Left hotel in Siem Reap at 8am and arrived in Phnom Penh at 3pm - with three stops probably one hour combined. Its not actually that far but the roads are a mix of ok, and 'challenging'. Whilst the countryside was quite interesting perhaps a short flight would have been a better option or even the 6 hour boat ride.
Evening was spent with a short cruise along the Mekong, weather very pleasant with cool breeze (cold to my local guide who tried to convince me i would need a jumper). Not that much to see, as the waterfront is not that developed, but now appears to be an area being transformed, with new luxury hotel going up. After that a very pleasant meal at a restaurant that looks to take kids off the street and train them for jobs in catering.
The following day was the city tour. Very much a tale of two halves, with the morning seeing the splendour of temple, royal palace, silver pagoda and national museum. All well preserved and interesting.
The afternoon was different. Visit to Prison 21 where Khymer Rouge took the educated and high ranking as part of their purge of decadent Cambodia. People stayed there between three and six months whilst they were tortured and their families and friends rounded up. Then taken to the killing fields, not knowing they would end up beaten killed and buried. Another challenging place to visit, in particular given how recently this all took place 1975-1979 and the severity of what went on.
Evening was spent with a short cruise along the Mekong, weather very pleasant with cool breeze (cold to my local guide who tried to convince me i would need a jumper). Not that much to see, as the waterfront is not that developed, but now appears to be an area being transformed, with new luxury hotel going up. After that a very pleasant meal at a restaurant that looks to take kids off the street and train them for jobs in catering.
The following day was the city tour. Very much a tale of two halves, with the morning seeing the splendour of temple, royal palace, silver pagoda and national museum. All well preserved and interesting.
The afternoon was different. Visit to Prison 21 where Khymer Rouge took the educated and high ranking as part of their purge of decadent Cambodia. People stayed there between three and six months whilst they were tortured and their families and friends rounded up. Then taken to the killing fields, not knowing they would end up beaten killed and buried. Another challenging place to visit, in particular given how recently this all took place 1975-1979 and the severity of what went on.
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