Cambodia - Phnom Penh - Royal Palace - temples - food - sunset - flowers - altared states - Boeng Kak - transport - food markets - street food -
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Smiley kid and condensed milk (waiting for strong coffee to be poured on top).Read more about Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
Amok is a fish curry made from nice chunks of fish, curry paste, coconut milk, keefir lime leaves, and basil. It's not spicy like Thai curries, but has a subtle, rich taste.
For our last evening in Phnom Penh, we took a tuk tuk over to Boeng Kak Lake where we wanted to enjoy a gin and tonic while watching the sun set over the city. Our wish was granted - good G&Ts accompanied by a colorful and bright sunset.
Phnom Penh's Boeng Kak lake makes for a perfect late afternoon stop. Food is good, drinks are inexpensive and the sunsets just perfect. Read more about an amazing sunset at Boeng Kak Lake.
Read more about an amazing sunset at Boeng Kak Lake.
Peaceful prayers outside a temple in the Royal Palace complex in Phnom Penh. Read more about Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
We think of Buddhist monks as being of another world with their saffron robes and receiving their food as alms, but throughout Laos and Cambodia we witnessed monks trying to educate themselves in languages and technology. Not every monk stays a monk for a lifetime, so its also essential that they prepare for the possibility of leaving the temple. Read more about Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
Read more about Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
Royal Palace Compound - Phnom Penh
We were amazed at how well-kept and visually appealing the grounds were at Phnom Penh's Royal PalaceVarious plants, flowers, stupas, temples, and statues combined to create a colorful and peaceful environment.Read more about Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
Our first meal in Cambodia consisted of fresh vegetables and prahok (heavily fermented fish paste dip). We ordered it because it sounded interesting and authentic.The waiter was hesitant, and asked us if we were sure we REALLY wanted to order this. He explained that most foreigners don't like its smell and often leave it untouched.We decided to try it anyway, and actually enjoyed it blended with chili and lime. A wake up call for the taste buds! Read more about Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
Sugar cane juice bars are common on the streets of Cambodia. For us, it was a bit too sweet, unless it was cut and balanced with a squeeze of lime or orange juice. Read more about Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
Although the bigger temples in the Royal Palace have all the gilt and shine, we enjoyed the small temples where local people were praying and making offerings for Chinese New Year. A cow at the altar was something new for us.
Stupas and Flowers - Royal Palace, Phnom Penh
The Russian Market is named as such because it used to only contain goods from the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. Now it has everything from everywhere, including locally smoked pigs heads.
We had associated bahn xeo (pancakes with pork, shrimp, and bean sprouts) with Vietnamese food. Our visit to the Russian Market in Phnom Penh demonstrated that the Cambodians also enjoy a good savory pancake.Read more about Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
A young man tries to sell his last chicken at the end of the day.
Another cyclo driver catches a wink in Phnom Penh's mid-afternoon heat.Read more about Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
A Southeast Asian floral staple, the flowers of plumeria tree.Read more about Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
We had read in our guide that the Silver Pagoda had a floor made with 5000 silver tiles totaling more than 5 tons of silver. Unfortunately, most of this was covered with carpets to protect it. Although the statues and jewels on display were impressive, we preferred the smaller, more functional temples with less elaborate displays, where people were actively praying.
A cow at the altar? Now that was something new for us.Although the bigger temples in the Royal Palace have all the gilt, shine and fame, we preferred the smaller temples where local people prayed and made offerings for Chinese New Year.Read more about Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
When our tuk-tuk first dropped us off near Boeng Kak Lake, it looked like a standard backpacker area (lots of cheap restaurants, internet cafes, guest houses, and travel agencies). While trying to find a place to enjoy the sunset, we turned off the main road and followed it around a few blocks, behind this mosque. What we found was very different from the street we had just turned from, like a small village in the middle of the city. No tourists, all villagers.Read more about an amazing sunset at Boeng Kak Lake.
These kids play on their father's tuk-tuk in the Boeng Kak Lake area of Phnom Penh. Read more about an amazing sunset at Boeng Kak Lake.
We were in Phnom Penh for Chinese New Year. Even though the main Cambodian New Year's celebration is in April, Cambodians also celebrate Chinese New Year with temple visits, decorated altars, and feasts at home, almost as if to hedge their bets and maximize their luck.Read more about Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
