a look into Cambodian history

         I have always wanted to see Killing field, and Toul Slang. On my new year's eve, I booked my flight in last minute for escaping the city  and flew out of the country a couple hours later. Even though I did not have much preparation time, the trip turned out to be veryextraordinary and it was an unforgettable experience.

      I flew from bangkok to Phnom Penh by Bangkok Airway early in the morning. The airline lounges are free for all Bangkok airway flyer and it is located near the gate.

                                          Banana sticky rice is much try dishes in this lounges

                                                            Best I 've ever had (Again you must try this)

                                                     Bangkok airway in flight meal 

      I have organized to get airport taxi for one day trip with under 50 USD (excluded the entrance fee). My first stop was killing field which is about 30 minutes from the airport. The admission fee is about 6 dollar which included audio tour in several languages. The quality of Thai audio was excellent. The stories in audio began at how Khmer arrived to Choeung Ek in 1975 to how thousands of people were beaten to death and buried in these places.

   

    I walked around number of massive graves and see the human skulls are stacked neatly in a stupa. Every story was such a tragic ,for example at that time bullets were too expensive for taking someone's life and Sugar palm left were solution. Some other stories were told by survivors and some came from radio news. There were over 20 stops on the site and it took me around 2 hours to complete this tour.

                                                     Memorial hall

                Killing Fields 

                Entrance Fee
                USD 3
                Optional in-house Audio at Killing Field 
                USD 3

                Opening Hour

                 07.30-17:30

                Parking FacilitiesAvailable and free

                                                         Sugar plam

                                                                      Massive grave

        Tuol slang Genocide museum was the second stop for this trip. My driver gave me a short brief about this place and appointed picking time with me. The entrance was crowded with tourist who came for darkest history of Cambodia.

                S21  

                Entrance Fee
                USD 5
                Optional in-house Audio at S21
                USD 3

                Opening Hour

                 07.30-17:30

                Parking FacilitiesAvailable and free 

           I got my audio in English this time and once again I walked following the number of stops. I went  through different rooms in the school. Surprisingly this school looks exactly the same as my primary school in Bangkok. The designed of stair and walkway was so similar, I suddenly felt ponder of sadness to this terrible place for all the victims here. There were ways to torture people here and suicide was not even the options. Prisoner followed to ridiculous rules as you can see in the pictures below. what kind of ideologist turn human to this way?

                                               Where people come in but never come out  

                                                                              S21 rules 

          This places are the essential parts of any visit to Cambodia and I  recommend everyone who visit this museum to pay an extra for Audio, it will help you to understand stories in every corner of this place.

         My driver took me to Russian market and then drop hotel at late afternoon. This trip took me around 6 hours in total. Moreover, I found later on that people  pay less with Tuk Tuk or Hop on Hop off tours options which are only around 15-20 USD.