Phnom Penh

It is not hard to imagine Phnom Penh in its heyday, with wide, shady boulevards and beautiful French buildings. They are still there of course, but are in a derelict, dust-blown decaying state. It all leaves you wondering how a city like this works. But it does.

After taking tuk-tuk ride from the airport, we arrived at Le Marais Boutique Hotel around 9am - settled into our very lovely room and had a snooze. The 3.30am start and the trauma of the LCCT left us a little sleepy! After about 45 mins we decided to go in search of coffee. It seems that before we go anywhere, Nate and I look up coffee places. We do love our quality coffee and Phnom Penh had a few goodies.

Phnom Penh is a city of contrasts: East and West, poor and rich, serenity and chaos. In the space of 1km you see Monk's saffron robes lending a splash of colour to the streets to soldiers with AK47's to amputees on street corners - a constant reminder of Cambodia's tragic story. Years of war have taken a heavy toll on the city's infrastructure and economy, as well as its people. I don't normally like to know what goes on in these places that we are visiting - the reason's for why they are in the state they are in, is something I would rather not know about. I am on holiday, and not wanting to be confronted by the horrors.

You do not have this luxury in Phnom Penh. Their brutal history is something unavoidable and I cant think why it is. Maybe it's because it only happened 30 years ago and I think, where the heck was the world for this to go unnoticed or maybe its because I know child prostitution and slavery is alive and well there or maybe it is because if you an Expat in PP, then you are part of an NGO... it's an intriguing place and you cannot put your head in the sand and pretend all is well and good! At the same time, it is peaceful, simple and rather breath taking. A weird mix.

Nate went to the Tuol Sleng Museum (Museum of Genocide) whilst I did my assignment. Which I am glad I missed. The photos and stories he brought back were heart breaking. The classrooms of Tuol Svay Prey High School became the Khmer Rouge main torture and interrogation centre (known as S-21). More than 20,000 people were taken to for execution at another camp called Choeung Ek. Countless others died under torture and were thrown into mass graves in the school grounds.

These holes in the ground were mass graves - Nate said that some, when uncovered, were filled with hundred of beheaded women and young children. 

I think I will leave it at that! And move onto some better tales: we were there for Nate's footy game - they got totally thrashed by the Cambodian Eagles! That poor old hubby of mine, I mean, he is not a fan of anything that has the name Eagle(s) in it and certainly does not like been beaten by anything that has the word Eagles in it. Thank goodness Freo beat Geelong, otherwise it would have been a loooong two days.

Nate has decided to keep his stats (I dont even know what that means)! But after each quarter he would sneak onto his phone and record his touches, kicks, marks and I dont know what else! I told you in this post, its all very very serious out there! To be fair, the Malaysia Warriors did not have their full strength side, and a few key members were injured. Freak, I sound like my husband when he makes excuses for the Dockers!

I had a wonderful time, I got to hang out with a very old family friend, Danielle Van Rooyen. I went to primary school with her brother, and then in the same high school as her. Her and her family lived in the same little country town, Richmond, as my family. So we really do go waaay back. It was so awesome to hang out and catch up with where she is at. I found it refreshing and inspiring, hearing how her and her family moved to Cambodia and how awesome God's hand has been in their lives every step of the way.

We are definitely going back there. It is the most beautiful place, and it was so good to be out of the Muslim dominated culture for a weekend! It was a weekend of mixed emotions for sure. The people of this area are happy despite their terrible history. I get the feeling, as a nation, they are looking forward and striving to be better. It was a very humbling weekend and I highly recommend it for a stop over.