I had the opportunity to visit the Choeung Ek Genocidal Center "Killing Fields" and Genocide Museum, former security Office 21. The "Killing Fields" are home to 129 mass graves, where nearly 20,000 victims suffered inhumane torture and were executed. With bones and some clothing still strewn about the ground, it is difficult to imagine the heinous crimes that were committed on this soil. The Genocide Museum, a former security office, was designed for detention, interrogation, inhumane torture and killing only after confessions were received and documented. Cambodia continues to work toward recovery from the brutal rule of the Khmer Rouge - "Keeping the memory of the atrocities committed on Cambodia soil alive is the key to build a new strong and just state."
In contrast to the chilling memorials and horrors of the past, Phnom Penh is a beautiful French-built city, home to colonial buildings, wide boulevards and a park like river front with cafes. I spent an afternoon at the beautiful and ornate Royal Palace followed by the National Museum of Cambodia. Within the walls of the Royal Palace and the Silver Pagoda, I made my way through lush gardens, past Buddha statues and carvings and walked bare-foot into several temples. I also enjoyed the National Museum, containing a spectacular collection of art from Cambodia's "golden age" of Angkor. I relaxed in the lovely courtyard.
Beyond the attractions, the city is hectic. Locals sit street side at TV bars to watch boxing matches and news. Women balance banana chips and bags of oranges on their head and approach vehicles at stopped intersections. Dental and medical clinics line every street corner. People sit atop trucks and vans passing by, holding onto the cargo below them. Volleyball courts draw friends and neighbors together. As dusk sets along the Mekong River and temperatures drop, the riverside park bustles with aerobics classes and family outings.
