Cambodia – Phnom Penh

Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Here was where I had one of the most captivating walk-arounds of a site on my whole S E Asia trip – The Royal Palace complex. Just walk through the ceremonial entrance gates and the sights ahead will amaze you.  It stopped me in my tracks and I just stood still gazing at these absolutely marvellous, colourful buildings. My logo photo on this site is my pic of the Main royal Palace building – loved it! Phnom Penh is a city of temples and stupas, reaching high and gloriously coloured or lined up in a ceremonial courtyard – they are everywhere. Go to the temple where the city got its name from and visit the museum that is in the most fabulous oriental, roof pitched building in the city. Steady yourself for a visit to the cruel, macabre and sad site of the Killing Fields. The Mekong flows through this city and is so wide it feels more like an estuary. Finally, book tickets for a show of traditional Cambodian dances and music at the National Museum in the evening …. enchanting actors and dancers in a unique, memorable atmosphere that fills the night air with the sound of oriental instruments and song! 

Phnom Penh and S E Asia trip 

I visited Phnom Penh, in Cambodia during my month-long tour of South East Asia.

On this trip I also spent time in Singapore, Indonesia, Brunei, Philippines, Vietnam and Malaysia. It was an amazing time of differing cultures, sights, sounds and smells and remains my most magical long-stay venture so far.

Read how you can combine several of these countries into a easy tour and get the most of the region while there.

Click below for my trip and reviews of these places.

Singapore

Indonesia: Bali

Indonesia; Jakarta

Brunei: Bandar Seri Begawan

Philippines: Manila

Vietnam: Ho Chi Min City

Vietnam: My To and Ben Tri

Vietnam: HCMC to PPen by bus

Cambodia: Phnom Penh to Siem Reap by Bus

Cambodia: Siem Reap

Malaysia: Kuala Lumpur

Malaysia: KL to S’pore by train

Where to stay in Phnom Penh.

I have to say that there are loads of hotels of all standards located in the central-ish area of the city, so in theory you can walk, within reason to most places.

Yes there are some larger hotels in their own grounds with Spas etc further out but a traveller would want to be near the action, given the poor transport network of the city.

Remember that Phnom Penh does not have a Metro system, local trains or trams. A confusing, fairly unregulated bus network means you will want to stay near the sights. Tut-tuts abound but can be scary on a long journey in PP’s notoriously heavy traffic and who wants to be covered in exhaust fumes and noise in what can be a peaceful city of Temples.

Centrally you have the Palace Complex, The National Museum, two big, famous Wats and the Riverside area and these would be the main attractions. Just outside the centre are the infamous Killing Fields and historic detention centre of the horrendous Pol Pot’s Khymer Rouge

Where I stayed in Phnom Penh

I looked at all the options and reviews and decided on the Queen Grand Boutique Hotel, (click here for hotel website).

I was not disappointed at the choice as it was 10 mins easy walk from the Palace Complex and all central sites and was great value for a four star hotel.

The reception area was very airy and open with huge picture windows that made outside street viewing interesting. The Restaurant-bar served delicious food and doubled as a breakfast room and looked across the the big lobby and stylish reception area

They have a tours desk that arranged several of my visits with pick up/drop offs and theatre tickets by elegantly dressed, friendly and helpful staff. It is a small hotel but big on hospitality.

If you stay here ask them about tickets to the traditional dance performances at the National Museum and tours to the Killing Fields and Khmer Rouge Interrogation Centre. A really helpful receptionist booked all of mine and they were fantastic

The rooms were modern and fresh, wifi and air con great, actually very quiet, and stylishly decorated. The bathrooms were very modern and clean with designer grey slate tiles and a big walk in shower area.

A fabulous feature of this hotel is the rooftop bar and pool. After a hard day sightseeing, sipping drinks here with views over the roof tops of the city was a marvel. The small pool is here too if you need a swim at any time to cool down and the coloured bright lights at night gave it a slightly clubby feel.

The hotel does have a spa too, but I didn’t use it as I had Spa plans on my next stop, in a few days, to Siem Reap.

It had everything I needed and if you are looking for a modern 4 star quality hotel at a 3 star price, centrally located, then this one gets my definite recommendation.

The Royal Palace Complex, Phnom Penh

Phnom Penh has been the capital of Cambodia twice. The first was when the Royal Court moved here from Angkor in 1434. It only stayed here for 60 years before being moved to several different cities over the next 500 years.

