My next destination on my journey along the Mekong was Phnom Phen. I left Kratie around seven in the morning. I had booked two seats in a minivan as some companies put two passengers on one seat and that can be very uncomfortable. With enough legroom I had a pleasant trip till we arrived in Phnom Penh around noon. The van stopped near the Central Market. Traffic was chaotic, and we were greeted by a dozen of Tuk Tuk drivers all of them noisily offering their services. After checking in at a hotel that happened to be on one of the downtown bar streets and only two blocks away from the river, I walked out for a first look at my new neighbourhood.
Phnom Penh is the capital city of Cambodia. It is a mixture of Cambodian hospitality, Asian exotica Indochinese charm, and probably also the trash capital of the world. It is set at the confluence of three great rivers the Tonle Sap, and the Bassac rivers and the Mekong River. It is a city of more than two million people countless Tuk Tuk and Moto Dops (motocycle taxis), cyclos and cars. Many of the sights are in the old central city where one also notices classic French colonial buildings amongst the Southeast Asian shophouses, pagodas and markets. As anywhere in Cambodia and Southeast Asia it has four seasons. Cool and dry from November to February, hot and dry from March to May, hot and rainy from June to August and cool and rainy from September to October. There is a hop on-hop off tour bus that circles past all the major in-city attractions. Many of these attractions in the central city are in walkable distance, but if the heat is on it is wise to use a Tuk Tuk even for shorter distances. During my days in town, the heat was real impressive.
A roadside restaurant near Kampong Cham. Drivers know where to stop for a good meal
During a stopover a man takes care of his cock by spraying water from his mouth under the animal's wings to cool it down
The embankment of the Tonle Sap River at Sisowath Quay Phnom Penh shortly before its confluence with the Mekong River
Block 'C' of the infamous Tuol Sleng prison in the heart of Phnom Phenh. It was a secondary school before it was turned into a prison by the Pol Pot clique in 1975. Thousands of victims were imprisoned, tortured, exterminated, and deported to Choeung Ek some 15 km south of Phnom Penh which was one of the 300 'Killing Fields' all over Cambodia. The front of the building is covered with dense barbed wire so as to prevent the victims from committing suicide by jumping from the top
Workers overlook the skyline of Phnom Penh from a new highrise
View from the Cambodia Foreigner's Club (FCC) to Sisowath Quay and Tonle Sap River with the Japanese Bridge as a backdrop. The club was a meeting point for foreign journalists in the wild 1990s
Two men have a game of snooker in the FCC
Phnom Penh at night, with old French colonial era buildings giving it a nostalgic bygone charm
View from Sisowath Quay across Tonle Sap River to the Mekong Island and a new hotel
A woman sits on the sidewalk preparing flower offerings
View from the late King Norodom Sihanouk's Monument over Neak Banh Teuk Park
'Tiger' my friendly Tuk Tuk driver. He took me around Phnom Penh. Apart from the major tourist sites he showed me where to get the best home-roasted coffee in town. He usually waits in front of the Queen Wood Hotel on 75.St 136.
Sunset cruises are a popular end-of-the-day event in Phnom Penh. This boat heads down the Tonle Sap River who joins the Mekong River just a few hundred meters further down.
Typically, Tuk Tuk drivers wait for potential clients in front of hotels, guesthouses, restaurants, bars and elsewhere. These three lads shorten their waiting time with a deck of cards
A barber's shop with fashion magazine publicity and their logo which is strikingly similar to a truck company's trademark
Typical Phnom Penh downtown street, with parked motorcycles on every square meter of available space
A moment of tranquility on V.P.Chah Peachea Street
A man collects empty cans and plastic bottles. The trash situation of the city is terrible
Normal chaotic traffic situation in downtown Phnom Penh. No rules. Park pass and push in whenever you can
Sidewalk shop in downtown Phnom Penh. This pile of merchandise is set up every morning on the sidewalk and removed when the shop closes
Drab backyard alleys like this one can be found almost anywhere in the city center
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