It is not easy to navigate through the city as pedestrian. Sidewalks are often occupied by street stalls, so you have to walk on the streets. The food in the street stalls is prepared on the spot, including the flies that are on it. You see also piles of chickens that are kept under control by binding their legs together. These chickens that lay in the sun all day, probably hope on a buyer soon who can free them from their suffering by chopping their heads off. We also went to the large central market that was under reconstruction during our visit. This large market is built in 1937 by the French in colonial style, and has the third largest dome of the world. When the market is operational, you can find more than 2000 stalls in it.

The next day, we went early in the morning to the Toal Sleng museum, also often called the S21 building. It is the former interrogation and torture prison of the Khmer Rouge regime. What here happened is indescribable, and is one of the darkest chapters of Cambodian history. The building is built by the French as a school, but got a different function during the time of the Khmer Rouge. Between April 1975 and January 1979, more than 15,000 people were captured here, interrogated, tortured and finally killed at the extermination camp Choeung Ek (also known as the Killing Fields), a little bit out of town. It was a coincidence that during our visit to the prison, one of the seven survivors of the camp was interviewed on the spot, for a documentary. It was impressive to see. It must have been hard for him to be back in the prison and to tell the film makers about what happened in that prison. Once in a while he couldn’t control his emotions and tears were rolling over his cheeks. Everywhere are sign asking you to be quiet. But the signs are not necessary, because what you see makes you silent.

In one of the buildings you can still see how the different rooms were used as interrogation and torture room. You still see the beds on at which the prisoners were chained. In another building you can see the small cells of 0.8 by 2.0 metres in where the prisoners lived and many pictures of the victims. For some reason the Khmer Rouges administers all their crimes in detail. It is also possible to see many paintings of the torture activities. The paintings are made by one of the survivors. He made these paintings in assignment of the Khmer Rouge regime and by doing it, he saved his life.

The next day we went to the Royal Palace with the Silver Pagoda. This pagoda is not the oldest one, but it is definitely the most luxurious. The floor is tiled with 5,000 silver tiles that have a weight of one kilogram each. French lilies are carved in the tiles. In the pagoda you will find a emerald Buddha (a copy) and a gold Buddha. The last one has a weight of 90 kilograms and is decorated with 2086 diamonds, of which the largest is 25 carats. Outside you will see the Sala-tree (a holy tree), a tree with the leaves in the top and beautiful flowers in the lower region of the tree, which spring directly from the trunk.

In the evening we went to the Russian market. It was amazing. It is incredible to see what you can buy over there. Everything is available, from silver and gold jewellery, textiles in all colours and measures to all spare parts of motorcycles. As often, our favourite section was the section where the food is prepared and where you can find the colourful food.

Finally we want to say that we really enjoyed Phnom Penh. It is a very atmospheric city where it is still possible to see and experience the real Asia. The city is absolutely recommended!