Phnom Penh

We departed for Phnom Penh via a hired cab for USD 50-60. It was about a 4-5 hour journey including the time we stopped by Kampung Thom for lunch. I initially wanted to head towards Sambor Prei Kuk but we already overshot the place when we arrived in Kampung Thom *due to language barriers* and our driver wanted another USD 30 to take us to that particular temple, so we decided against it.

Reception

The guesthouse we stayed in was the Blue Lime, which was a really nice place. I was initially worried when we first got there as the place was located in an alley that looked a bit dodgy. Plus the outside was packed with tuktuk drivers that it was a little daunting. But once you open the door to the guesthouse, it's a totally different feel inside.

Pool

To the left of the picture were a few cabanas for us to lounge beside the pool. A really nice touch I have to say.

Being tired and hungry, it was only natural that we went out looking for food. There was quite a few stalls that sold fried noodles, similiar to char kuay teow but they looked like they were a recipe for food poisoning. Until we saw a shop that sold the same thing. In a much less risky environment :).

Tea time

Before I came to Phnom Penh, I've read about this pizza place, Happy Pizza. Apparently they put some weed in their pizza which makes it really yum. Plus another friend who's been there before have had it before and recommended it to us. Well, he did say that it was quite 'safe' :). So Happy Pizza we tried.

The infamous pizza

Frankly, it tasted like any normal pizza. There were bits of.. eerrmm.. herby looking things, but I doubt that they were weed. If anything, I think Pizza Hut serves better pizza :P. Maybe it's just a rumour that they put weed in their pizza :).

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Commonest mode of transport

We started our second day walking towards the Royal Palace which was pretty near to where we stayed. But we forgot that it was the King's Birthday Celebration that day, so we had to come back to the palace at a later time. But not before we caught the large crowds of uniformed people marching in the field.

Seeing that the Palace was only to be reopened to public in the afternoon, we decided to head towards the infamous Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum.

Formerly a high school, the place was converted into prison, also known as the S-21 Prison. The place was used as a main prison and interrogation place during the Khmer Rouge regime. There were thousands of people who went through this gate, and an estimation of at least 17000 were imprisoned in this place.

The former high school turned prison

We had trouble getting an english speaking guide but fortunately for us, there was an either American or British group that was also visiting the place and kindly allowed us to join in their group to listen to the explanations :).

I don't really know how to explain it, but it was an overwhelming sense of sadness and despair that I felt when we were there. The amount of horror that has happened in the place, the sadness and pain that the prisoners had to endure was ... beyond description. I still get a little goosebumps when I think about it. And definitely when I was there.

:( - Dominatrix is what comes to mind

One of the torture rooms

Upper level prison

One of the buildings, on the higher floor had barbed wires at the balconies. According to the guide, the wires were placed to prevent suicides from female prisoners on that floor (the floor housed only female prisoners if I remember correctly), who had enough of how cruel life was to them.

We spent a fair bit of time in the place, as there was many things on display - posters, poems, pictures, even skulls of victims tortured and killed. It was a very overwhelming experience and I would suggest one be really prepared before visiting the place.

After the museum, we headed off to one of the more famed markets, Russian Market in Phnom Penh. Markets - as I have said countless of times before - my favourite place to observe the daily lives of the locals :).

An advert for guaranteed lung cancer

Handicrafts :)

We couldn't deal with anymore healthy food, so we went and got ourselves this! :D

*Our 2nd KFC meal in the trip btw :P*

We went to Wat Phnom next, which is tallest Wat in the city, as it is located on a small hill. The place is visited by many locals and tourist but tourist are charged USD 1 per person to visit the place. Not that it would deter me :P.

Wat Phnom

:)

Deity in the temple/shrine

There was an elephant in the grounds, which I assumed was for hire for walks around the place. LP says that there was an elephant called Sam Bo when they were there, and seeing that there was only ONE elephant there then, I wondered if it was Sam Bo :).

Sam Bo?

We left for the Royal Palace after that, and even then we had to wait for a bit under the hot sun. Luckily, there wasn't a long queue for the place.

The throne hall

The Royal Palace was built in 1866, and was occupied by the Kings of Cambodia since then with exception to the time when Khmer Rouge was in power.

Moonlight Pavilion aka Chan Chhaya Pavilion

The pavilion located opposite the throne hall, is an open air structure which is also serves as a stage for traditional Khmer dance shows. Nowadays, it is also used as a balcony from where the king addresses the public/citizens.

French-styled building

The building looked a little out of place in the palace due to it's architecture style. After all, it is located within an area where old traditional Khmer designs dominates the structures around. According to our guide, it was a gift from the French and the building wasn't constructed on site. It was moved from ... hhmm.. I can't remember where :S.

Silver Pagoda

The Silver Pagoda is located within the Royal Palace complex, and is famous for it's silver tiles on the floor - 5000+ tiles, with each weighting ~1.25kg. The floors aren't the only thing famous in this pagoda, there are several statues as well. Of note is the 90kg golden Buddha which also had 2086 diamonds encrusted with a 25 carat diamond on the crown.

One of the many stupas

Outside the Pagodas were several stupas which kept the ashes of the Royal Family. Each royal had their own stupa.

Random picture

There were several other exhibition rooms where our guide took us to, but I can barely remember any of it now :S.