Cambodia 2

Pippa here-

Having been in and traveling around Cambodia for 6 days, I have to say that Phnom Penh still is my favorite place. The city teems with life - 2 million people call it home. From the streets, the architecture is one of the most visible signs of the French-colonial rule. The buildings are all in various stages of disrepair, giving them an "urban-decay" chic esthetic. It is very easy to get a good baguette and a STRONG cup of coffee in Phnom Penh (although probably not that surprising considering the French presence). The two days we spent in the city (we will however be definitely going back for more) were packed with activities. Getting over jet-lag wasn't as difficult as expected (probably since we all slept very little on our flights) so we just kept on trucking through the city. 

After waking up on our first day, we left the hotel and just began wandering. We eventually made our way towards a market which was located in the neighborhood we were staying in. There are more markets here than you can shake a stick at. You can easily find anything from fresh meat (whole chickens, beef, pork, sausage, seafood--much of which is still alive on the block), to vegetables and herbs, to kitchen-wares, clothes, toys, dvds, cds, automotive parts, school materials, shoes, jewelry, etc --all in the same market. We got breakfast and then continued wandering. We ended up on a street which was lined with barbers and dad proceeded to get a $2.00 haircut/beard-trim. We continued along the same street to find coffee for mom (by her testimony, the strongest she had ever had). At the end of the very same road was the National Museum; outside of which we found one truly surprising banana tree, and inside of which is held the largest collection of Khmer sculpture (including a special exhibit of photographs of traditional Khmer dance poses). Both the museum's collection, and building were breathtaking. I'm afraid that I don't know how to say anything more than that... 

After the National Museum, we took a tuk tuk to the Russian Markets. The predominant modes of transportation in Cambodia are 1.) Bicycle, 2.) Scooter and 3.) tuk tuk. Why these genius contraptions have not made it stateside yet is something we are still struggling over. A Tuk Tuk is basically a scooter with a miniature carriage attatched (see photograph). They're small enough that they are both inexpensive to ride and maneuverable, yet big enough that you can get a few people in. But I digress. The Russian Market is a MUST SEE for ANYONE in Phnom Penh. It is just like all other markets, only MUCH MUCH LARGER. Be forewarned however, it is very easy to get lost within it's maze of alleys, so try to be aware of where and in which direction you turn (or at least which side of the market you are facing at any given direction). From the Market, we took a tuk tuk back to the hotel to collapse for a bit.

After our siesta, we took a tuk tuk to Tuol Sleng which was one of the many prisons and execution grounds for the Khmer Rouge. The site (which was originally a school before the Khmer Rouge took it over) has been "converted" into a museum where one can walk through and look at the prison cells, and then room after room of boards covered with the photographs of the regime's prisoners; some before their execution, and some either after their death, or severe torture. The experience was overwhelming. 

After Tuol Sleng, we went on to the Royal Palace. A large section of the grounds have been set aside for tourism, allowing people to view the believed site of some of the Buddha's ashes, and the "emerald buddha" (a green quartz sculpture) --all within the silver pagoda; a pagoda whose floor is tiled in over 5,000 solid silver tiles. The oddest thing about the silver pagoda was the fact that much of the floor was carpeted, so you could feel the tiles moving under your feet, and the silver-tile section which was exposed for viewing appeared to be taped together with duct tape. 

That mostly ended our first day about in Phnom Penh. After dinner, and more rest, we did go out for a bit to explore the night market in the north of the city. The night market was very lively, and very fun. It appeared to be a big place for the young people of the city to meet up and hang out. In the center was a large stage with some pop-singer performing on it, then stalls around that, and in the back a large area for eating. We wandered around, took photos, and returned to our hotel to sleep, concluding our day. 

I want to stress, even though we have not posted much of our travels yet, that what is posted is just the tip of the iceberg. I'm certain that each of us could tell very different variations of our time if sat down individually.