Phnom Pehn

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Cambodia's capital retains an undeniable charm, despite its tumultuous, often violent past. The crumbling colonial architecture makes an attractive backdrop to bustling streetside cafes and the redeveloped riverfront precinct.

Visiting the major sights, including many emergency trips to the loo we took in:

Royal Palace and the two magnificent pagodas in the Palace Grounds, the Silver Pagoda and the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, are among the few public buildings in Phnom Penh really worth seeing. They were built in the 19th century with French technology and Cambodian designs, and have survived the traumas of the 20th century amazingly intact. Pants as all the best bits were closed off to the public and very expensive as were white...foreign I meant.

The National Museum (opposite the Royal Palace; admission US$3). Contains an excellent collection of art from Cambodia's "golden age" of Angkor, and a lovely courtyard at the center. Main attraction is the statue of King Jayavarman VII (1181-1219) in mediation pose. Unfortunately, no photos may be taken so I cant really remember much other than theres lots of old stuff and its well hot with dirty toilets!

Wat Phnom (admission US$1) is on a hill at the center of a small park near Sisowath Quay, on St. 94. The temple itself is notable more for its historic importance than what you'll see there today, but the park is a pleasant green space and a popular gathering place for locals. A few monkeys keep quarters there as well and will help themselves to any drinks you've left unattended. Cheap but full off beggars, I can give to the disabled but not just because someone fancies asking me for a dollar so theey can go buy a couple of packs of fags.

Independence and Liberation memorials - impressive Buddhist-style Independence Memorial, commemorating the departure of the French in 1953, dominates the centre of the city. Nearby is the very ugly Stalin-style Liberation Memorial, marking the Vietnamese capture of the city in 1979. Although the Cambodians were glad to see the back of the Khmer Rouge, they don't like the Vietnamese much either, and have demonstrated this by neglecting the memorial for 20 years. It seems to be used mainly as a convenient urinal. A shame as Cambodians cannot fight for toffee so they should have greater respect for the Vienamese as they have save Cambodian butt on several occassions.

Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (S-21) (Street 113, Boeng Keng Kang 3, Chamkar Morn, Phnom Penh; tel. [phone], fax [phone]) was a school converted into Cambodia's most important prison in 1975. More than 14,000 people were tortured here before being killed at the Killing Fields south of Phnom Penh; only 8 prisoners made it out alive. The museum is easily accessible and a must-see for everyone interested in Cambodia's horrific recent past. The infamous "skull map" has been dismantled, although there are still skulls stacked in cabinets, implements of torture and disturbing photographs.

The Killing Fields at Cheoung Ek (entrance fee US$2), about 17km south of Phnom Penh, is where the Khmer Rouge killed many thousands of their victims during their four-year reign of terror. Today the site is marked by a Buddhist stupa packed full of human skulls - the sides are made of glass so the visitors can see them up close. There are also pits in the area where mass graves were unearthed. It is a serene yet somber place made worse by tuk-tuk drivers who try to sell the place to you as a sight seeing joint, not as a permanent memorial to the mass genocide that took place here.

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