I guess there should be disclaimer for this post, in case some of the pictures might be unsettling.
Siem Reap is definitely geared to the tourist market. It's colorful, the markets are great, and it's compact. Phnom Penh is much bigger and less attractive on the surface. It reminded in some ways of Dar es Salaam. At one point it was the crown jewel in the French Indochina colonies, but time and history have worn it down. The art deco dome of the central market gives testimony to its former beauty.We spent 3 days here (really, 1 or 2 days too many-there's not that much to do) because of the Killing Fields. Between 1975 and 1979 Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge killed some 2 million Cambodians. Virtually overnight (really, it was 2-3 days) everyone was rounded up and sent out to work in forced labor farms and camps. Families were separated, and any 
person that was educated or may have been thought to be sympathetic to the former government was killed. As time went on, people were starved and the killings continued. The bodies were buried in mass graves throughout Cambodia, with the largest site located just outside of Phnom Penh. Approximately 20,000 men, women, and children were killed and approximately 9,000 bodies have been recovered at this site called Cheoung Ek. I imagined enormous pits, but the graves were actually much smaller. The whole site is so peaceful--it was the site of a Chinese cemetary before the Khmer Rouge--that it belies the horrible events that took place there. There was a grave for women and children, and a tree where children were executed. The Khmer Rouge felt that any descendant of an educated or anti-KR supporter would someday rise up, so...
person that was educated or may have been thought to be sympathetic to the former government was killed. As time went on, people were starved and the killings continued. The bodies were buried in mass graves throughout Cambodia, with the largest site located just outside of Phnom Penh. Approximately 20,000 men, women, and children were killed and approximately 9,000 bodies have been recovered at this site called Cheoung Ek. I imagined enormous pits, but the graves were actually much smaller. The whole site is so peaceful--it was the site of a Chinese cemetary before the Khmer Rouge--that it belies the horrible events that took place there. There was a grave for women and children, and a tree where children were executed. The Khmer Rouge felt that any descendant of an educated or anti-KR supporter would someday rise up, so...Maybe because it is so much more recent than the Holocaust, but I found this site to be profoundly sad and I think it affected me more than the Holocaust Museum we visited in Washington, DC this summer. We had a guide that asked us to watch where we walked because as the ground continues to settle, bits of bones and clothing come to the surface. When I 
looked around, what I had thought was trash was actually bits of clothing. Some of the signs had bones or skulls stacked up, discoveries that had not yet made it into a more permanent setting. We did actually see teeth and bits of bone on the ground, a reminder that the 1970s was not that long ago. It is surreal to look around and realized that every single person you see, no matter what their age, has lost so many family members so recently. Our guide when we were in Siem Reap was 14 in 1975. His parents were immediately taken and killed, and he lost 5 of his 10 siblings. He did a great job of talking to the kids about what it was like to live through the US bombings and then the genocide. The sad part was looking around and realizing that every person would have a similar story to tell of fear and loss and pain. Despite that, there really is no sense of bitterness or anger. People seemed more interested in living life today and looking forward to a brighter future.
looked around, what I had thought was trash was actually bits of clothing. Some of the signs had bones or skulls stacked up, discoveries that had not yet made it into a more permanent setting. We did actually see teeth and bits of bone on the ground, a reminder that the 1970s was not that long ago. It is surreal to look around and realized that every single person you see, no matter what their age, has lost so many family members so recently. Our guide when we were in Siem Reap was 14 in 1975. His parents were immediately taken and killed, and he lost 5 of his 10 siblings. He did a great job of talking to the kids about what it was like to live through the US bombings and then the genocide. The sad part was looking around and realizing that every person would have a similar story to tell of fear and loss and pain. Despite that, there really is no sense of bitterness or anger. People seemed more interested in living life today and looking forward to a brighter future.