It returned here in 1866, under French rule, when several buildings were built to house the Royal family, of which only a few survive among the many others added since.

Thus the present Royal Palace complex is a mixture of buildings in phases from the1866’s, another splurge of building in 1873, 1876, 1907 and 1931 (the Royal residence) and 1953. Suffice to say the buildings are a mixture of dates and styles.

The atmosphere however feels that they are much older than they look due to the traditional styles used in reconstructions.

As you approach the complex, you can’t miss it at all. The streets outside it are patrolled by police, there is no parking along the road and the outside pavement in front of the terracotta coloured Palace roofs are painted a surreal yellow !

One of the Royal Pavilions is actually built into the walls so you can see it from the outside and at night parts of the walls are garishly lit up with massive fairy lights.

Entry into the complex is via an informal entrance through the high walls surrounding the complex. The ticket booth is similarly quite ordinary in a small square and so I was not expecting the actual buildings to be that spectacular, given the low key entrance.

I could not have been more wrong! I had seen a few pics of the inner buildings but it was difficult to gauge their size and colours from the pics.

I turned the first corner out from the ticket booth square, went along an informal wide open air passageway ad then turned another corner.

What greeted me as I turned the corner was amazing, it literally stopped me in my tracks. Ahead of me now were magnificent gold, white and yellow/brown coloured architectural wonders.

Each one was fully embellished, perfectly restored and shimmering against a backdrop of a radiant blue sky and immaculate vibrant green lawns and gardens!

The sloping tiled roofs and spires with huge high slender columns giving wide open spaces underneath, were breath-taking. It is one of the few vistas in the world that have caused me to take a sharp intake of breath and stand transfixed.

The Throne Room building and Royal Palace

This area of the Palace Complex had the Throne Room, a French inspired Pavilion given by France (under renovation on my visit), meeting areas and a huge open aired roofed dance and ceremony Pavilion, that being partially built into the outer wall, can be seen clearly from outside.

The gardens here were immaculately tendered, clipped small hedgerows, perfectly manicured luscious green lawn, beautifully maintained flower and shrubbery plots and carefully placed palm trees.

The effect was a picturesque and opulent garden area surrounding equally opulent and decorative buildings.

If any of you instagrmmers want picture perfect shots then this is the place to come, the backdrops are wonderful!

This section will have dozens of photos and I want them to speak for themselves as my heaping of praise on each sight will become monotonous after a while. The whole place just filled me with awe at its opulence and exquisite style of architecture.

The Monastery/Memorial area

Moving from this huge walled area you pass through a gate into a second walled section, again massive. It contains more ceremonial, religious and funerary buildings.

As you enter you are confronted with a elongated wall mural depicting an epic Cambodian poem (the Reamker). It depicts the proverbial fight between good and evil and the ideals of justice and fidelity.

In the quadrant of this section of the Palace Complex is the famous Silver Pagoda and temple with its 5000 silver tiles and marble exterior. Inside is the Emerald Buddha, an amazing Baccarat gemstoned statue seated on a raised platform.

Another 90 kg gold Buddha made in 1907 rests here as well.

There is also a statue of another Buddha encrusted with 9,584 diamonds dressed in royal regalia. The whole building rises like one of a set of structures almost set as islands in the massive courtyard.

Various memorials have been erected here to past monarchies and the family members in the form of covered statues and heavy spire shaped Stupas. The white marble one stands out in particular and on the bright sunny day that it was, it glistened so strongly that I had to put my sunglasses on the see it fully.

There is a small ceremonial building here too and the library in a corner.

The set up of buildings in this square was more along the lines of religious and funerary etiquette – given that most were effectively graves that should not be unusual. It is certainly different from the previous, rather grand and ostentatious set up, of imposing royal buildings.

The Stupas often had offerings of flowers and coloured bands set beside them from worshippers who had clearly left them. Many looked semi-official as if marking the anniversary of the persons passing.

The open courtyard style here is impressive but being walled there was little breeze to cool the stiflingly hot sun that day. Luckily I carried a bottle of water with me and I would advise this too as you are outside these buildings most of the time with little shade.

I would offer a link to the Palace for opening times, prices and guides but the official Cambodian Tourism website weirdly does not give that info anywhere.

Palace Museum area.

