Phnom Penh, A City of Impressions

[ by Stian ]

Phnom Penh is the capital and the biggest city of Cambodia with a population of around 2,3 million people. It is located on the banks of the Mekong River. The city was once known as the "Pearl of Asia", and considered as one of the loveliest French-built cities in Indochina in the 1920s. Founded in 1434, the city is noted for its beautiful and historical architecture and attractions. There are a number of surviving French colonial buildings scattered along the grand boulevards. Phnom Penh, along with Siem Reap and Sihanoukville, are today significant global and domestic tourist destinations for Cambodia.

Dark ages struck the city once again as Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge marched into the city on the 17^th of April 1975 causing everlasting damage to the nation as a whole in an almost indescribable matter for the next 4 years. When Phnom Penh were freed of the terror, it was said that the whole of Cambodia had to start over at year 1. This is a description I would give of Phnom Penh as well, because we really did sometimes feel like Cambodia was anything but a developed country. Even though there are many nice places to see in Phnom Penh, the city as a whole did not impress us so much in terms of beauty compared to other cities, and other travelers had also told us that one day in Phnom Penh is more than enough for exploring and getting the feeling of the city.  

Busride from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh.

The bus ride from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh was a beautiful one. There is actually no towns in between the two cities, only small villages and houses along the road. This scenery of all the different houses was amazing though. Several times I wanted to ask the bus driver to stop so that we could take photos, but I guess that would have been rude considering the other local passengers, haha. The houses were all very simple, and supported by poles. The most fascinating feature of the houses was each house's staircase. Most of them seemed to be very colorful and nicely decorated, and of way better quality than the house itself. In one way they did not match the rest of the look of the house at all, but at least they match the neigbour's staircase. It was also noticeable that every household owns at least one cow, and we could see many men herding their cows along the road. Another main business is obviously grain, cause just by the road for a long distance many households had spread their grain throughout blue covers. There were also rice-fields along the road, and one of the most amazing photos that I COULD have got would have been of a man, followed by one white cow, crossing a narrow path of grass through two parts of water connected to the rice fields... It was a very beautiful sight – just the type of photo or painting you could find in a gallery somewhere:)

Arriving Phnom Penh

When we arrived in Phnom Penh it was already dark, and as the story goes we were about the scammed once again, or that is they THOUGHT they could scam us, but as they say: «Fool us once.... ». At the bus station we were met by a bunch of guys that spoke perfectly English, and of course they wanted us to use their services for taxi and tuk tuk. We realized immediately that these guys were scammers. We had even seen them before we got off the bus running after the bus pointing out whom of us each of them would approach. We told them that we were not interested and that the price they suggested was too high. This one guy asked for 4 dollars for the ride and I told him that it was too much – a half an hour tuk tuk ride should NOT cost more than 1-2 dollars in Phnom Penh. I had to emphasize that we had read the Lonely Planet so we were not at all willing to pay any more. They guy soughed and shook his head, and didn't try to bargain with me any more. The guys all told us that the address we had for our hotel was wrong and that the hotel had relocated and that it would take at least 30 minutes to get their. We did not believe them since we had the email confirmation from the hotel saying the opposite. We did though ask at a hairdresser shop to do a phone call just to confirm the address. The hotel replied and confirmed that we had the right address, and they also told us to stay put and that they would come and pick us up within the next 5 minutes. 5 minutes later the driver from the hotel was there. So they lied about the cost and lied about the distance to our hotel.  

Ironically one of the scammers followed our car for the 4 minutes it took to drive and when we got off, he pointed at the address on the wall and made a mocking laugh at us before leaving again. We told him to fuck off – we really did not understand what he was trying to obtain by following us. He simply just even made himself look even more retarded, cause this short ride and us having the right address just proved again that we were right. Cambodia is full of scammers – everywhere, unfortunately.  

King Guesthouse

We stayed at a hotel called King Guesthouse. It was an ok'ish establishment and the staff looked friendly enough, though we surely had encountered friendlier staff other places. We all though got different rooms than what we had booked on-line, but the cost didn't differ too much so it did not bother us that much. At least we had all been assigned larger rooms than expected.  

Party Party in Pnomh Penh:)

We did not do much this first evening, that is as a group, haha. We made arrangements for the following day and then went to the riverside to have dinner. We found a nice restaurant where I of course went for a local specialty once again. After dinner the rest of my group was tired and exhausted and just wanted to go to bed. I still had some energy left though, and since I had gotten to know that there was a gay bar pretty close to where our hotel was located, I decided to check it out. At the bar, which was called Blue Chili, there was a drag show going on just when I arrived. So I got to see Celine Dion, Madonna and of course Lady Gaga all the same night, haha. I also got in touch with some local guys, one of who were Frank. After a short while we moved on to another club called Half of Darkness, which was a half gay half straight club. That is, when you entered the building you could choose to turn right and join the gay crowd at the really cool dance area, or you could choose to join the straight part at the left side... I don't really know what kind of place this was, but at the gay section there were plenty of guys, many of whom were white, though at the straight section there were mostly old white men and younger Cambodian women. At this place I am sure the gays had way more fun at least. The music was really good and the lighting was amazing – making the club way better than any club I have been to in Norway at least, so it was a fun evening. Frank gave me a ride back to the hotel back on his motorbike, and thankfully he was not much of a drinker, and therefore also a safe driver – haha.  

