Phnom Penh Attraction

We tried too wake up for the sunrise but it's too late. We rented 2 bicycles from Sunday GH. 6am is like 7.30am in Malaysia... We started our journey by asking using this map and asking around.

Our destination planned today will be based on the backpacker's guide given by Lonely Planet Cambodia. A nice and detail reference.

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CYCLING in Cambodia is an exhilarating experience to be forgotten. The drivers there are kind of "skillful" as they will do U-Turn anywhere, drive into other's lane, disobey the traffic light, and horning is like saying "hi". We noticed some broken pieces of glass on the road because they drive recklessly. Don't complain if someone "kiss" your bike from behind, just beware of your legs when cycling as we have lots of similar experience expecially in the Central Market (Psah Thmei) area. The dusty road makes the visibility worse and you will end up feeling your throat dry-crack in the end of the day of cycling.

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Raffles Hotel Le Royal

1 night stay will EAT up all my budget in Cambodia.
1 night = $260(standard room)- $2000(presidential suite)
Very luxurious!

Wat Phnom Temple on the summit of Wat Phnom

A small hill crowned by an active wat (pagoda) marks the legendary founding place of the Phnom Penh. Elephant rides available. The legend of the founding of Wat Phnom is tied to the beginnings of Phnom Penh. Legend has it that in 1372 Lady Penh (Yea Penh) fished a floating Koki tree out of the river. Inside the tree were four Buddha statues. She built a hill (‘phnom’ means ‘hill’) and a small temple (wat) at what is now the site of what is now known as Wat Phnom. Later, the surrounding area became known after the hill (Phnom) and its creator (Penh), hence ‘Phnom Penh.’ The current temple was last rebuilt in 1926. The large stupa contains the remains of King Ponhea Yat (1405-1467) who moved the Khmer capital from Angkor to Phnom Penh in 1422. Look for the altar of Lady Penh between the large stupa and the vihear. She is said to be of particular help to women. Wat Phnom is the busiest pagoda in town the night of Chinese/Vietnamese New Year’s Eve.

The enormous mechanical clock

US Embassy

We are not even allowed to take any photo even from far away. The guard came and chased us away!!

Post Office

Funny enough, there is no English Signboard showing that this is the main Post Office in Cambodia, only in Khmer wordings. We find it by guessing.. We posted a few post cards to our loved ones in Malaysia. The stamp for a postcard is 1800Riel.

Luckily the staff here can speak simple English. Will take 2 weeks for Asean countries. "Just nice when we return they will receive it!"

P.S : Our motive of sending not trying to "show off". We debate for it. Imagine one day you came from work and found a lovely postcard in our mail box, you will smell the scent of Phnom Penh and feel relax. Very sincere!

Central Market (Psah Thmei)

This unique, art-deco building is a Phnom Penh landmark. Prior to 1935 the area was a swamp/lake that received the runoff during the rainy season. The lake was drained and the market constructed in 1935-37. Wet season flooding in the area around the market of the market is a vestige of the old lake. The entrance to the market is lined with souvenir merchants hawking everything from T-shirts and postcards to silver curios and kramas. Inside is a dazzling display of jewels and gold. Electronic goods, stationery, secondhand clothes and flowers are also in ample supply.

(Phsar Thmei means ‘New Market’, but ‘Central Market’ has caught on in English.)

This is where Boo and I got lost, and i lose my temper. Sorry Boo.

This area is Phnom Penh busiest part. The traffic outside here is very heavy. Our bicycles were "kissed" many times. Boo scared :)

The inside of the Dome-shaped building is well constructed with the natural aircon compared to the 35C outside. Simple but stunning.

Do you dare to eat this??? Small frogs 1500Riels. Boo found it disgusting. Taste??? normal...

Biggest Shopping Complex in Phnom Penh- Receipt of Sorya shopping complex..

The Receipt of our spending.

All printed in both

US$

and

Riel

National Museum/ Royal Palace

The distinctive rust-red National Museum next to the Royal Palace was dedicated by King Sisowath in 1920. Over 5000 objects are on display including Angkorian era statues, lingas and other artifacts, most notably the legendary statue of the ‘Leper King

The Royal Palace in Phnom Penh was constructed over a century ago to serve as the residence of the King of Cambodia, his family and foreign dignitaries, as a venue for the performance of court ceremony and ritual and as a symbol of the Kingdom. It serves to this day as the Cambodian home of King Norodom Sihamoni and former King Norodom Sihanouk

We go for one of the recommended Khmer cuisine restaurant recommended by Loney Planet.

