Next Stop: Phnom Penh, Cambodia
After a 7 hour bus ride from Ho Chi Minh City (I can highly recommend the ABC bakery there… Sooooo delicious pastries and coffee and smoothies!) I arrived at night in Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia and catched a TukTuk which went directly to the guesthouse of my choice where I did some research on before.
On the next day I explored Phnom Penh. I went for breakfast at a nice cafe and walked to the Central Market which was very close.
After seeing this marked which is half covered I walked around direction Royal Palace (which is the official residence of King Sihamoni, who is currently abroad and visiting China).
The Royal Palace was very crowded with many groups arriving, so I decided to visit the National Museum of Cambodia, which is right next to the Royal Palace. Admisson is 5 US Dollars and you can find the world’s finest collection of Khmer sculpture and design there. The museum itself is in a beautiful terracotta colored building which looks like a temple/wat and was built 1917-20.
It was really nice watching all the beautiful sculptures and collections, as most of them were in Angkor Wat, which I am still planing to visit when I reach Siem Reap.
The museum has a very peaceful courtyard with lots of green and ponds with fishes, perfect for relaxing and if you need a break in a calm and peaceful place.
After enjoying the museum and trying out some yummy local food I went to the riverside which was just a jump away. There are many nice bars, restaurants, cosmetic studios, tattoo shops etc. . Many people told me to be aware of bag snappers (even locals), so I was always holding my bag very close and in front of me, especially at night at the markets.
I also went to the Night Market where I had such a delicious roti with red curry. I could not resist… This indian street food stand was a very good choice, but normally I never go for foreign food as I prefer to taste the local dishes. Well, I still have some days left in Cambodia!