After walking the square and getting as many pics of the area as possible, it was now time to leave as I could see the exit area was leading to the side road.

As I passed through the exit gate, I entered into a small courtyard area – we had not actually finished as I thought and here was a café and mandatory gift shop. There was also a small museum showing Royal clothes regalia, artefacts, ceremonial objects and a mish-mash collection of artworks and other museum-worthy pieces in a large hall.

A small traditional band of musicians were sat on the floor playing instrument as people passed but it seemed they were using the floorspace for practice rather than this was a normal event.

I had been to a traditional music ceremony in Bali, Indonesia a few weeks earlier and was surprised at the similarity of the instruments and musical style. I was also quite chuffed with myself that I could recognise the music as being of S E Asian origin but not Balinese – quite a feat for a non instrument playing person like myself.

Khmer Rouge Genocidal Centres

There are two infamous centres of detention, torture and execution that the Khmer Rouge under Pol Pot, used during their horrendous rule of 1975-79.

It is estimated that 1.5 to 2 million people, around 25% of Cambodia’s population were murdered during their cruel genocidal regime and intellectuals including doctors and teachers were horrifically executed and detained.

Thousands of civilians were forced out of the city into countryside, enforced collective farms. The regime murdered hundreds of thousands of their perceived political opponents.

I visited the two centres on a tour organised by my hotel and I had big trepidations about doing so.

I had heard of “the killing fields” from the news and the movie and the thought of seeing these places in real life felt somewhat macabre and chiiling from a tourism point of view.

I certainly did not see it as fun or “place of interest” to visit but inwardly I knew I had to be informed of those events and to be reminded of man’s inhumanity to man as a lesson. It was to be an act of recognition that these awful events happened and to honour those who suffered there and to tell the story of of the tortures and execution so they would not be forgotten and they did not die in vain. Ok, heavy emotional escapade over. Just saying ……

I did find both places shocking – they hold no punches. I was moved and at the first one had to step outside the building as I felt emotionally moved to tears and sick in my stomach reading the info plaques. To then see the places where innocent people were brutally tortured and executed was sobering.

The bus took us to the first centre :

Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum

“The Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum is the memorial site of the S-21 interrogation and detention centre of the Khmer Rouge regime. Located in the heart of Phnom Penh, it preserves a tragic period in history with the aim to encourage visitors to be messengers of peace.”

This is the first line of its website, see here for info, and is a fitting explanation to the Museum buildings existence.

The building was originally a school, set in a residential area of PP. In April 1976 it was converted into a detention/torture centre. The five buildings on the site were surrounded by electrified barbed wire and the classrooms were converted into tiny prison cells and torture chambers.

It still shows the remnants of the iron bars and barbed wire at the windows to prevent escapes and suicides. It held around 1500 prisoners. It is believed that the vast majority of prisoners were innocent of the charges against them and that the torture produced false confessions.

Tuol Sleng was just one of at least 150 of these torture and execution centres established by the Khmer Rouge. At this centre an estimated 20,000 people were imprisoned – most were tortured and then executed. Only 179 people are recorded as having survived being sent there.

The building – I hate to use the words Museum or exhibition as for me that type of building holds more pleasant displays – shows photos of many of those arrested and taken in. It shows their records on paper and you can see that even children aged 5 and 8 were even regarded as enemies and tortured!

There are the torture instruments still on display including the metal bed that prisoners were laid on and electrocuted, garottes and bone crushing/cutting instruments used – it is harrowing!

Still on view are the tiny cells, the size of cupboards that the prisoners were kept in and the shackles and outdoor hanging machines used. There is a display of the draconian rules that they had to adhere to, next to the small cemetery of white tomb coffins.

The prisoners were actually sent to be executed elsewhere and thrown into mass unmarked graves.

There was one point of consolation as I walked around the buildings and grounds. In the centre in what presumably would have been the children’s school playground was a memorial to those brought here. It was intricately carved from stone and meticulously maintained and polished.

A single peacock strutted around the grounds and the occasional call went up from it. Amazing, as the site is in a heavy urban area nowadays, that a peacock would even want to be here. It was a sight of beauty and calm in what was a place of indescribable hell of the past.

“My goal is for visitors to understand what happened here so that it never happens again—innocent people, including children, being imprisoned, tortured and killed. I want them to learn about the cruelty of this regime and remember the victims who died here, who were forced to make confessions for things they didn’t do and then put to death without mercy.“
— Chhay Visoth, Director of the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum

The tour bus then collected us all at a predetermined time to transport us on to the next site.

