We spent three days in Phnom Penh, and we have had a difficult time describing our impressions of the city. We know that we like it more than Bangkok, but we also know that we like Siem Reap a great deal more. Phnom Penh is located right where the Mekong and the Tonle Sap rivers meet, and it has been Cambodia's capital since 1866. It is more organized and user-friendly than Bangkok, in that there are more restaurtants/cafes/activities for visitors, but it also feels extemely poor and dirty.
Kate caught the ubiquitous SE Asia Tummy Bug early in the week, but she bounced back pretty quickly after obtaining some $1 Ciprofloxacin from a PP pharmacy. On one of the days she was sick, I visited the ex-capital of Oudong with a Cambodian friend-of-a-friend named Leah (thanks Landon!). I was the only whitey at this mountain temple, so Leah was great in providing some context and additional info about the site. A "highlight" of this excursion was viewing the mummified body of the benevolent monk Sam Bunthoeun at the Vipassana Dhura Buddhist Meditation Center. Bunthoeun was assassinated in 1996 and is kept on display for monks and visitors to pay homage.
After Kate was feeling better, we spent a day hitting up the city's tourist spots. We went to the deeply disturbing Cheung Ek Killing Fields, and S21 Prison, as well as the claustrophobic Russian Market and the elegant Royal Palace. I visited Auschwitz and Birkenau a few years ago, and I experienced the same feelings at Cheung Ek...you want to leave as soon as you arrive, even though your logical mind knows that it is an important historical site. It was worse than a Nazi concentration camp for many reasons, but the fact that no guns were used by the Khmer Rouge made the experience especially upsetting. We won't get too graphic but the most disturbing part for me (Kate) were the teeth, bones and clothing that were still being pushed up through the soil due to heavy rainfalls.
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After Kate was feeling better, we spent a day hitting up the city's tourist spots. We went to the deeply disturbing Cheung Ek Killing Fields, and S21 Prison, as well as the claustrophobic Russian Market and the elegant Royal Palace. I visited Auschwitz and Birkenau a few years ago, and I experienced the same feelings at Cheung Ek...you want to leave as soon as you arrive, even though your logical mind knows that it is an important historical site. It was worse than a Nazi concentration camp for many reasons, but the fact that no guns were used by the Khmer Rouge made the experience especially upsetting. We won't get too graphic but the most disturbing part for me (Kate) were the teeth, bones and clothing that were still being pushed up through the soil due to heavy rainfalls.
Clothes of the Dead at Cheung Ek
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