Phnom Penh (Welcome to Cambodia!)

We decided to fly from Chiang Mai, via Bangkok, to Phnom Penh, the capitol of Cambodia.  This was our first big city in quite a while.  Phnom Penh is full of people, stalls, and most of all scooters, there are scooters EVERYWHERE!  It is pretty crazy to drive through the streets of this city as you pretty much hit a scooter any which way you turn! In Phnom Penh we decided to stay in a nicer hotel which was still within budget, although the upper portion of our budget.  It was a placed called One Up Banana Hotel and it was amazing!  Definitely the best place we have stayed so far, very friendly and attentive staff.  Would go back there in a heart beat!  One of the BEST things was it was fairly close to lots of yummy restaurants and cool locations!

The Independence Monument, Right Near Our Hotel!

Joel Getting a Blessing From a Monk (for a Charge OF COURSE!)

The Amazing Museum 

We spent our first day walking around the town and visiting some of the major sites inside the city itself.  This included the National Museum and the Palace, which we walked by but never entered!  It was just crazy to try and be a pedestrian in a city that is clearly NOT designed to be walked around in.  Definitely for people on Scooters and Cars ONLY!

We also found a cool Cupcake place!

Amazing Cupcakes!

We also spent one of our days in Phnom Penh visiting some of the historical sights, esepcially the ones that related to the Khmer Rouge.  This was a particularly bloody aspect of Cambodia history where as many as 3 million people were killed and many more displaced and emotionally affected.  This only happened about 30 years ago ending in 1979.  Our first stop was the Killing Fields outside the city. 

Some of What The City Looks Like (Our Drive Out)

A Memorial For All the Bodies Found

The Entire Memorial

There Were Lots of Mass Graves

Known As the Killing Tree

It was a pretty powerful place especially because it lies in such a peaceful place now outside the city.  But it was gruesome stuff.  And we were told that bones and pieces of clothing are still being unearthed on a weekly basis.  Very difficult to imagine that someone would put their country through this. 

Our next stop was inside the city in S-21 a prison inside the city.  This used to be a school but was turned into a brutal prison where only 8 people who were put through it survived.

The Rules of the Prison

Once A School, Now A Site of Horrific History

Classrooms were Turned into Mass Sleeping Area,
The Netting Was Put Up So No One Could Commit Suicide

After taking all that in, it is pretty impressive how the Cambodian people have bounced back.  Although the population here is very young and you rarely see anyone over the age of about 40, they are a happy people and with their new government working hard it seems that they have made great progress.  With the help of their king, who they love!

We also got to spend some time near the river in the city, enjoying the views and having a couple drinks.  

Waterfront

Also watched a storm roll in and it just POURED!

Tuk Tuk Trying to Drive Thru the Rain

All in all Phnom Penh was a really amazing city.  Very interesting history, nice food, and of course we had a gorgeous hotel!  But then it was off to Siemp Reap and Ankor Wat