Angkor

The stone faces of the Bayon, Angkor Thom.

The laterite steps upto the peak of Pre Rup.

Ta Prohm (the one from Tomb Raider!)

Angkor Wat from a distance.

And from a little closer.

S-21 Genocide Museum

S-21 used to be a school until the Khmer Rouge turned it into a prison in the mid seventies. Cambodian nationals who were deemed intelligent (this included anyone who wore galsses), had links with the west or owned a business, were brought here to be interrogated and tortured before being sent to the 'Killing Fields' to be brutally murdererd and buried in mass graves.

The prison has been left as it was found with the addition of photo galleries depicting the attrocities that ocurred here. Walking around and reading about what happened here was incredibly moving and gave a whole new insight into the plight of the Khmer peoples.

In the school courtyard, gym equipment was turned into torture devices.

In one of the buildings a photo gallery of all the people that passed through S-21 on the way to their deaths has been set up. Until the later stages of the tyranny new arrivals did not know what would happen to them here and the look of confusion and apprehension on their faces is plainly evident. I would recommend the book 'First they killed my father', it gives an insight into the horrors of the Khmer Rouge campaign.

Giving blood in Phnom Penn

Phnom Penn is the capital of Cambodia and a cool little city undergoing a lot of development. The chaos of the traffic and the hustle and bustle of street vendors lining all the back streets gives it a manic atmosphere but one in which you can still find a place to escape.

Whilst in Phnom Penn we decided to give blood at the local childrens hospital. We were donors 212 and 213 so far this year. Afterwards, instaed of sweet tea and buscuits, we were given a bag of sugar, a tin of condensed milk, some instant noodles, a big box of crackers and this t-shirt!

Kramer v's Kramer

In Cambodia practically everyone wears a checked scarf called a Kramer. It can be worn in many different ways, two styles on display here which are big this season are the 'turban' and the 'mother theresa'!

Into Cambodia: Ban Lung and the crater lake

Ban Lung is in the Northeast of Cambodia in Ratanakiri province. The town itself is small and a cloud of red dust fills the air. It's famous for the Yeak Laom which is lake formed in a volcanic crater.

We spent the morning walking around the lake's perimeter, stopping every now and then to admire our surroundings and watch the local kids fishing. We found this tree which formed a natural bridge over the path and into the lake.

It was a scorchingly hot day (37 degrees) so we spent the afternoon swimming and leaping into the water with a group of local kids.