do with the socialism of Laos and Vietnam. It was inspired by the cultural revolution in China. It’s impossible to imagine. Approximately half the population was murdered or died of starvation. This repurposed school was a prison that held 18,000 detainees over the three years of the Khmer Rouge’s regime. A dozen survived. All the others were shipped to the Killing Fields 15km out of the city. No one escaped from there either. There were nearly 200 of these converted high-school prisons/Killing Fields across the country. 3 million people are estimated to have died in these three years (1975-Jan 1979) before Vietnam intervened and toppled the Khmer Rouge.The craters at the Killing Fields are the 86 mass graves exhumed. This represents half of the total mass graves in this particular killing field. The other half cannot be properly respected according to Buddhist tradition (in a monument, such as the one pictured, which displays the 1,000 exhumed skeletons) so is left interred. In the rainy season bones and clothes are unearthed as the soil is washed away. I’ll reiterate there were 200 of these fields across the country. It’s sad to think of the death of individuals during a civil war; devastating to consider the rapid loss of a whole culture.When we get back to the hotel, the group splinters for people to pursue their own afternoons. I get Basil Pork Stir fried lunch at a place called Clay Pot. It’s very tasty. The choice of food in the capital city is fantastic. Meals are exciting again.Declan, I don’t think being dish pig at this restaurant would suit your strengths.Eggtreme tuk-tuk.Little street venues and food carts get most of their business from motorcyclists pulling over, grabbing a snack, and gunning back into the traffic. Sure as hell no one’s walking to them.Everyone needs a chewy tea.This riverside pathway is the best part of my walk. There’s a bit of afternoon exercise. There’s a bit of gelato. There’s Ophelia blasting louder than it would be at a Taylor Swift concert. Promenade fun is universal.After a three hour walk of nail-biting, pant-soiling motorway crossings (allowing for a few breaks) the bookshop is, of course, bolted shut. I get a tuk-tuk to the hotel, sulky and hot. Should have done the sunset cruise.Back out for the evening. I watch the sun set over this traffic instructor madly blowing his whistle to the oncoming assault. Does anyone hear? The city moves around him, undeterred.Get ready.It’s beautiful. A little lonely. I’ve really enjoyed Phnom Penh. It’s got hustle and bustle and people care about it.
Not really knowing much about history i only really know about the killing fields from the movie. While you can understand the atrocity I think it is difficult to understand the sheer scale of the atrocity. I remember the hradlines because it wasn’t that long ago compared to some other horrific events.
Very confronting but also amazing how the country progresses. You sound much more optimistic about Penom Penh.
Wish I was at skybar with you. Looks great! Good to see food quality has stepped up.
You must have so upset when the bookshop was closed. So disappointing.
Got a feeling those van conversations are going to annoy you more as the tour goes on 😅
Favourite colour: the monk’s robe.
Favourite photo: the traffic instructor! Great elements and light.
All those dirty dishes require a dishwasher virtuoso PR?
What is chewy tea?
Fantastic blog that let me feel like I was there (minus the heat and humidity)
Have you found the weather to be pretty much the same each day.
The ability for humans to be inhumane to other humans should never be underestimated.
The Germans created an environment of othering to dehumise people so that ‘normal’ Germans rationalised that they were murdering other non real Germans which created the excuse for those doing it that it was justified.
Even then the old fashioned way of mass murder was impacting the mental health of the military so they developed industrial mass murder which impacted fewer of their soldiers.
Cambodia is tragic.
The equivalent would be if 13 million Australians were killed in the next 3 years by other Australians.
It’s such an extreme thought that it’s impossible to process.
On a completely different light hearted topic the tour bus demographic would be an interesting opportunity for a gigolo to market their skills.
Enjoyed the clay pots and lunch photo. Both were nicely framed.
Cait, do the monks accept donations as they walk around you. If so, pass on $10 from me and I will reimburse you later. If $10 is a bit stingy you can add the extra for some family blessings.
Is the riverside pathway deserted because everyone else is at work or is the heat keeping people away.
How would Declan have handled the long walk to find a closed bookshop.
Had a chuckle at the sky bar sign. Either they have a strict code about honest advertising or someone has a cheeky sense of humour. I can’t recall the use of probably in marketing here.
In Laos they should rename the bank to probably the best branch of bank of strong.
For what was a very sobering, even sombre, start to the day, and a frustrating bookshop non visit, it seems like that was nevertheless a positive day by the end of it. It is pleasing to read that the food offering is better.
Mum: It is confronting how recent this was. It would have touched the lives of every Cambodian 50 years ago, so when you think about it there would be still a huge amount of those people still alive today.
