Day 18 - Phnom Penh to Siem Reap

This morning we learned about the Khmer Rouge regime of genocide from 1975 - 79.  We first visited the Genocide Museum which was the prison in Phnom Pehn where the overthrown government officials were sent at the start of the regime.  Later educated people and those from minority backgrounds were also sent here. Most would be killed here or sent to the Killing Fields for execution.

 
Entrance

 
Cells where men were kept

 
Cells where women were kept

 
Monument to those who died here

 Later we visited the killing fields which is a peaceful area today but was the scene of some very macabre times in the 1970s.  It is the Asian version of Auschwitz. People were brought here, executed and buried in mass graves. Over time some bones have become visible after the rains and have been left on display. It was extremely gruesome and the atrocities were largely hidden from the rest of the world.

 
Remembrance building containing hundreds of skulls 
of those killed and excavated from mass graves

 
Mass grave

 
The Killing Fields

 
Monument to those killed here

 


We then started the 6 hour coach journey to Siem Reap. Near to the first stop there was a 'Spider Market' where they were selling fried insects and other creepy crawlies like cockroaches, locusts, grubs, crickets and tarantulas. Children came around with live tarantulas and charged $1 for tourists to hold them.  

 
Fried Locusts

 
Fried Crickets, Beetles, Locusts and Grasshoppers

 
Fried Taranchula Spiders


The second stop was at the most scenic service station I have ever visited. The seating area was made up of woven huts overlooking a lake where children were fishing and water buffalo were swimming.

 
Overlooking the lake setting

 
Little huts that were the service station seating area

 
Water Buffalo in the lake

 
Children fishing in the lake

 
Seating area

 
Water Buffalo in the lake
 

We arrived at our hotel in Siam Reap with about half an hour to spare before meeting up again for dinner.  It has been a really long day and we were all very tired.












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