Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia.
Is not so big, just a river side city, hot, dry, but still have some interesting places.
Here you can find the best black market to buy weapons, drugs, and war material of all asia...or it seems.
This city is located where the Tonle sap and the Mekhong unifed their waters to go straight to Vietnam.
Don´t expect to find a big city, it was really damaged during the Khmer Rouge dictatorial era and it's far from the occidental comforts.
Some times the pavement from the roads dissapear and cross the city seems to be a motocross race.
Chaotic and generally dirty but anyway interesting.
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| Favourite spots: |
In Phnom Penh was interesting the national museum where you can see great examples of the old Khmer architecture art and religious sculptures.
Goods, symbols, people, decoration and instruments are showed in an only one big area around a central little garden with the leaping king sculpture in the middle.
The Russian market (with a great black market for weapons, but also antiques, cd´s, war wearing, artesany, etc...). The central market is also nice but just cause of the architecture and interior distribution but not too much to see there.
Also the Mount Phnom Penh that gives the name to the city, the river and bridges, the lake is not so great but so good to see the suburbs of the surrounding Phnom Penh.
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| What's really great: |
There are two things that were special in Phnom Penh.
The first was the Wat Phra Kaew of Phnom Penh cause is good to see the devotion that in all South East Asia you can find from the people to their kings.
There are one room at the palace with the floor made of silver tills for example.
The other thing, much more interesting was the remmants of the Cambodian civil war with the Khemer Rouge.
Was interesting the Tuol Sleng work-prisioner and tortures camp of the Khmer rouge army inside the city and going out you can visit the Choeung Ek killing fields.
Something to never forget what here succes.
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| Sights: |
The best to see the city is just rent a motorbike-taxi-driver and go wherever you want all the day long for some us dolars$$, usually 6 usd$.
The city is so hot so i think is the best way.
You can visit everything i mention before and also have a look to the colonial french buildings that you can still see following the river bund.
Eat at some French restaurant like la Croissette while seeing the boats by the river and the locals passing by the bund is really nice.
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| Accommodations: |
I was at the Royal Guesthouse, great location for 3 usd/night, just behind the National history Museum and near the river bund.
There are some good and cheap guesthouses at the city side of the lake but take it easy with the mosquitoes!!
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Published on Sunday August 4th, 2002
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Mon, Feb 11 2008 - 09:49 PM
 by krisek
| Very practical! Many thanks for all the info. |
Thu, Aug 25 2005 - 04:01 AM
by gloriajames
| thanks for your report on camobodia, provides an insight on what to expect. am planning a trip in oct. |
Mon, Oct 27 2003 - 01:58 PM
by lysdor
Do they really speak french ...still, I mean other than the olders?!! Hmmm interesting that "russian market" -thing! What is so special about it?
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