I am more optimistic about Phnom Penh. It’s much more lively than Laos. It helps that only a third of the economy are farmers, unlike the 70-80% in Laos.
You’d be loving the sky bar. They had their Lana del ray inspired playlist going.
I was upset when I got to the bookshop. It was a harder walk than I wanted so was anti climactic…
Chewy tea was what they called bubble tea.
Dad: Yeah the weather is very stable. It’s slowly coming into the wet season so there might be rainy afternoons coming up but not yet. So far we just had one storm in the evening in Chiang Rai.
It is so hard to process the extent of the lives lost. It’s impossible to empathise.
Woah I do not want to think about a gigolo being let loose in this group. I think that man would be worked hard for his money!!
I’ll ask our tour guide about donation to the monks, he’ll definitely know. I suspect I am going to have to get up early to give alms :O. Am sure $10 is perfect – you’ll get some good karma points for your next life (imagine if you came back as a strata manager again).
There were a few people using the riverside pathway.
I think Declan would have relished how unfun the event was.
The sign to the sky bar does a good job of getting you excited but managing expectations. I thought it was funny that the bar was just ontop of a business tower with no external advertising. That sign was as you got out of the lift on Level 22… I only knew about it because the tour leader suggested it as an evening experience.
Leo: It was a positive day! Even though the history is incredibly tragic, I am appreciative of the country’s effort to educate and address it. There’s absolutely a bias in the narrative but at least there are facts as well. I didn’t encounter that in Laos – the details were lacking at any form of museum and I often thought it was because they didn’t want to admit to them.
I am finding this trip giving me a better appreciation for the recording of history. Perhaps it’ll make a non-fiction reader out of me yet.
OOft your lunch looks incredible. Stir fry basil pork always a great choice!
And you need to listen to ‘Actually Romantic’. That’s my fave of the Showgirl album atm. It reminds me a bit of the early 2000s punk(?) rock. Like of course it’s much lighter, but the guitar at the beginning, the bridge, the message of the song etc.
For work I’ll be very upset if I’m doing strata management in my next life.
I have a feeling I can relax because ai will eliminate my type of work
We were just at parcel pick up at woolies and there was a problem so mum had to call the store. The phone call went straight to ai.
Would the gigolo be working hard for his money because the ladies are frugal or would his dance card be fully booked out.
I can imagine it now. You both would arrived at the locked gates outside the bookstore and he would have just given you a little smile and asked if you had called ahead earlier to ascertain if they were open that day. Wouldn’t you have been encouraged to walk back for your misdemeanour.
MGC: Look at you. Being a corporate powerhouse has given your song choices ‘tude. Next: pair converse with permanent market doodles on them.
Dad: If he had the right attitude I think he would be in high demand for conversation and dance. The ladies pretend they are frugal but it wouldn’t take much for that act to crack.
I had checked google for the bookshop… Subliminally I knew it was a risk because it was kilometres out of the city centre. Tourist opening hours rules get a bit looser further out. I don’t think even Declan would have had the gusto to walk back. And when a tuk-tuk costs $3 home… I spent more than that on water to sustain me on the walk. Not to mention the bubble tea ice cream for sugar hit!
The “eggtreme” tuk-tuk and menopausal bus talk are the exact chaos needed to offset the heavy history of the morning. I’m devastated for you about the 6km trek to a closed bookshop, that level of hubris deserves a sunset cruise and a double gelato.
Maddy: hehe, the pain I put myself through for books is truly saintly.
Not really knowing much about history i only really know about the killing fields from the movie. While you can understand the atrocity I think it is difficult to understand the sheer scale of the atrocity. I remember the hradlines because it wasn’t that long ago compared to some other horrific events.
Very confronting but also amazing how the country progresses. You sound much more optimistic about Penom Penh.
Wish I was at skybar with you. Looks great! Good to see food quality has stepped up.
You must have so upset when the bookshop was closed. So disappointing.
Got a feeling those van conversations are going to annoy you more as the tour goes on 😅
Favourite colour: the monk’s robe.
Favourite photo: the traffic instructor! Great elements and light.
All those dirty dishes require a dishwasher virtuoso PR?
What is chewy tea?
Fantastic blog that let me feel like I was there (minus the heat and humidity)
Have you found the weather to be pretty much the same each day.
The ability for humans to be inhumane to other humans should never be underestimated.
The Germans created an environment of othering to dehumise people so that ‘normal’ Germans rationalised that they were murdering other non real Germans which created the excuse for those doing it that it was justified.
Even then the old fashioned way of mass murder was impacting the mental health of the military so they developed industrial mass murder which impacted fewer of their soldiers.
Cambodia is tragic.
