Phnom Penh

After our speedboat journey and border crossing (the easist so far!), we arrived into Phnom Penh, Cambodia's capital.

We had heard lots of stories about the Tuk Tuk's here, and sure enough as soon as we arrived we were greeted by "Tuk Tuk Sir Madam?". After initially refusing, we realised that the Hotel was a little bit too far to walk, especially in 34 degrees and carrying our worldly possessions on our backs!

We decided to go with one of the quieter drivers, and within no time (and only $2) we were at our hotel.

We arranged for our driver to meet us the next morning and take us to see Tuol Sleng and the killing fields of Choeung Ek. We had not been looking forward to seeing these areas, but knew that it was something we should do.

Tuol Sleng was a school that was taken over by Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge and turned into a detention and torture centre. We learnt that out of 20,000 people detained here, 7 survived. Only 4 are alive today. It is estimated that up to 3 million people were killed during the Khmer Rouge ethnic cleansing, out of a population of 9 million.

After visiting the school we went to Choeung Ek, known as the Killing Fields. This was a mass execution area. Our guide had lost most of his family during the regime, but still managed to comfort Steph when things got too much.

Altough the past events in Cambodia are ever present, time, as ever moves on. 

The next day we visited the oldest monumet in Phnom Penh called Wat Phnom. This is where the name of the capital comes from. However, the most excitement I (Jon) got from the day was not the oldest monument, but seeing monkeys in the wild for the first time!! This one was admiring himself in a shiny piece of stone before i rudely interuppted him!

It hasn't felt that we have been slumming it at all - particularly not in Vietnam and Cambodia.  In Phnom Penh we stayed in a 4 and a half star eco-boutique hotel on the riverfront!! Got inspiration for our dream bathroom as well. Not sure we could have sustained the cost for any longer but it was definitely worth it!! Our evenings in Phnom Penh were spent drinking cocktails (Rosie and Vicky were a bad influence!!), whilst looking out on views over the river! 

The joke in Vietnam and Cambodia is what you see on the backs of motorbikes (e.g. whole families).  The problem is we haven't had our camera out to capture most of these but did manage to snap this one!!