Saturday 4th December 2004
Today was sad. I went to the killing fields and the S-21 detention centre Teul Sleng in Phnom Penh. I initially didn't want to go because I thought it was wrong to make a tourist attraction out of such a tragic event in history, but then I realized that not going was to ignore the fact that such a tragedy had taken place. I therefore decided to pay my respects and to acknowledge the event. If we forget how abhorrent human behaviour has been in the past there is more chance it will happen again.
Inside S-21 there were thousands of pictures of every prisoner, about 99 percent of whom did not survive. It was painfully sad. One little girl, whose picture jumped out at me and which I saw twice more elsewhere, made me cry. She looked so scared and unhappy. That picture haunted me for the rest of the day. In the afternoon I visited the National Museum, which had a wealth of pre and post Angkorian sculptures as well as many from Angkor Wat and the surrounding temples. I booked a flight from Ban Lung in Ratinikiri province back to Phnom Penh for 13th December, so I'll be able to venture further as the flight will save me precious travel time. I'll be traveling overland up until the 13th anyway, so I'll be satisfied that I have seen a good amount of Cambodia. at least enough for this visit anyway.
My moto driver Cheau is planning on picking me up at 9am tomorrow to take me to the Grand Palace, then I'll check out of the Capitol Guesthouse at noon and get the bus to Kompong Cham.
