Phnom Penh, Cambodia

I spent nearly a month in Phnom Penh, Cambodia mostly playing poker at Naga World Casino. I played decent, not great and ran very poorly taking 7 sessions to hit my first draw (sick!) but managed to break even overall. Not the expectations I had but such is the life.

 As of several years ago nearly 60% of Cambodians lived on less than $2 a day. It's a poor country with a very dark recent history. Leaving the casino is the first time in any of my travels I have ever not felt safe. It is a vulnerable feeling getting into a tuktuk late at night with 1-2 years salary in your pocket for the average Cambodian. While in Phnom Penh there was a string of robberies involving foreigners leaving the casino late at night. Then the police caught the suspect in the act, a chase ensued as he fled on a motorbike. He then pulled over, shot and killed both police officers and escaped. I had planned to stay a few more weeks in Phnom Penh but I decided to skip town. Phnom Penh certainly has an edge to it, truth is I loved the city and all its craziness. I want to make clear the only time I felt unsafe or vulnerable is when leaving the casino. 

Sunrise on the Mekong River

Also taken at sunrise

Phnom Penh is a beautiful city full of French colonial architecture. Actually the city exceeded my expectations. Maybe I was expecting something like Vientiane but there is far more to see and do in Phnom Penh plus the city has more life to it.   

The Royal Palace near is a complex built in the 1860's is home to the King of Cambodia and a top tourist attraction. Across from the river front boardwalk and with many parks near by it is a great area to spend the day for both locals and travelers.

In 1970 Cambodia fell into Civil War paralleling the fight in Vietnam.  The communist insurgency led by Pol Pot and allied with the Northern Vietnamese fought to obtain power against the US backed Cambodian government.  In 1975 Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge came to power. Some historians argue that US carpet bombings led to Pol Pot gaining support in the villages and winning the war. Others argue he would have came to power no matter what. Either way, everybody agrees the rule of Pol Pot is one of the darker stories in recent world history, 2 million people making up nearly 1/4 of the population would be executed or starve to death.

1975 became known as year zero. All traditions and culture was to be destroyed for agrarian socialism to take place. Almost immediately the cities were evacuated including Phnom Penh. Intellectuals and government workers were executed and everybody sent to the country side

Tuol Sleng is a highschool in Phnom Penh turned into a prison and interrogation center 4 months after the Khmer Rouge took power. An estimated 17,000 people were held here over a 4 year period, many making their ways to the "Killing Fields". The compound is now a genocide museum. "the buildings were enclosed in electrified barbed wire, the classrooms converted into tiny prison and torture chambers, and all windows were covered with iron bars and barbed wire to prevent escapes." (Wikipedia)

20,000 mass graves known as "Killing Fields" are scattered throughout Cambodia. The most famous is Cheoung Ek in Phnom Penh, it is actually the 2nd most visited tourist site in the country after Angkor Wat.  The site is now a memorial with a stupa as the centerpiece. 

Inside the stupa rising to the top is a glass case holding more than 5,000 human skulls that were excavated at the site.

It is said that infants were thrown into the air and stabbed with bayonets (These paintings are on display at the genocide museum, not the killing fields)

Others were whacked against trees in order to save bullets

The experience of visiting Cheoung Ek is much more in your face and raw than visiting a place like Auschwitz which is a more eerie experience where you cannot actually see the effects and is more based on your own imagination, at least for me. 

Both are places that do not require more than one visit and show the worst sides of human nature

The Khmer Rouge fell in 1979 when former ally Vietnam invaded and occupied the country for 10 years. The cities are once again bustling with people but Cambodia remains far behind her neighbors.

Naked street kids are a fairly common site. I watched this same kid take a shit in the middle of the market on the street the next day

Mmmm Pork! Fresh fish still alive in the bowl

I didn't stay in Phnom Penh the entire time, I went Sihanoukville and returned. On the gulf of Thailand Sihanoukville is quickly becoming the next big backpackers destination. With 50 cent beers, beautiful beaches and fun night life why the hell not!? Though it is rainy season now and rained everyday I was there

An interesting fact about Sihanoukville is that it is the site of the last official battle for the US Army in the Vietnam War. It took place between US and Khmer Rouge forces. 

That wraps up Cambodia. Enjoyed my time there. Hopefully people can notice some improvement in the quality of the photos as I continue to learn how to use my new camera and editing software. In a few months as I gain some experience they should get better. 

They My plan was to head into Vietnam, China etc. and continue my trip as planned. Instead I decided to return to Chiang Mai, Thailand and get my online poker account back. We will see how that goes, should be back online in the next day or two wooot. Can't wait to 4-bet shove air and bink my first 180 man on Stars!