I was thinking to myself that this has turned into one of the grimmest days for a long time. I had just seen an horrific torture centre and now I was off to see a place that was exclusively for killing people. I already felt moved and sick and wondered if I would enjoy the rest of the trip.

At the same time I thought I had survived this visit and maybe it had prepared me for the next horrendous sight in the next genocidal centre, so felt calmer ….. I was wrong.

Choeung Ek Genocidal Centre- “Killing Fields”

We arrived at the Killing Fields – made further infamous by the book and film and I had heard all the gruesome stories of the atrocities committed here.

We entered the gateway and walked through entrance area as our tickets had been prepaid and given a map to follow to self guide us through the place.

What was somewhat surreal was at the entrance to the centre propped up against the entrance barrier was a big A board poster. It was advertising a local dance and evening meal venue with a colourful picture of a pretty girl in traditional costume. It just seemed so out of place and even disrespectful in what was a solemn place of murder.

We were all given audio equipment as part of our ticket so am not sure if you visit on your own this is included or purchased additionally. Once into the site itself there are marker boards with a number and a picture of headphones, to tell you when to listen to that section on the audio.

The marker board usually had an artist’s picture of what that area was for – when it came to some areas where people were murdered that artist drawing did not hold any punches either!

You follow a route round the open air site and you have to read the boards and listen to the audio as some places are not obvious otherwise.

One of the first areas I saw was a tall memorial-like block structure from a distance. When you get up to it you realise that it is an ossuary ie a place where thousands of human skulls and bones of limbs are arranged on shelves for viewing behind the glass screens.

I was not prepared to meet the bones of dead people as my first sighting and it took me back. The bones are displayed along with the shackles and confinement instruments used in this place and it is quite horrific to see .

As you pass through the site listening to the audio it explains where the prisoners were unloaded, where they were kept, if not murdered on the spot, mass burial grounds that are now plains of green grass and various small outbuildings.

Several of the grave areas are enclosed by low bamboo or cement walls and often covered with a roof to protect the site below, although it remains largely open-air.

There is one section where 168 bodies with no heads, ie they were murdered by decapitation, are buried and another where visitors have left bracelets or wristbands, that are available to buy at the gift shop, as a mark of respect.

Another area still has human bones protruding from the ground as if it has not been excavated – am unsure of that is true or if this was for effect. Another has a glass display cabinet in the open air with remnants of clothes and bones found in one area.

It at times seems macabre, show-display and even disrespectful to show dead peoples bodies. It is mentioned that there are so many bodies here that they all could not be traced and returned to relatives. Not all of the fields have been fully excavated and there is a small lake next to it where more bodies are believed to have been dumped

Further along the trail there are even more gruesome sights. There is the tree from which the murderers hung speakers and played revolutionary songs to drown out the screams and moans from those being killed or tortured, so that anyone in the nearby villages or fields could not hear them.

There is the tree against which babies were bashed to kill them – horrific memorials but as I said no punches are pulled and if you really want to now the how and why of this site it is all here to read and see. The baby murder tree again had small bands places on it from visitors as a mark of respect.

Cases containing more bones and rags from excavations were on display. It states that in heavy rain storms the earth is washed away and yet more rags and bones come to the surface.

I felt moved and horrified at these sights. I was not prepared for them to be quite so full-on and brutal … but that’s how the murderous regimes was. So I guess that how it must be shown, with no sugar coating, for everyone to get the true impression of their deeds.

We gathered back at the entrance to the centre in a sombre mood. We were encouraged to buy water etc if we needed it for the journey back as we were going back in rush hour and the notoriously bad Phnom Penh traffic meant it would take longer getting back than coming here.

On the way back we passed by the previous accident scene. Civilians where trying to right the vehicle with some success.  The debris had been mostly cleared but it was happening while traffic whizzed by them at 60kph. No Police presence, no advance warning signs to oncoming traffic to move out of that lane (actually the lanes were not yet painted on!), no controls – another accident in the making itself !

I do love a good museum and if there is a decent one nearby then count me in. Unless, that is, I am in a European city, where there seem to one of some type on every street corner. That means I would ration myself to only a couple.

