Literally speaking, I have been to Phnom Penh thrice. All in December 2017, during one single trip to Cambodia. The capital city of Cambodia is special to me mostly because the trip came at a time when I needed a break from a lot of things. The trip was one of my busiest travels and it didn't leave much room for me to think too much. Early mornings, late nights, continuous work without breaks, was all that I needed. Moreover, it was a new kind of trip. I was going to be working with Care Cambodia, and I was going to be talking about topics that were fairly new to me. This also meant that I was keeping very busy even before the trip actually began - studying and preparing for it, fretting about how difficult the actual project was going to be, and dealing with all other issues around me.
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The Time-Turner series is my opportunity to pen down the lingering memories and impressions of a place I have visited. It helps me relive the experience a bit and also reflect upon the aspects of the place that stood out the most to me. For more Time-Turner posts, follow this link: The Time-Turner Series.
After months of hectic preparations, when I finally landed in Phnom Penh, I was immediately sucked into long work days and hardly had any opportunity to explore the city. However, I knew I would be back in a few days after the project ended and would then have more time on my hands, before my husband was scheduled to join me. But whatever little I had seen of this city was enough to entice me. All streets, all markets, and all corners seemed to have something interesting worth exploring. So I was looking forward to be back.
And the city has history and depth. You meet the cheerful and tuktuk drivers and you feel everything is fine in the world and it has always been. But such is not the case. You only need to search the city's name on google and you would uncover horrors that are difficult to comprehend. The incessant state of turmoil the country was in because of the war between US and Vietnam. The brutal Khmer Rouge that followed, and then the continuous political instability. But still people in Phnom Penh appear warm and cheerful. Even the Tuk Tuk drivers were forever smiling, even if you said "No" to their offer of a ride.
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To start with, let me make it clear that you should not visit Phnom Penh for its night markets. It has plenty of markets that are open during the day and you will find several fascinating things you can buy there, but the night market is very dry compared to the Night Markets in Siem Reap. Anyway, the night market is situated near the Mekong Quay, close to Wat Phnom. Shops here start opening up at aroud 4pm and are open till about 10pm. Inside the market, you will find kiosks and shops selling counterfeit clothes, belts, and bags. There are some cute designs up for sale at very reasonable prices, so if you are the right size, you can probably try some. The lanes are narrow and are often very crowded. So one needs to be careful with wallets and phones.
When it comes to the most happening part of Phnom Penh, it is without a doubt the Mekong Quayside. Mekong is a huge river and I guess it is because of this that it is almost always very windy in the evening. Also, some of the most impressive buildings of Phnom Penh, the Royal Palace, Independence Memorial, Wat Phnom, and Wat Ounalom, are very close to the Quayside. You can walk everywhere.
You see all kinds of interesting people on the quay. Here you see two monks, of different age groups, in deep discussion. The strange thing about Monks is that you see them with the unlikeliest of accessories. Sometimes you see them with a stoup, sometimes with an iPhone. The older monk here seems to be carrying a leather bag.
Lined along the quay are the flags of all the countries that have embassies in Cambodia. India is one of them, and here we are being silly beneath the Indian Tricolor. To be honest, when I was alone in Phnom Penh, I did get a bit emotional about this flag. I used to sit beneath it and enjoy the cool evening breeze.
One important place to visit in Phnom Penh is the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum. It is also a very difficult place to visit. It is right in the middle of the town and a sharp reminder of how bad things were at one point in time for this resilient city. It is shocking how deceptive the building is. At the first glance, it still looks like a normal school. Only when you go into the rooms that once used to be the classrooms or take a closer look at the grounds do you discover the horrors. Even though it is quite a sobering experience, you cannot understand Phnom Penh without knowing what the city has been through.
And it is this depth, this resilience, and the spirit that I truly admire. This makes Phnom Penh one of my favorite cities in the world.
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