Day 10 : Tuol Seng Museum & Killing Field

Our last day in Phnom Penh and we had to visit these two places to understand Cambodia’s past and what happened during the Khmer Rouge period…

First stop: Tuol Sleng Museum
Entrance fee: US$2

In 1975, Tuol Svay Prey High School (this was a primary school) was taken over by Pol Pot's security forces and turned into a prison known as Security Prison 21 (S-21). It soon became the largest such center of detention and torture in the country where more than 17.000 people held at S-21 were taken to the extermination camp at Choeung Ek to be executed; detainees who died during torture were buried in mass graves in the prison ground. During the KR regime, it was enclosed by two folds of corrugated iron sheets, all covered with dense, electrified barbed wires, to prevent anyone from escaping the prison.

Security rules to follow. The Gallow: Interrogation venue used to hang prisoners and dip their heads into jar of water.


Graves of the last 14 prisoners in the courtyard. Only 7 prisoners were alive when the Viet army liberated the people.


No smile pls… as a sign of respect


Classrooms converted to interrogation rooms where people were tortured to extract confession of their ‘crimes’


Displays of room after room of photographs of all the men, women and children killed


Documentation of what happened during the KR regime


The darkest side of the human spirits… This place and its surrounding are just so ordinary!


Mass cells


Barbed wires covered the front of the building


Peaceful place?

Second stop: Killing fields of Choeung Ek
Entrance fee: US$2

Drive to the killing fields of Choeung Ek, 16 km south of Phnom Penh

Between 1975 and 1978 about 17.000 men, women, children and infants detained and tortured at S-21 prison were transported to the extermination camp of Choeung Ek. They were often bludgeoned to death to avoid wasting precious bullets. Fragments of human bone and bits of cloth are scattered around the disinterred pits. Over 8000 skulls, arranged by sex and age, are visible behind the clear glass panels of the Memorial Stupa, which was erected in 1988.

Entrance


Memorial Stupa


Mass graves

With a rather heavy heart, we returned to guesthouse for a rest…

Housing of the locals


Independent Monument

…and watched more cable tv… As we were living quite frugally for the past few days, we decided it’s time to pamper ourselves with a good and expensive dinner!! We strolled down Sisowath Quay and settled dinner at Foreign Correspondents’ Club. Happy hour between 5pm to 7pm and we got a jar of sangria to share; nice! As it happened to be salsa night for that day, the gang went to the dance floor to pick up basic salsa moves from the teacher… A very good and fun way to end our trip in Cambodia!

Royal Palace and sunset…


Dinner


Learning the basic salsa moves


Fun day at FCC

DAY 11 : Home Sweet Home
We had pre-booked a tuk tuk to come at 5.30am to send us to the airport... but alas, the driver seem to forget abt our booking and we had to get another driver instead!!

Tuk tuk running out of petrol on route to airport!


Checked in our luggages at Phnom Penh Airport.


Departure tax of USD25. This's so expensive, argh...


Sky and land


Home sweet home! Changi Airport...

Day 9 : Royal Palace & Russian Mkt

We woke up pretty early, had breakfast, lazed around (too much!!) and decided to walk over to our first sightsee for the day. We passed by several government buildings on route as well…

Portrait outside government building


Council of Ministers. Ministry of Justice.

First stop: Royal Palace and the Silver Pagoda
Entrance fee: US$6.25. No photography inside the Throne Hall and Silver Pagoda.
Hours: Open daily 07:30-11:00 & 14:00-17:00
(We were chased out of the compound by 11AM lor, even though we only got in at 10.15AM!! Argh, the result of lazing around in guesthouse for too long…)

Path leading from ticketing booth to side gate…


Side gate to the palace

Cambodia's Royal Palace is the official residence of King Norodom Sihamoni built in 1886, when the capital was moved to Phnom Penh from Oudong. The Royal Palace faces towards the East and is situated at the Western bank of the Tonle Sap River in central Phnom Penh. The palace ground comprises a complex of buildings including the magnificent Throne Hall, where coronations and official ceremonies take place, the Silver Pagoda (the Pagoda's floor is covered with over 5000 silver tiles), an iron house given to King of Cambodia by Napoleon III of France, shrines, libraries dedicated to the past kings of Cambodia and several royal offices. However, a number of precious items once exhibited in the Royal Palace and the Silver Pagoda were destroyed by the Khmer Rouge. Visitors are only able to walk around the Silver Pagoda and the central compound housing the Throne Hall.

For use of visiting foreign dignitaries


Dancing Hall


Victory Gate


Throne Hall with its entrance staircase flanked by lions and seven-headed nagas


Coronation throne


Ex-irish with Banqueting Hall


Garuda with outstretched wings to support the roof


Princess with Pavilion of Napoleon III

The Silver Pagoda has murals running around its outer wall, telling the story of the Ramayana. Its main building houses many national treasures such as gold and jeweled Buddha statues. Most notable is a small 17th century baccarat crystal Buddha (the "Emerald Buddha" of Cambodia) and a near-life-size, Maitreya Buddha encrusted with 9,584 diamonds dressed in royal regalia commissioned by King Sisowath. During King Sihanouk's pre-Khmer Rouge reign, the Silver Pagoda was inlaid with more than 5,000 silver tiles and some of its outer facade was remodeled with Italian marble.

Murals painting


Niyana Mudra – Gesture of Meditation


His Majesty King Norodom’s statue and stupa


Temple of the Emerald Buddha


Stupa


Statues under the trees



Museum of items used by royal family


Artifacts for Royal Procession


Craving on the metal gate

As the visit to Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda ended much earlier than expected (we were chased out, so no choice!!), we decided to check out the supermarket and park near our guesthouse. Brought a tub of ice cream to savor in the comfort of our air-conditioned room too! Today’s a super sunny day…

Loveflower and Princess at the park


Ex-irish pulling the elephant’s tail


Tub of new zealand ice cream to share!

Second stop: Phsar Tuol Tom Pong (Russian Market)
We lazed in our room and watched cable movies for quite a while before we decided it’s time to move, else all the stalls at the market would be closed! The market got its name due to the masses of Russians who shopped here in the 1980s. Though the Russians have mostly disappeared, the bargains haven't. It’s a must-shop spot as there are tons of stalls there… clothing, bags, handicrafts, real and replica antiques and other knick knacks. Nice place to browse and we bought a few items from here too…

Shopping at the market


Notebook to record down our expenses. Yummy dishes!

We got back to guesthouse for dinner and more cable tv! Ah, the nightlife in PP is really boring, nowhere exciting to go!