Pnomh Penh & P'Chum Ben

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7 & 8 October 2010

Cambodia is paying its respects to the dead . Phnom Penh is on a break.

Expecting a same, same but different buzz of life and constant drone of motorbikes comparable to Vietnam, we find ourselves in a strangely tranquil and, surely, deserted city. Shops, restaurants and bars are closed.

This is not the global down turn, Cambodian style. We just have impeccable timing. Cambodia is shut for three days to mark the Festival of the Dead (P’Chum Ben) and the signs on shop fronts tell us that all will return to normal on 10 October. This is not holiday for the devout Buddhists who are expected to visit seven Wats during the festival. Many have travelled to Angkor which, surely, makes that task a little easier.

For the last two days, Phnom Penh has presented itself as an overgrown deserted village. It is the low season but hotels are routinely fully booked. Despite the raw poverty, dusty potholed roads and litter strewn pavements serenity floats on the breeze.

What would you do?

Cambodia is on holiday so we have tagged along for the ride. After a night in accommodation with an abandoned American style police car parked outside, we have checked in to over budget hotel(and this time there is no missing ‘s’) with a pool and plenty of communal space for sharing stories, hands of cards and the odd beer. We have chosen to worship at our own temple - of commercialism - and, quite coincidentally, we will also return to (our) normality on 10 October.

The gates to our hotel are flanked by security, highlighting the uncomfortable juxtaposition of this kind of place and daily life on the streets beyond. We are not special. Every hotel, restaurant and most shops in this area also have their own security guard. Should this presence make us feel secure or concerned? Perhaps it’s just normal.

We have eaten, we have slept. We have read, we have written and we have tested out a few local Tuk Tuk’s but, most importantly, we have relaxed.

Tomorrow, perhaps, we’ll go in search of the rhythm of Phnom Penh.

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Photos

Temple Roof
View from second floor of our hotel

Hotel Pool
Relaxing until overtaken by children...

Flowers
At last...Vietnam seemed to be nothing but jungle greenery

Night Swimming
Inviting, even in torrential rain

Khmer restaurant lighting
Beautifully atmospheric but Khmer curry tasted like chicken stew with chilli powder & complimentary bones.