It's hard to say that I enjoyed the day, but I really appreciated learning about this aspect of Cambodian history and seeing the remants first hand. I'm glad we brought the kids, too. There were enough signs to provoke questions, some of them difficult, but I didn't feel it was too graphic for them. Noah had been to the Holocaust museum and the Rwandan genocide trials were held in Arusha while we were living there. I do think it's important that our kids have an understanding of some of the things that have happened in the world...to understand and appreciate something, you have to know its history. The large stupa, the first thing you see when you enter the site, is quite tall. The 
bottom levels were filled with clothing that had been recovered from the graves. The next levels were skulls, organized by male or female, and then by ages. There were also levels of longer bones. Groups had left strings of paper cranes in bunches around the stupa. It was painful to realize that the Cambodians who were visiting may have been wondering if family members were among those remains. Our guide said that many Cambodians have not been able to bring themselves to visit these sites yet. At every turn the scale of the genocide is overwhelming. Phnom Penh had approximately 2 million people when the Khmer Rouge entered the town in April, 1975 and within 3 days they had completely emptied the city. EVERYONE had left. People were told the US was going to bomb the city and people needed to evacuate for 3-4 days before returning. Phnom Penh remained essentially a ghost town for the next 4 years.
bottom levels were filled with clothing that had been recovered from the graves. The next levels were skulls, organized by male or female, and then by ages. There were also levels of longer bones. Groups had left strings of paper cranes in bunches around the stupa. It was painful to realize that the Cambodians who were visiting may have been wondering if family members were among those remains. Our guide said that many Cambodians have not been able to bring themselves to visit these sites yet. At every turn the scale of the genocide is overwhelming. Phnom Penh had approximately 2 million people when the Khmer Rouge entered the town in April, 1975 and within 3 days they had completely emptied the city. EVERYONE had left. People were told the US was going to bomb the city and people needed to evacuate for 3-4 days before returning. Phnom Penh remained essentially a ghost town for the next 4 years.The kids and I went back for a swim, but Cameron and Mark went on to a place back in town called Tuol Sleng. During this time, a high school was converted into prison and torture center where approximately 
17,000 people were imprisoned, tortured, and killed. The numbers are overwhelming, and this site is not for children. Like the Nazis, the Khmer Rouge were fanatical about documentation, many (most?) of the victims were photographed before, during, and after their horrific imprisonment. It's another site that looks so ordinary from the outside, just an old, rather battered high school, and then inside arel photos of the victims, equipment, and even stains and marks on the walls and floors.
It was very meaningful to see the Killing Fields at the end of the trip, after seeing the amazing temples at Angkor Wat. Like Mao during the Cultural Revolution, the Khmer Rouge recognized that some aspects of the past were important, sacred even, and were left alone or protected. As a result, we were able to see a fantastic display of history and culture that spans 1,000 years. It's always humbling, coming from a country where anything over 100 years or so is considered old, a country that has never experienced anything like what happens all too often in countries around the world. Everyone told us that Cambodia would be breathtakingly beautiful and they were right. We loved it and were reminded again how blessed we are to be able to experience places like this.
17,000 people were imprisoned, tortured, and killed. The numbers are overwhelming, and this site is not for children. Like the Nazis, the Khmer Rouge were fanatical about documentation, many (most?) of the victims were photographed before, during, and after their horrific imprisonment. It's another site that looks so ordinary from the outside, just an old, rather battered high school, and then inside arel photos of the victims, equipment, and even stains and marks on the walls and floors.It was very meaningful to see the Killing Fields at the end of the trip, after seeing the amazing temples at Angkor Wat. Like Mao during the Cultural Revolution, the Khmer Rouge recognized that some aspects of the past were important, sacred even, and were left alone or protected. As a result, we were able to see a fantastic display of history and culture that spans 1,000 years. It's always humbling, coming from a country where anything over 100 years or so is considered old, a country that has never experienced anything like what happens all too often in countries around the world. Everyone told us that Cambodia would be breathtakingly beautiful and they were right. We loved it and were reminded again how blessed we are to be able to experience places like this.
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