We awoke at anchor this morning in the dark of the Tonle Sap River. The lights of the capital city of Phnom Penh were not far away, on both banks of the relatively narrow river. As the sun came up, we made our way downstream to see the famous Royal Palace from the water. Glittering gold in the sun, it was an incredible way to arrive to this cosmopolitan city.
We docked along the banks of the Tonle Sap and disembarked Jahan for an exciting adventure. We rode in the front of local cyclos, which are basically carts, pedaled by very strong and wiry Cambodian men. The traffic was quite overwhelming and we were taken all over the main parts of the city. We rode past the Central Market, the beautiful Post Office, the U.S. Embassy, and countless bars, motorbike repair shops, and belt manufacturers. Much of downtown Phnom Penh does not have traffic signals, so everyone snakes through intersections, taking up whatever space is available at the time. Our ride ended at the square in front of the Royal Palace and our guides began a walking tour of the complex.
The private quarters of the Royal Palace are off-limits, but the gardens, courtyards, and public buildings are not. We were able to look in on the Throne Room and to have a detailed tour of the Silver Pagoda. Known for its beautiful, silver floor tiles, the Silver Pagoda is also filled with hundreds of different representations of Buddha, from thumbnail sized representations, to the beautiful “jade” Buddha in the center of the room.
Our explorations continued on to the National Museum, a place packed with stone and bronze statues from a thousand years of Khmer history. We were introduced to the museum by local guides, and then had some time to explore the exhibits and the beautiful courtyard on our own.
Lunch at the incredible Topaz Restaurant gave us a break from the heat and pavement, before we began our explorations into Phnom Penh’s darker history. After lunch, our buses arrived to Tuol Sleng Prison, or “Security Office 21” (S-21). This once vibrant high school became a prison and torture center during the Khmer Rouge occupation of 1975-1979. There were different displays in each building, and a quiet courtyard in the center. A new memorial stupa holds the word, “Never will we forget the crimes committed during the Democratic Kampuchea regime.” This is a very difficult place to visit, but necessary in understanding the terrible things which so deeply affected the people of this country.
After this somber stop, we made choices and went our separate ways. A large group of us continued with our local guide Rithy, to visit Choeung Ek, one of the Killing Fields just outside of Phnom Penh. Despite the atrocities committed there, this site has a quiet dignity to it, embodied in the large stupa in the center of the complex. This memorial, filled with skulls, is a quiet and powerful reminder of those who suffered under the hands of the regime.
After a long day of beautiful, then difficult images and stories, our evening ended on a more positive and festive note. The Jahan galley crew created a lovely spread of food on the top deck, and we enjoyed a barbecue dinner together. On top of this decadence, we watched traditional Khmer dance, both classical and folk, accompanied by music and singing. It was a good reminder of the beautiful culture that has also been such a significant part of the history of Cambodia.
We retired, exhausted, and each took some time to reflect on our perceptions of the day. Phnom Penh is a vibrant city, with so many different things to absorb—and ours was a fitting introduction to Cambodia and Cambodian culture.