Day of Many Impressions

The following day we had planned for a tour to go see the major sights of Phnom Penh. These major sights included The Genocide Museum and the Killing Fields , two sights of major importance of the Cambodian people in recent history – and also the Royal Palace. Kjetil decided he did not want to join us on this sightseeing tour so we had to say goodbye to him at this point of the trip, since he would be traveling on his own to somewhere else in Cambodia and then head on to Thailand, while we would be heading for Vietnam next.

The Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum

The Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum is a museum, which site was a former high school that were transformed into the notorious Security Prison 21 (S-21) by the Khmer Rouge regime from its rise to power in 1975 to its fall in 1979. Tuol Sleng means "Hill of the Poisonous Trees" or "Strychnine Hill". Tuol Sleng was only one of at least 150 execution centers in the country, and as many as 20,000 prisoners were killed in this one prison.

The complex on the site consists of 5 buildings enclosed with electrified barbed wire. The previous classrooms of the high school were turned into tiny prison cells and torture chambers. The first prisoners consisted mostly of the soldiers, governmental officials and their families of the previous regime as well as of academics, doctors, teachers and so on. Later the party leadership's paranoia turned on its own ranks and purges throughout the country saw thousands of party activists and their families brought to Tuol Sleng and murdered. Pol Pot became paranoid and faired a coup and therefore arrested and killed some of the highest ranking communist politicians of the country he saw as potential leaders of a coup against him. In other words – almost anyone with some kind of academic background, a mind of their own – were arrested and executed.

The prison was turned into a museum in 1980. We had a personal guide for the tour and it was a tour of massive impressions. Especially the girls where affected. The museum includes lots of photos of the prisoners and we were also told of the brutal methods of torture executed in these rooms. We were also met by one of the survivors who was at the location selling a biography of his time in this prison and especially Marion was very affected by this meeting and could not hold her tears back. Of all the prisoners that was imprisoned in this prison there are only 7 known survivors, and they were all kept alive because of certain skills they had, like being a mechanic, a painter and so on – and we got to meet one of them, well that is still alive today. The remaining survivors are now preparing to give evidence at the trial of the surviving leaders of the Khmer Roughe regime. Pol Pot himself died in 1998.  

The Killing Fields

Next stop would be Cheoung Ek, the most well known of over 300 killing fields throughout Cambodia, and is located approximately 15 km south of Phnom Penh. The area is referred to as the killing fields, but the official name is The Choeung Ek Genocidal Center. This center is a unique place which reflects the barbarous and cruel crimes of the ultra-communist Khmer Rouge regime between 1975 and 1979. Here, about 20 000 people, including foreigners, were brutally executed. 129 mass graves bare testimony to these unspeakable crimes. In order to honor and remember the victims of this site, as well as approximately 3 million victims of the Khmer Rouge regime throughout the country, a memorial housing remains excavated at Choeung Ek was built at the Center in 1988.

We were recommended to do the audio guide tour which is offered upon arrival. This tour took us through the field and the different locations of graves and of places where there once used to be buildings, but which now are replaced with a simple sign describing what once were. The audio guide tour also included biographical stories told by survivors, which were very impression fully to listen to. When passing the lake located in the area we had the option of listening to a piece of classical music, which just spellbound me. The half-dramatic melancholic classical piece of music really did fit well into the tour and the setting; I even had to hear it several times over, just to process the whole experience. I have never been to a place like this before so of course it did affect me. The rest of my group could easily compare it with Auschwitz in Poland. The tour ended at the Memorial Stupa where the remains of Choeung Ek's victims are reverently preserved.

Numbers of dead

The numbers of people who died during the relatively «short» period of the Khmer Rouge regime is massive. It is estimated that as much as 25% of the total population was killed during these 4 years. The numbers of dead is estimated to be between 1,4 million to 3,4 million. At least half of these were executed in the killing fields or in the prisons, while the rest died of starvation and by illness. The Khmer Roughe regime ideology was based on the country to be self-sufficient in all areas, as well as medicine, therefore many people did not get health treatment when needed.  

Understanding Cambodia

To understand Cambodia one has to know the history of the country. Cambodia feels in many ways as a country way behind in development, compared to neighboring countries of Vietnam and Thailand. It is extremely poor in many ways, and we had many an experience where we got to see «mistreating» of animals, which though is not considered as mistreating in Cambodia. Especially the girls had a few shockers when they realized they were not in Kansas anymore. It is said that after the brutal regime of the Khmer Rouge the country had to start all over again, at year 0, to recuperate. The regime had made sure of that most of the scholars of the country had been executed and therefore the country were in extreme lack of people with academic background and probably political and socio-structural knowledge and/or experience as well. Especially the population in Phnom Penh suffered greatly and by 1978 the population consisted of only 32 000 inhabitants, down 91,4% compared to the city's 1975 population of 370 000 inhabitants. With time, hopefully Cambodia will once again be as well structured as its neighboring countries.  

