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07.11.2022 - Two days in Phnom Penh

Published: 07.11.2022

How long will the process take?" were all thoughts that crossed my mind as I stepped off the plane. The horror stories I had heard in advance about the visa on arrival (waiting times of up to two hours) didn't make it any easier. But lo and behold, it didn't take more than 20 minutes before I walked out of the airport with a visa and my luggage - sometimes things can be that easy.</p><p>In typical Cambodian fashion, I took a TukTuk, the equivalent of a Vietnamese moped, to the hostel where I had booked for two nights. You might think that I slept in the next morning and started the day relaxed, but far from it. Since I only planned a maximum of 2.5 weeks for Cambodia and there is a lot to discover, I didn't want to spend more than 2 nights in Phnom Penh. Accordingly, the alarm clock rang at 7 o'clock and I set off to one of the countless markets here to get my breakfast. Then it was on to my first stop - and this one would be quite something.</p><p>Cambodia has a turbulent past. It was less than 50 years ago that the Khmer Rouge, led by Pol Pot, declared the People's Republic of Democratic Kampuchea and introduced a radical communist system. The new government distinguished between the "old" and the "new" population. The "new people", the urban population, were declared the enemy class that exploited the rural population. To implement their policies, the Khmer Rouge forced the entire population to leave the cities and forced them into agricultural work. For example, it took less than two days for the capital Phnom Penh to become empty. Just to put it in context, Phnom Penh had two million inhabitants at that time, about the same as Hamburg today. But it was about to get worse, much worse. All forms of religious practice and private property were banned, and money as a means of payment was abolished. Schools, factories, and cultural institutions were destroyed, and ethnic minorities were persecuted. The regime nearly wiped out the entire intellectual elite of the country. Even people who could read or wore glasses were considered intellectuals. 1.7 million Cambodians died during the three and a half years of the Khmer Rouge rule - one reason why the population of Cambodia today has an average age of 26.5 years.</p><p>Today, in Phnom Penh, two central places commemorate the dark past of the country - Tuol Sleng, also known as Prison S-21, and the Killing Fields.</p><p>Since the prison was located close to my hostel, I decided to make it my first stop. Between 1975 and 1979, around 18,000 people were held captive here and were brutally tortured under the worst conditions. It is almost ironic that the complex was a former high school that was hastily converted. Equipped with an audio guide, I toured the grounds and the facilities. In many places, portraits of prisoners and parts of the facility remind us of the events at that time.</p><p>After visiting the prison, I continued to the place where most of the prisoners were taken after a few days. Those who survived the tortures in the prison were taken to a site outside the city, now known as the Killing Fields of Choeung Ek. Men, women, and children, the regime spared no one. Almost 18,000 people died here and were buried in 129 mass graves. 43 mass graves are still untouched today, while the mortal remains of 8,985 victims were exhumed in 1980. The path across the grounds passes by excavated mass graves, and you can see piles of remaining graves. The saddest highlight is a stupa where over 8,000 skulls, sorted by gender, are displayed behind transparent glass panes. And as if the sight wasn't already bad enough, it often happens that remains of the victims are washed up by rain. This was also the case during my visit. Since it had rained heavily the day before, pieces of clothing occasionally appeared next to the paths. As our guide told us, these are regularly collected and archived by the responsible authorities.</p><p>I have thought long and hard about what I can say about visiting the prison and the Killing Fields. In the end, I have no words for what you see there. It is incomprehensible, and if you didn't see it with your own eyes, you wouldn't believe it.</p><p>Unfortunately, the original plan to visit the Royal Palace the next day failed due to ongoing renovation work. Consequently, the free time was used for further travel planning before heading to Siem Reap on Monday evening.</p><p>Note: It was not allowed to take pictures in many places, and it often seemed inappropriate to me. For this reason, there aren't as many pictures to see this time.<br /></p>

Prison S-21

Prison S-21

Prison S-21

Prison S-21

Prison S-21

Prison S-21

Prison S-21

Prison S-21

Prison S-21

Prison S-21

Prison S-21

Prison S-21

Killing Fields

Killing Fields

Killing Fields

Killing Fields

Phnom Penh

Phnom Penh

Phnom Penh

Phnom Penh

Phnom Penh

Phnom Penh

Phnom Penh

Phnom Penh

Phnom Penh

Phnom Penh

Phnom Penh

Phnom Penh

Phnom Penh

Phnom Penh

Welcome to Cambodia! After a short one-hour flight, I landed in Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, late Saturday afternoon. Phnom Penh was more or less given to me as it is the only city in the country with an international airport. It is also a good starting point for a tour of Cambodia.

The first steps on Cambodian soil were a bit exciting as it was the first time I didn't apply for a visa in advance. "Will everything work out?

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Answer

Don't forget to be nice :)

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