The only one of any significance here seemed to be the National Museum of Cambodia – a rather all-encompassing title.

National Museum of Cambodia, Phnom Penh

The museum itself was ok, fairly basic and mostly concerned with religious artefacts from various country sites. There were ceramics and ancient artwork of the Khmer period and older and some big preserved royal and religious carts and instruments.

There were so many statues it was unreal but it was also semi open air, something I quite liked.

The number of statues of the Buddha was a bit overwhelming and at times I was kicking myself for not having much of an idea about what I was looking at.

Statues of humans with animal heads, figurines and artwork, whilst beautifully crafted and clearly centuries old actually meant very little to me, as I had little grasp of its historical context.

The highlight here however was the building itself. It looks like a splendid collection of temples built in a traditional style, with a massive, terraced, sloping tiled roof and decorated eaves.

The building is mostly a dark terracotta colour and looks ancient, despite it being built in 1920.

Click here for Museum info 

It was ravaged and abandoned during the Khmer Rouge period but has been beautifully restored with wonderful interior gardened courtyards, fountains and walkways that are quite peaceful and inspiring. I couldn’t believe this was a Museum and not a restored Khmer Temple.

I took so many pics of the building itself, the bright blue sky giving the terracotta roof tiles a perfect backdrop. It really was astounding.

Wat Ounalom, Phnom Penh

Near to the National Museum is what is classed as it is the most important wat of Phnom Penh

It is the centre of Cambodian Buddhism and contains several admin and teaching buildings along with a section devoted to prayer.

It was established in 1443 and consists of 44 structures in total and along with several Stupas and deity statues covers a large area near the waterfront. Walking to it along the street, it can’t be missed as its towers rise above the outer decorated and painted walls

I was able to walk in off the street with no-one guarding the entrance. In fact as I wandered the forecourt I realised I was the only one in sight. I was half expecting to be turned away as it is a revered site and the lack of people made me think it may be closed.

I wandered more and took in the sights of the laughing Buddha, the bells, the silver elephant, the resting cow statues – all obviously important for a reason, but unknown to me (apart from the Buddha).

I kicked myself for not doing my usual research and info gathering on any site I planned to visit so I could understand and appreciate it better.

The Temple was eerily quiet and I had the run of the place to myself. No other tourists or Monks around so I felt I was intruding, but no-one came to say anything.

One section has the most beautiful stupas – conical, decorated Buddhist gravestones – in various colours and styles and despite being sites for the dead were actually very pretty. I took some shots of these and noted that they must be of important past Monks as they were perfectly maintained

Continuing around the complex I came across golden prayer stands with the incense still burning – so someone must have been here recently.

The complex clearly acts as a residential Monastery and teaching centre, as there were large highly decorated buildings in traditional style at various points and buildings that appeared to be dormitories.

There was a Temple as such and I walked up its steps but given the quietness of the area avoided going in in case I stumbled upon a service or prayer session.

I turned a corner and was relieved to see two other tourists, French speaking, so at least now I felt that I was not intruding if these people were wandering freely too.

Prayer ceremony

I moved around the stupas again and a small Cambodian man appeared from a doorway and walked past me and then beckoned towards me. I did not know what that meant and he was insistent but looked calm enough that I flowed him a few steps till he opened a small door in a chamber and clambered in.

Cautiously I looked into the chamber as being nearly twice his height there was no way I could go through that low door. He beckoned me forward and I could see a small prayer chamber with some items inside but it was dim so I could not see inside very well.

He then flicked a switch and a blue neon light filled the room and highlighted a small statue of a figure and a halo was shining around it. I realised it was a Buddha figurine and the room had what seemed like more ancient sacred artefacts. He started praying in a chant and allowed me to watch.

Honoured, I stood and watched as this solemn but slightly bizarre neon light infused scene unrolled. We did not know each other and not being Buddhist, which I assumed he thought I was, I did not know how to react. He seemed quite content and I think he was trying to say it was his prayer time and was inviting me to join him in prayer.

I stayed a while watching and taking in this wonderful scene and when a convenient pause happened in the proceedings I thanked him and departed. What a lovely old man to show me this and invite me in, again another respectful action – one of many that I encountered on my journey around this region of the world.

I made my way out of the still very quiet and solemn complex via a highly decorated and carved red and yellow painted gateway. The minute I stepped out the gate and back into Phnom Penh proper, I was hit by the traffic noise. Scooters beeped, people talking loudly and the general din of a busy city became my natural background noise again.

