Phnom Penh

This morning we visited what was once a normal high school in a peaceful neighbourhood in the city. Unfortunately it is not known for the education of the local children but for the torture and execution of people between 1975 and 1978. Known as S-21, Tuol Suay Prey High School stands as a reminder of the horrific past of Cambodia under Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge. What were once classrooms are now haunting rooms displaying pictures of the tortured and their guards - if you could call them that as many were 14-18 year old boys.
Other classrooms were converted into prison cells (1m by 1m) with brick or wood. Row after row of pictures showed the fear on the prisoners faces and signs explained how the captors used what were once exercise beams and playground equipment to torture and extract information from them. Over time even the guards and 'officals' of the camp were executed by the high officers of the regime.
They say that everyone has an evil streak - it's just human nature but it's hard to imagine why people felt this was the way to deal with others in order to create a 'new order'.
The fact that it was at a school makes the story more harrowing and over 20,000 people lost their lives at S-21. Tomorrow we continue to understand more about this tragic story by visiting the Killing Fields.
It's been an incredible day of mixed emotions and as we left the school it seemed like another place all together. It really shows the strength of character of the Cambodian people who are always incredibly friendly and cheerful. We continued to walk around the majority of the city stopping off at the Royal Palace and Wat Phnom - oh and a beer or two.
Just to make everyone reassured - we are fine despite what you may have heard on the news regarding typhoons and the bad weather. The worse hit area would appear to be where we have just come from (Siem Reap) and the areas surrounding the Tonle Sap lake. We've had just a couple of downpours but nothing worse.
We plan to stay here for one more day and then we head to the coast on Friday. Then Vietnam after hopefully 4 sunny days on the beach. I've been told to stop!
Love.
Mark & Rach. xxx