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Phnom Penh, at times chaotic, at times beguiling. Trying to cross the road at Preah Ekereah outside Wat Ounalom was definitely the former, along with visiting dark, wet and labyrinthine fresh produce markets.
Places to visit around Phnom Penh include the National Museum, interesting collection of Khmer artefacts and a nice, tranquil courtyard with fish ponds and housing the statue of the Leper King (the one at Siem Reap on top of a knoll is a replica).
The Russian Market, Psaa Tuol Tom Pong where during the height of the Cold War Russians shopped for Ak47s and marijuana, is now a nice, family friendly touristy market. Worth visiting? For a few souvenir kramas and carvings - nothing else much actually, and so's the other markets i checked out including Psaa Olympic, Russei amongst others.
The more memorable one was Psaa Thmei, the huge yellow ziggurat like dome in the middle of Phnom Penh, due to its sheer size and architecture. Some of the traders here speak Chinese (being Cambodians of Chinese descent) and it was quite nice to chat with them about life in Cambodia in general, and without the language barrier it was as if i was exposed to a whole new world of insights. Its always nice to meet someone in a foreign land, a local who share a common language with you, like the owners of the Malaysia Restaurant who spoke Malay, but alas were not exactly friendly or in a good mood when i popped by for breakfast. The opposite place, where the waiter was Malaysian was much better. The food was quite good as opposed to the rubbery beef at the Malaysia, and he even made teh tarek for me when i asked for tea. Although it was mind-blowingly, diabetes-causing sweet, it was nevertheless a really nice gesture and a taste of home this far away.
Places to visit around Phnom Penh include the National Museum, interesting collection of Khmer artefacts and a nice, tranquil courtyard with fish ponds and housing the statue of the Leper King (the one at Siem Reap on top of a knoll is a replica).
The Russian Market, Psaa Tuol Tom Pong where during the height of the Cold War Russians shopped for Ak47s and marijuana, is now a nice, family friendly touristy market. Worth visiting? For a few souvenir kramas and carvings - nothing else much actually, and so's the other markets i checked out including Psaa Olympic, Russei amongst others.
The more memorable one was Psaa Thmei, the huge yellow ziggurat like dome in the middle of Phnom Penh, due to its sheer size and architecture. Some of the traders here speak Chinese (being Cambodians of Chinese descent) and it was quite nice to chat with them about life in Cambodia in general, and without the language barrier it was as if i was exposed to a whole new world of insights. Its always nice to meet someone in a foreign land, a local who share a common language with you, like the owners of the Malaysia Restaurant who spoke Malay, but alas were not exactly friendly or in a good mood when i popped by for breakfast. The opposite place, where the waiter was Malaysian was much better. The food was quite good as opposed to the rubbery beef at the Malaysia, and he even made teh tarek for me when i asked for tea. Although it was mind-blowingly, diabetes-causing sweet, it was nevertheless a really nice gesture and a taste of home this far away.
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