I kind of realised how peaceful the Wat Monastery was and appreciated how people could easily study in the calm of this religious complex.

Wat Phnom, Phnom Penh

Just a 20 mins walk from here was my next stop and in many ways quite an important stop.

Wat Phnom (Hill Temple) is the name given to the Buddhist temple from 1372. At 27 metres tall, it sits atop a huge mound, in the centre of a large roundabout and inside lush gardens. It is still the tallest religious structure in the city.

There is a story about how it got its name – an old legend says that a wealthy widow called Penh or Grandmother Penh, found a large koki tree in the river. Inside the tree she found four bronze statues of the Buddha.

They were regarded as so precious that the then village built an artificial mound and placed a small shrine at its summit The site became well known and in turn was revered.

In 1437 the King raised the mound higher and eventually the city took on a different name, Phnom (meaning hill) and Penh (from the old widow’s name). So Phnom Penh literally means “Penh’s Hill” and is named after Mrs Penh and her hill. Interesting eh?

With the Temple being set on a high mound there are obviously many steps to climb to get to the top. They are steep and I wondered how so many of the older generation present at the top got up here – they can only be quite fit I assumed as there is no other way than the steps.

The Temple itself is quite dark inside as it is painted in darker colours, has heavy wooden embellishments and a painted wall fresco that again is not brightly coloured.

Many people were worshipping, and the tables were becoming full of the candles, incense burners and food offerings that are traditional gifts to the Buddha. I stood back and watched so many people come and go, not having seen so many in a Buddhist Temple at once before.

The rituals I observed were foreign to me and I had no real idea of why they were done but just watching gave me a glimpse into people’s feeling about their Buddha and his teachings.

There were old and young, equally both sexes and all seemed to peacefully perform their worship alone. Really interesting to watch and take in.

From the top there is a good view across the surrounding area of Phnom Penh. The trees somewhat obstruct some of the views but the surrounding gardens contain a couple of cafes, a kid’s playground and a giant ground level clock.

Riverside Park area, Phnom Penh

This was my last day in PP and I had hours left to kill for the rest of the day – before my evening entertainment, more on that later.

I walked around the Wat Phnom area where there are several old French colonial style buildings including the Post Office. This style of building is quite prevalent in the city and are usually now converted into offices.

There are less of them here than I saw in Vietnam as Phnom Penh seems to be knocking down old buildings to erect modern ones at a fast rate of knots.

The walk along the riverside was refreshing as a cooling breeze wafted from the rivers. Despite being in the full glare of the sun on what was a very sunny and hot day with no shelter on the walkway, it was a relief to get away from the built up area.

They were still renovating the walkway and extending it with new flooring and street furniture and trees and it was clear it would be a great asset to Phnom Penh when completed. It would be seen if they maintained it as such.

Cambodia has a habit of building a glorious building/streetscape and then failing to maintain it, as it wears or gets damaged, thus turning it gradually into an unkept mess.

The views across the waterway are impressive as the rivers are very wide at this point. Cargo ships ply up and down the water and some small craft are docked at various parts of the riverbank. In the lower section of the walkway there’s even a ferry link to the other bank.

Independence Monument Park, Phnom Penh

My long walk ended near this park so I took a slight diversion and entered its carefully maintained and manicured area.

Again, not so much of a park as a paved walkway with a major road on each side and the central area dedicated to the Statue memorial to King Norodom Sihanouk and the independence Monument at one end. A kind of Parisian Champs Elysee and Barcelona Ramblas mixed into one !

The long avenue is impressive in its size and careful maintenance but in parts is fairly devoid of shelter from the sun. It gives a wide view of the rather grand buildings along some parts of the Boulevard and a view to the office and mall development at one end.

Botum Pagoda Park

Walking back to the hotel from the Monument park/Boulevard area via the nearby Botum park area, I came across a rather grand Memorial. It is the Vietnam-Cambodia Friendship Monument, made from concrete and raised on a stepped plinth.

Its slenderness is quite elegant and the figures of soldiers from both countries below quite artistic.

Further along was another statue of ….. well, I’m not sure what it was. I was also unsure what it commemorated but it was placed prominently so must be important. It looked like a dinosaur bird in gold. Creative again but sitting solitary on the slabbed walkway.

