Cambodia - Phnom Penh

I had a business trip to Phnom Penh, Cambodia, last week. I've always wanted to go to Cambodia because I've read and heard so much about it and I have many friends from there.

It's a fascinating country with a rich history.

It is most famous for its Angkor Wat ruins, which I will talk about in my next blog. Angkor Wat and Cambodia was put on the map in recent years by Angelina Jolie, in her movie Tomb Raider.

The blog before this one is about the Killing Fields, which I just posted. If you don't like horrific images and sad stories, please skip it. It was also another event that made Cambodia famous, for the wrong reason.

When I arrived at the Phnom Penh airport, I took a taxi to the hotel. The taxi driver asked me if I was Chinese. I said yes. He said he speaks Cantonese and I told him I do too. So, the rest of the way, we spoke Cantonese. He said he can take me to the Royal Palace and the Killing Fields that afternoon. We negotiated a rate and now I have someone I can communicate with to take me where I want to go. Great deal.

Phnom Penh has a large Chinese population. I have many Cambodian friends in the US who are Chinese. Most of them run businesses. As we drive around Phnom Penh, you see some of the biggest restaurants with Chinese characters, obviously owned by Chinese.

Cambodia is a developing country but still poor. After years of wars, it is settling down and trying to develop its economy. US dollars is the preferred currency here. But, for small change, you get Cambodial Riels in return. About 4,000 Riels equal $1.

The taxi driver dropped me off near the Central Market after my tours. I stopped in on a 6-story shopping center and it was crowded. I saw all kinds of stuff being sold very cheaply. I saw a famous brand dry-fit shirts for $4. They would normally sell for about $40 in the US. I saw popular software selling for $2.50 per CD and DVDs' for $1. You name it, they have it.

Above are some pictures of the Royal Palace that I visited. It's a vast complex of buildings with golden roofs.

Above you also see a picture of a tuk-tuk. They are motorcycles really, with an open cab and a roof attached to it. Locals and tourists ride in them because they are cheap and you can see all around you. They are not the cheapest however. You can get around cheaper by getting on a motorcycle taxi. That is, you ride as a passenger on a motorcycle. It's about half as cheap as a tuk-tuk, which is about half as cheap as a regular taxi. Motorcycle taxis are not for the faint-hearted. These guys weave around in heavy traffic and get very, very close to other vehicles. I rode one back to the hotel from the shopping center for $2. It was about a 20 minute ride.