The French call Cambodia 'Cambodge'. I think that's where the expression 'bodgy' must come from.
Cambodia's a bit different to Laos... a lot more full on. I think that when we first arrived it took us both back a bit- but now a week on, we're finding our feet. The trick seems to be to keep smiling and not take things at face value. You've got to work a bit harder to stay ahead here.
Phnom Penh seemed so full on at first, but then we hadn't been in a big city since Chiang Mai over a month ago. It's also the start of the hottest month and damn, it is hot.
Today we went to Toul Sleng Museum (S-21), which is where over 17,000 people were imprisoned and subsequently killed during the Khmer Rouge regime between 1976-79. It was a pretty grisly experience and I find it impossible to put into words the tragedy that occurred there. As a photographer I found the photographic documentation of the victims shocking, moving and numbing. The number of faces seemed never ending. There are rooms and rooms of mug shots.
We passed on the Killing Fields - where S-21 prisioners were 'smashed' and also on the shooting range. Apparently it's a popular combo apparently for tourists- you do the Museum, Killing Fields and then the shooting range where you get to fire the gun/rocket launcher of your choice.
It seems like madness to want to get your hands on a gun after seeing such brutalities up close.
That said, Phnom Penh is an interesting city and our tuk tuk driver today- Som Sang was so friendly and we had a really fun morning with him at the markets. After the museum we went to great Khmer place for lunch and really enjoyed chatting with Sang about the city and the madness of driving in Cambodia!
Cambodia's a bit different to Laos... a lot more full on. I think that when we first arrived it took us both back a bit- but now a week on, we're finding our feet. The trick seems to be to keep smiling and not take things at face value. You've got to work a bit harder to stay ahead here.
Phnom Penh seemed so full on at first, but then we hadn't been in a big city since Chiang Mai over a month ago. It's also the start of the hottest month and damn, it is hot.
Today we went to Toul Sleng Museum (S-21), which is where over 17,000 people were imprisoned and subsequently killed during the Khmer Rouge regime between 1976-79. It was a pretty grisly experience and I find it impossible to put into words the tragedy that occurred there. As a photographer I found the photographic documentation of the victims shocking, moving and numbing. The number of faces seemed never ending. There are rooms and rooms of mug shots.
We passed on the Killing Fields - where S-21 prisioners were 'smashed' and also on the shooting range. Apparently it's a popular combo apparently for tourists- you do the Museum, Killing Fields and then the shooting range where you get to fire the gun/rocket launcher of your choice.
It seems like madness to want to get your hands on a gun after seeing such brutalities up close.
That said, Phnom Penh is an interesting city and our tuk tuk driver today- Som Sang was so friendly and we had a really fun morning with him at the markets. After the museum we went to great Khmer place for lunch and really enjoyed chatting with Sang about the city and the madness of driving in Cambodia!
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