The Banana dish (forget the name) is one not to be missed. Still have fire on it when it's served.

The price is still reasonable with the nice surrounding.

Flood in front of the Royal Palace

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Dinner at Chhay Heng Restaurant, the BEST Khmer food recommended by Sunday GH's staff

WHY THE MUST-GO TOURIST ATTRACTION SPOT IS NOT OUR MAIN FOCUS ???

As our travel philosophy sounded, see, taste, feel and involved in the real Cambodian's culture. We are not the normal tourist who will only visit the gorgeos pre-arranged tourist destination, which all the staff there are well-dressed in clean uniform and speaks fluent English, which the buildings are fully aircond, where you feel like being served like the king and tour guide and tuk-tuk touting their 1 day service to bring you around the city.

"If you just want to take the photo of the Royal palace, monuments, artifacts inside, you can easily find a professional one in postcard or internet." Boo commented.

What we want is visit the real life of Cambodians with 5 million people live on less than AUD $1.60 a day,and the khmer language based community. Believe me, you will feel frustrated trying to express yourself in English, but you will see how a friendly is these Cambodians trying to help you. No Pain, No Gain!!!

Phnom Penh - Day2

Waking up 6am for sunrise. However, the time here is GMT +7, which is later by an hour than Malaysia. 6am is too late for sunrise already...



While everybody still sleeping, we started cycling in the capital of Cambodia. We keep asking the people for direction although we have the map, the map is rather useless as phnom penh have many streets not included in our "photocopied" map.



We reached Royal Hotel, Price per night for standard room is US$200 which is the total money that i brought to cambodia. 5 class hotel. With many artistic features. Nice one..



Later the US embassy, damn it they don't let me take any photo even i was taking from far away.. really far, and back door. afraid they will confisticate my camera if i take any picture so i didn't take the risk



Wat Phnom

Should be free but there is a guy in uniform collected US$1 from each of us. The guide book said it's free.

Tuol Sleng Museum

As the name shown, this is the most spooky parts of our trip in Cambodia. Eerie place.

It makes me feel so down the whole day

Tuol Sleng Museum consist of Building A, B, C and D

The huge signboards about the brief description of Tuol Sleng Museum

The site is a former high school which was used as the notorious Security Prison 21 (S-21) concentration camp by the Khmer Rouge regime from its rise to power in 1975 to its fall in 1979. Tuol Sleng in Khmer means "Hill of the Poisonous Trees".

Between 1-2 million Cambodians (and many thousands of foreigners) were starved to death, tortured, or killed, during his brutal reign of terror.

The Security Regulations

Concentration camp rules

When prisoners were first brought to Tuol Sleng, they were made aware of ten rules that they were to follow during their incarceration. What follows is what is posted today at the Tuol Sleng Museum; the imperfect grammar is a result of faulty translation from the original Khmer:

1. You must answer accordingly to my question. Don’t turn them away.
2. Don’t try to hide the facts by making pretexts this and that, you are strictly prohibited to contest me.
3. Don’t be a fool for you are a chap who dare to thwart the revolution.
4. You must immediately answer my questions without wasting time to reflect.
5. Don’t tell me either about your immoralities or the essence of the revolution.
6. While getting lashes or electrification you must not cry at all.
7. Do nothing, sit still and wait for my orders. If there is no order, keep quiet.
When I ask you to do something, you must do it right away without protesting.
8. Don’t make pretext about Kampuchea Krom in order to hide your secret or traitor.
9. If you don’t follow all the above rules, you shall get many many lashes of electric wire.
10. If you disobey any point of my regulations you shall get either ten lashes or five shocks of electric discharge.

The well-preserved individual cells, still have the smell of rustic woods. There is a statue of prisoner in one of the cells. Scary !!!

HeadShot ???

After visiting this museum, we should be going to the Killing Fields of Cheung Ek which is situated 15 kilometers south-west of Phnom Penh.it was a place where more than 17,000 civilians were killed and buried in mass graves from Tuol Sleng prison.

