We had a sobering morning on Friday visiting the prison (formerly a high school) that was used to torture prisoners during Pol Pot's reign. We learned that the Khmer Rouge was similar to the Nazis in their attention to recording the names of all their victims. We viewed room after room of photos, numbers and names of those killed here. There was a very moving video detailing one particular couple's demise. The Khmer Rouge kept all their letters and forced confessions all of which are now being archived. The brutality is unbearable - and so recent. After touring the S 21 museum we drove out about 15 minutes to the actual killing fields. Very strange that this monument has been purchased by a Japanese company who is running it. The Cambodian populace isn't pleased with this but evidently they are managing it well and have added a paved road to the sight. The mass graves are marked - just large pits where it seems like you can still see shreds of clothing. In the middle is a beautiful stupa (monument) with skulls of the deceased 50 feet high (pictured above). Throughout the exhibits are signs with a face with a smile and a line through it. Not a place for smiling.
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