Looking across the road from here I could see a rather grand step-roofed traditional styled building. I couldn’t find another Temple on my map and so wondered what this could be.

When I got close to it I could see it was the Supreme Court Building- wow, such a marvellous building. So glad they built it in the old style rather than a concrete block monstrosity!

Traditional Dance and music event

My hotel had advised me that at the National Museum in the evening they hold a special event – a show comprising Cambodian traditional dances and music from regions around the country.

I was intrigued and the receptionist informed me that it was very good, had received many great reviews and was very popular with tourists.

At first the expression “popular with tourists” didn’t entice me – cheesy and crass stuff is also popular so maybe a different expression would be better for me. She showed me some pics of it and it did look captivating so I reserved and she called up and got tickets straight away.

The dance show was from a group called “Experience Cambodian Living Arts”.

In the evening I made my way to the show and as it was only 15 mins away, I walked there, seeing PP in a different light (no pun intended). The streets were full of families walking with their kids and chatting to friends.

The grassed park in front of the Royal Palace that was fairly devoid of people during the day due to the lack of shade from the sun was now transformed . It was full of food and drink stalls, minimal surrounding traffic, the palace lit up and hundreds strolling and enjoying the cooler evening air.

Arriving at the venue I was greeted by actors in traditional costumes, given a programme and indicated where to go round the side of the building that I had been in during the day.

I arrived at a large semi open performing arts theatre style building with steeped seating and a large roof. Tickets had seat numbers but it was not full so people moved into better seats once the performance started. My seats were fine though in the centre and I had a great view.

The show was very authentic (as far as I could tell). Yes there were lots of foreigners there but also clearly may locals.

It was about 1.5 hours long and I did wonder if I would enjoy such a lengthy performance.  My previous similar show in Bali made me feel frustrated at the fact that I didn’t understand all the acting and the why and what etc, even though enjoyed its creativity.

This was different, as it employed dance and movement with some very elaborate and colourful costumes. Some of the acrobatics and acting was also very athletic and the accompanying music wonderful.

The small programme we were given explained the costumes from the various regions of Cambodia and a little info on the music and tales the short sketches. The time flew by, I was so entertained and in awe at the beautifully elegant hand gestures and body turns of some dances.

The high intensity of some other dances with almost acrobatic and circus like arrangement were astounding. It was clear that the troupe had multiple quick changes of costumes – how did they get in and out of these elaborate clothes so quickly?

The lighting and choreography was on a par with many international shows I have seen in big venues around the world. I did wonder if this troupe had considered international touring as their skills were up there with the best.

There was a live orchestra at the venue who were playing all the traditional instruments expertly. It was fascinating to watch them as many of the pieces being used were unfamiliar to me.

The men seated playing the wooden xylophone/drum type instrument were very adept and again they were dressed in regional costumes as well to give an air of authenticity to the programme.

That’s not to say that the players didn’t play any instruments – there was a piece played by twin drummers on stage as they moved among the dancers that was exquisite and very professional.

All too soon it was over and the audience applause and standing ovation was well earned.

If you get the chance to get tickets then do. It’s not too expensive and the reward is fabulously entertaining. Click here for info on their website

My view on Phnom Penh

This was my last night in Phnom Penh and to say that the city was very different to what I was expecting is an understatement  – in a good way.

I was absolutely bowled over by the Palace Complex and I would go as far as to say it was in my top five architectural sites I have visited in the world. The sheer explosion of colour and style is mesmerising.

The Riverside park walk is beautiful and the cooling breeze off the wide river makes it so enjoyable.

The Khmer Rouge sites are harrowing and tragic but still a must see, not so much as a tourist venue but as a centre of learning of what Man can get so wrong.

The downside is maybe that Phnom Penh is also one huge development site with many tall blocks rising with seemingly little regard to the areas around them and often, in my view, just too tall. This city is a cultural and historical city of Temples, Palaces and history – they jar badly in some areas.

The other negative is …. I wish they would keep pavements clear of cars/ scooters parked fully on them like parking lots and bars overflowing onto them, completely blocking their use with tables and chairs. It just forces people into the road of heavy traffic – just can’t get my head round why that is not dealt with ! …. just saying !

How would I describe PP in one word ….. that’s difficult as I loved it  …… captivating I think is the word I would use. It certainly did that to me.

Oct 2017