However, we feel so emotionally distressed and don't wish to further see any pile of skulls anymore, so we go to the local shopping complex, Lucky Market.

Phnom Penh -Day 1

After we got out from the Phnom Penh International Airport , we saw big poster written

HAN CIE

SUNDAY GUESTHOUSE

because we had booked a room with Sunday GH(guesthouse) through hostelbookers.com.

He will fetch us to the Huesthouse for US$5 only.

Phnom Penh International Airport

Many tuk-tuk are available here for US$7 .

Our Tuk-Tuk to Sunday Guesthouse.

Feeling like a star being welcomed the moment we step out of the plane. Siok!!

The road in phnom penh is well paved but the car drive at the right side of the road (different from Malaysia). Many Toyotas and Hondas. Road is very dusty.

Excitement begins:

After checking in Sunday Guesthouse, we decided to walk to the nearest tourist spot, Tuol Sheng Museum. (45minutes under the hot sun seems crazy right??). We keep asking the people around for the exact place and use many hand language. Most of them cannot understand English, and with no preparation for khmer language the communication looks funny.

Tuol Sheng Museum is located right in the middle of residential area because it is formally a school and was converted to the prison during Khmer Rouge (1975-79)

Entrance fees : US$ 2

Click here for the link: Tuol Sleng Museum

Petrol price 4000Riels = 1US = RM3.52
We are still buying cheap petrol!! :)















Dinner at one of the stalls nearby. Get bottles or water as GH don't supply drinking water here.

Celebrating for having a beautiful starting day of our Camb-Thai journey !! Cheers !

There are lots of Cambodian chinese who are going to celebrate moonlight festival!!

Chinese is everywhere!

Back to guesthouse and rent 2 bikes for $2. We will watch sun rise tomorrow at Wat Phnom on a hill. Watch out for more !!!

After that we watched the movie S21 killing Field which is potrayed in a drama and i read the book "A Cambodian Prison Potrait" by Vann Nath.

My whole night was engulfed by the history which happens right here 30 years ago. When men became merciless, they will do anything unimaginable... LIke beast...

KUL - PNH, Buffet in The Plane

KL SENTRAL - KLIA - PHNOM PENH

Early morning, We set of from KL Sentral to KLIA Options available :

KLIA Transit - Duration : 36minutes Frequency : 30mins Fare : RM35

KLIA Express - Duration : 28minutes Frequency : 20mins Fare : RM35

KLIA shuttle bus- Duration : 1 hour Frequency : 1hour Fare : RM9


http://www.klsentral.com.my/transportHub2.htm

We reached KL Sentral at 8.30am. We are taking KLIA Express as we are late for check in. International flight required the passanger to check in their luagage 2 hours before departure time and boarding time is 30 minutes before depature.

Boo and Me in KLIA Express

After we bought the KLIA Express ticket only we discovered that luagage check-in for MAS airlines can be done in KL Sentral ! (not for AirAsia). We are still early for the shuttle bus actually.. :( Our Flight to Phnom Penh is scheduled as below:

Airline : MAS

Flight NUmber: MH764 KUL- PNH

Date : 8/9/2007

Time : 11.15am

In MAS flight, we get free unlimited meals and drinks, the word "FREE+ UNLIMITED" is a great news for Malaysian like me.


Mas crew serves Guava/ Orange juice before the main dish (bread, curry chicken rice, salad, whipped potato, butter+fruit jam)

After we finished our set meal, we ordered for the 2nd sets (although we are full) and also extra glass of red wine. The gigantic size Romanian engineer working in Schlumberger was suprised and pass a remark "you guys have good appetite". The air hostess was smiling at his remark as though we have eaten for ages. To cover up the uneasiness, i just said "the spices stimulate our appetite"..... feeling quite awkard in the situation.

To their surprise, Boo even TAPAU the food that we cannot finish. He even took the spoon and fork for "future usage".

Interestingly, the flight to Phnom Penh actually land at Siam Reap Airport first before going to Phnom Penh Internation Airport. The 2 hour trip therefore became 3 hours.

3 hours is just nice for us to finish up and tapau our Buffet in the plane !!!