The Royal Palace

The last stop of our sightseeing-tour this day was at The Royal Palace. This site consist of a complex of buildings which serves as the royal residence of the king of Cambodia. Its full name in the Khmer language is Preah Barum Reachea Veang Chaktomuk Serei Mongkol (thank God I don't have to say that out loud every day). The Kings of Cambodia have occupied it since it was built in 1860's, with a period of absence when the country came into turmoil during and after the reign of the Khmer Rouge. The palace was construction of the palace started in 1866 after King Norodom relocated the royal capital from Oudong to Phnom Penh in the mid-19th century. It faces towards the East and is situated at the Western bank of the cross division of the Tonle Sap River and the Mekong River called Chaktomuk.

We were not allowed to walk inside any of the buildings, except for the silver pagoda (where we again were not allowed to take photos of course). It is said that compared to the Royal Palace in Bangkok it is really nothing to see, but as we had not seen the Royal Palace in Bangkok we therefore did choose to go inside. Of course it was also by far the most expensive of the sights to enter as well. We did the round, took some photos and then chose to head back to the hotel.

Other places of «interest»

We were also supposed to go to the Russian Market, but were to late since it closed early, and then to the National Museum, but we really did not feel like walking in a museum, so we chose to just go back to the hotel and relax for the rest of the day, and to get something to eat, before heading out later that night.  

Henning the German:)

During the tour we got in touch with a German guy, Henning. Henning was staying in Phnom Penh for 2 months volunteering in different projects related to human rights. He was an interesting guy who was extremely passionate about what he was working with. After we chose to hang out for a while and he brought us to a couple of places for eating and drinking. He told us he knew of this very nice place with sofas, which indeed was a very nice place – but we were told later that this was the most expensive place to go to along the whole riverside of Phnom Penh, haha. Well well... so it actually perfect for me and Kenneth who still are trying to save in some money, or not;) haha. Well well.

The Party Goes On

In the evening we were all supposed to meet up with the local guy from the previous evening, Frank, to go clubbing. Since I had told my group about the really cool club I went to the night before they of course wanted to check it out as well. At this time we had also got in touch with a Japanese guy that were staying at Kings Guesthouse as well – so we asked him to join us, which he did. I met up with Frank at Dairy Queen and had an amazing blizzard before we headed back to the hotel to meet up with the rest. Though since a few of us were a bit late for the preparations Frank chose to leave and to meet us at the club later on. Almost an hour later we first got heading in the direction of the club though and by this time Frank had decided to leave for home, so we were left on our own. The mood of some in my group had shifted as well and by exception of Marion and myself, the mood for partying was non-existing suddenly. So therefore I and Marion decided to get the party started for the two of us at least:) I brought Marion to the same gay bar as the night before for a few drinks and we immediately got in touch with a couple of local guys. Well I guess it's pretty normal for a white guy and a white girl who seems lost to really attract immediate attention, haha. Even though it was a gay bar it seemed like there were some guys that also found interest in Marion, but they were so obvious gay, and even if they tried to convince Marion otherwise, she just laughed them off – haha. We got in touch with this nice guy called Jason though. An ex-pat now living somewhere in the US, and there was also another guy that seemed to find a huge interest in me, don't remember his name though. After a while Jason brought us to Half Of Darkness and just as the previous evening the atmosphere was electric and pretty much amazing at the club again:) Marion really really is a party girl and she really got to do some dancing and drinking and having some fun this night. Of course I ended up having to «babysit» her, just to make sure she didn't get to wasted – and to get her safely back to the hotel again. Haha.

Leaving Cambodia

The next day we had to get up early again for leaving for Vietnam with the bus. Of course this was an interesting bus ride as well – were we had to take one of those tiny ferries to cross a river not sure if we will survive the trip at all, haha. 

Cambodia left us many impressions indeed – and not all good ones. I do believe that if one is able to steer away from the scammers then it is possible to have a very nice and cheap holiday in Cambodia. Though I have to say that we have met friendlier people and had just as good food other places. What makes Cambodia very different is the recent dark history which leaves a huge impact and just this is really worth visiting Cambodia for sure. It really is a country of a different world, even in South-East Asia in general, and all in all it is OK that not all countries are exactly the same :) All experiences are good experiences as long as you can learn something from them:)

PHOTOS

The Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum

Not a place for smiling and laughing... show respect!

Meeting a survivor.

Torture room with paintings describing the horror.

Real blood from the victims still kept on the site to remind the people of the cruelty that went on.

Pigs brought to the market

They are alive, not kidding...

At the Killing Fields

Sharp leaf of a palm-tree, used as a torture instrument.

Mass graves...

The Royal Palace

Asian guy, Kenneth and German guy Henning:)

Tres Amigos:)

Mmmm... beer;)

....or maybe just the same...?

 From our hostel

Typical wall decor...