The equivalent would be if 13 million Australians were killed in the next 3 years by other Australians.
It’s such an extreme thought that it’s impossible to process.
On a completely different light hearted topic the tour bus demographic would be an interesting opportunity for a gigolo to market their skills.
Enjoyed the clay pots and lunch photo. Both were nicely framed.
Cait, do the monks accept donations as they walk around you. If so, pass on $10 from me and I will reimburse you later. If $10 is a bit stingy you can add the extra for some family blessings.
Is the riverside pathway deserted because everyone else is at work or is the heat keeping people away.
How would Declan have handled the long walk to find a closed bookshop.
Had a chuckle at the sky bar sign. Either they have a strict code about honest advertising or someone has a cheeky sense of humour. I can’t recall the use of probably in marketing here.
In Laos they should rename the bank to probably the best branch of bank of strong.
For what was a very sobering, even sombre, start to the day, and a frustrating bookshop non visit, it seems like that was nevertheless a positive day by the end of it. It is pleasing to read that the food offering is better.
Mum: It is confronting how recent this was. It would have touched the lives of every Cambodian 50 years ago, so when you think about it there would be still a huge amount of those people still alive today.
I am more optimistic about Phnom Penh. It’s much more lively than Laos. It helps that only a third of the economy are farmers, unlike the 70-80% in Laos.
You’d be loving the sky bar. They had their Lana del ray inspired playlist going.
I was upset when I got to the bookshop. It was a harder walk than I wanted so was anti climactic…
Chewy tea was what they called bubble tea.
Dad: Yeah the weather is very stable. It’s slowly coming into the wet season so there might be rainy afternoons coming up but not yet. So far we just had one storm in the evening in Chiang Rai.
It is so hard to process the extent of the lives lost. It’s impossible to empathise.
Woah I do not want to think about a gigolo being let loose in this group. I think that man would be worked hard for his money!!
I’ll ask our tour guide about donation to the monks, he’ll definitely know. I suspect I am going to have to get up early to give alms :O. Am sure $10 is perfect – you’ll get some good karma points for your next life (imagine if you came back as a strata manager again).
There were a few people using the riverside pathway.
I think Declan would have relished how unfun the event was.
The sign to the sky bar does a good job of getting you excited but managing expectations. I thought it was funny that the bar was just ontop of a business tower with no external advertising. That sign was as you got out of the lift on Level 22… I only knew about it because the tour leader suggested it as an evening experience.
Leo: It was a positive day! Even though the history is incredibly tragic, I am appreciative of the country’s effort to educate and address it. There’s absolutely a bias in the narrative but at least there are facts as well. I didn’t encounter that in Laos – the details were lacking at any form of museum and I often thought it was because they didn’t want to admit to them.
I am finding this trip giving me a better appreciation for the recording of history. Perhaps it’ll make a non-fiction reader out of me yet.
OOft your lunch looks incredible. Stir fry basil pork always a great choice!
And you need to listen to ‘Actually Romantic’. That’s my fave of the Showgirl album atm. It reminds me a bit of the early 2000s punk(?) rock. Like of course it’s much lighter, but the guitar at the beginning, the bridge, the message of the song etc.
For work I’ll be very upset if I’m doing strata management in my next life.
I have a feeling I can relax because ai will eliminate my type of work
We were just at parcel pick up at woolies and there was a problem so mum had to call the store. The phone call went straight to ai.
Would the gigolo be working hard for his money because the ladies are frugal or would his dance card be fully booked out.
I can imagine it now. You both would arrived at the locked gates outside the bookstore and he would have just given you a little smile and asked if you had called ahead earlier to ascertain if they were open that day. Wouldn’t you have been encouraged to walk back for your misdemeanour.
MGC: Look at you. Being a corporate powerhouse has given your song choices ‘tude. Next: pair converse with permanent market doodles on them.
Dad: If he had the right attitude I think he would be in high demand for conversation and dance. The ladies pretend they are frugal but it wouldn’t take much for that act to crack.
I had checked google for the bookshop… Subliminally I knew it was a risk because it was kilometres out of the city centre. Tourist opening hours rules get a bit looser further out. I don’t think even Declan would have had the gusto to walk back. And when a tuk-tuk costs $3 home… I spent more than that on water to sustain me on the walk. Not to mention the bubble tea ice cream for sugar hit!
The “eggtreme” tuk-tuk and menopausal bus talk are the exact chaos needed to offset the heavy history of the morning. I’m devastated for you about the 6km trek to a closed bookshop, that level of hubris deserves a sunset cruise and a double gelato.
Maddy: hehe, the pain I put myself through for books is truly saintly.