We took a 1-1/2 hour flight from Vientiane, Laos to Phnom Penh.

View of the Mekong River

We stayed at the Almond Hotel

Phnom Penh is the capital of Cambodia with about 2 million people.

Motor bikes are the primary mode of transportation and are used to haul all types of goods.

Our first stop was to the Royal Palace where the current king still lives.

It is a very large complex including the Throne Hall where the king's coronation takes place.

The Naga or serpent is a dragon-like figure representing wisdom and a protective force for the Buddha.

 

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It was 93 degrees so we welcomed a place to rest.

We visited a school for the arts. Children from the age of 5 can attend classes in native dance, painting and music.

We watched performances of some traditional folk dances by the students.

Fred was among our group's volunteers to try on traditional clothing and participate in dances.

Fred and Loni learn a dance step.

Click here to watch short video of their dancing.

Young painters.

Beautiful art work, unfortunately not for sale.

Demo of the traditional musical instruments

Fred tries his hand on some of the instruments.

Our local guide, Leng, provides information about Cambodia on the bus.

Small shrines for sale along the street.

Visit to the Choeung Ek Genocidal Center, also known as the Killing Fields.

As we walked around the site, we could still see fragments of bone and pieces of clothing on the ground.

This center was one of 300 mass grave sites in Cambodia. It was found and excavated in 1988.

Killing Tree against which executioners beat children.

Pieces of bone that were found during the excavation.

Some of the bones, skulls and clothing found in the mass graves have been placed in a 19 story memorial stupa.

8000 skulls are arranged according to age and sex.

Victims' clothing.

Our next stop was the Genocide Museum, formerly known as S21. It was here that the prisoners were taken and tortured into confessions of treason to the Khmer Rouge, during the reign of Pol Pot. The photo is one of the 4 buildings of S21 housing prison cells.

Rules to be followed by the prisoners, otherwise they would be lashed with electric discharges. Click on photo to read.

Public flogging area

Manacles

Prison cell

We took a 45 minute ride in a remok, the Cambodian version of a tuk-tuk or 3 wheeled rickshaw, to visit one of the 7 survivors of S21.

This was an E ticket ride during rush hour.

Cars, motor bikes, bicycles and buses all fought for the same space on the road as the remoks. There were no traffic lights or stop signs!

The man on the left is the survivor of S21. He is now 72 years old. His granddaughter is on the right. Our guide, Leng, is in the middle.

A delicious lunch.

Door handle at the restaurant.

Main electrical pole!