Capitalizing Cambodia

We boarded a sleeper bus and caught some shut eye on our way to the Cambodian capital city of Phnom Penh - still not sure how to pronounce that one.  To avoid yet another "free ride" scheme we insisted that the driver take us to a specific street where we could find our own accommodation.  

After checking in to the humbly named Okay Guesthouse, we set out to indulge in Cambodian culture at the Silver Pagoda.  Here many national treasures reside, including a silver tile floor and golden buddha statues adorned with diamonds.   The architecture here is reminiscent of Buddhist wats we encountered in Thailand.  

The National Museum was beautiful, containing many Khmer relics of from past ages in an open-air setting.  The central courtyard pictured here offered a great resting place.  

Independence Monument stands tall in the middle of a giant roundabout, commemorating Cambodia's  independence from France in 1953.  

Lighting cast on the monument at night makes for a majestic sight.  

The Psar Thmei Market is contained inside a large yellow dome, with several corridors of merchandise spanning outward.  Although you can buy just about anything here, we opted to just look, and smell, around.

What is  that dreadful smell? Mmmm....dried seafood!

Rooftop views from the top of Sorya Shopping Center

Street aerobics sessions are common in the streets on Phnom Penh.  Feel free to jump in and follow the leader, local or tourist alike, body language is universal!

 When we walked by this curious restaurant, we just had to try it - when else will you get the chance to chomp on conveyor belt food! Just order your broth, and start tossing things in.  Watch out for the angry bird-themed fish balls!

After paying a visit to the Russian market for cheap souvenirs, we hesitantly set out to see the Tuol Sleng Prison.  This was a school that was converted into a prison for dissenters during the rule of the Khmer Rouge.  The atrocities that were committed here in the name of the revolution were unspeakable.  Many of the victims were tortured until they admitted to conspiring against the Khmer Rouge, even if they were entirely innocent of such actions.  The prison has been maintained in Phnom Penh as a reminder of the dark days of the revolution.

Cambodia is a land of cultural splendor and tumultuous history.  From the golden ages of Angkor to French colonialism, to the bloody revolution of the Khmer rouge and the Vietnam war, this country has definitely been through a lot.  As we departed Phnom Penh, we reluctantly said our goodbyes to Cambodia and all of its  wonders.