Phnom Penh

After just a few hours in Cambodia’s capitol, we were certain that a two-night stay would be plenty.  But as we were heading to the airport on our way out, we turned to each other and said, “One more night would’ve been nice.”  That feeling of "let's get out of here, and that's wow that's cool" pretty much sums up our Phnom Penh, and Cambodia as a whole experience.

Anna and I tried to figure out what it was about Phnom Penh that we didn’t quite jive with, and this is what we came up with.  First, it was really touristy.  Phnom Penh was the first place we’d been where we felt like we were just another person on the tourist track.  Second, the people weren’t as friendly.  I think a lot of this has to do with the touristy nature of the city, but there seemed to be more to it.  It felt like we were just viewed as a source of money to the locals and not much more.  Part of this has to do with the bargaining that you have to do for everything.  In HCMC, we took metered taxis almost every where, therefore there was little need for bargaining.  When you’re forced to bargain for everything, I constantly feel like I’m either being taken advantage of or I feel guilty for not paying enough.  These negative feelings end up taking away from the enjoyment of travel.  Third, lack of parks.  Although we really enjoyed walking through the parks in the evening, they didn’t quite compare to the huge parks in Vietnam.  Greenspace is such an important part of our life and is so vital for our enjoyment.

After disembarking the BlueCruiser, our overpriced transportation from Chau Doc, we found an internet café for a hotel.   We stayed at a very nice boutique hotel, H Hotel, which was located just blocks from the RoyalPalace and equipped with a swimming pool, large room, and comfortable shower.  After grabbing a quick bite to eat, we just strolled through the streets of Phnom Penh. 


We witnessed one of the ills of a tourist laden city.  As we were sitting at our lunch/dinner spot, there was an altercation between two intoxicated travelers or expats.  It looked like a father-son combo.  Some choice words were said and then the older gentleman hopped in a tuk-tuk and left.  After about 15 minutes and a long discussion, the younger gentleman proceeded to yell some explicative, kick a chair, and sprint down the street like a super hero.  It was a truly embarrassing moment for all those involved.  That’s what happens when you offer $2 pitchers of beer.


The main attraction in Phnom Penh, asided from the prison and killing fields, is the Royal  palace and Silver Pagoda.  

The most enjoyable part of Phnom Penh was strolling through the various parks at sundown.  The parks were filled with locals (I think) dancing, eating, drinking, playing with the huge pigeon population, and just enjoying the cooled temperatures.  It was during these times that the magic of this capitol city showed itself.  Aside from these evenings and the historical sites, Phnom Penh left a lot to be desired.