Decorative door from the Royal Silver Palace
In Pnom Penh I discovered a quaint colonial district with an impressive riverfront park. Cambodian families gathered for picnics and street vendors sold fruit and popcorn from rickety wagons. Opposite the park we spent much of our time exploring a stretch of French colonial buildings, cafes, restaurants, and pubs. During the oppressively hot days, the cool garden cafes provided a welcome respite, while trendy roof top bars allowed us to enjoy the river view at night.
Drinking fancy cocktails (and looking terrified for no particular reason) at a rooftop bar overlooking the riverfront
We did a few touristy things in Pnom Penh, trying to balance the barrage of depressing reminders of Cambodia's brutal history with more lighthearted (i.e. "normal") attractions. We spent a day visiting the Silver Palace, then visited Genocide Museum and took a tuk tuk to visit the haunting "Killing Fields" -- a mass grave where Pol Pot's insidious Khmer Rouge tortured and murdered thousands of Cambodian citizens. Thoroughly depressed, though better informed regarding the tragic history haunting this developing nation, we tried to cheer ourselves up with Cambodian barbeque and ice cream.
Pictures from the Royal Silver Palace
