26 to 29 March - Last days in Cambodia

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The end of our time in Cambodia is spent in the capital Phnom Penh. It is the primal centre of Cambodia with something approaching 20% of the population of the country living in PP eking out something akin to living. Aside from Sihanoukeville and Siem Reap which are bolstered by tourist dollars, the rest of the Cambodian population live in the countryside or in dusty second string towns. These second string towns are literally no more than a large shanty town sprawling around a commercial centre. The focus of the centre will be a market, thriving on most days, particularly in the morning when the produce is fresh. Most markets are situated in dilapidated buildings that hark back to some forgotten era although a combination of climate and neglect probably make them look older than they actually are. There is usually limited electricity in the market so the produce, including meat and fish is sold in a very fresh state, if you know what I mean. Dotted around the market will be one or two modern buildings a couple of stories in height. These will usually be a hotel cum restaurant, or more likely a bank. Government services such as clinics and schools will be situated out in the shanty sprawl, particularly on the fringe. The school buildings are fairly easily to recognise, a large solid building with large glassless open windows. By the noise emanating there always sounds like a thousand kids crammed into these class rooms. The school yard is usually a hotch-potch of parched ground and the odd tuft of grass, a volleyball court tucked away in the corner of the yard. All over the yard, like the rest of the town will be rubbish. The one thing that Cambodians haven’t worked out is how to deal with rubbish, in particular plastic bags. With very limited municipal services on hand, there are great piles of rubbish in every street, some of them lit to smoulder away. In an interesting twist many streets have tin signs with the symbols of the governing Cambodian People’s Party emblazoned in English and Khmer script, a reminder to everyone of who is responsible for this development.

For the most part Phnom Penh is much like the other urban parts of the country, one large sprawling shanty. But it does also have a centre which is very developed with plenty of plush accommodation for all those development junkies to stay in. The city also has a lovely riverside promenade and a large open area close by. In the evenings the locals come out to play games and picnic. The large open areas around the riverside are filled with people doing exercise to the beat of various portable sound systems. Great fun to watch and everyone, including tourists welcome to join in.

To get to PP, we take the express bus from Siem Reap. It’s an 8 hour ride in relative air-con comfort, but with the bumpy roads and the sapping heat at arrival we are pretty shattered by the time we check in to our accommodation. Our trip to PP is broken by a rest stop in Kompong Thom. This rest stop is always a standout, mainly for the display of bugs for sale at the bus stop. All manner of cockroaches and crickets of various sizes, grilled with chilli and garlic or in a dry curry, they look popular for the locals but not too many sales go to the westerners travelling on the buses that pass through. While waiting to leave, we watch a young Khmer girl standing by her father’s side nonchalantly taking a cricket out of the plastic bag she is clutching and nibble away as if it were a lolly.

When we arrive in PP Gina and I find a French run hotel – cum retreat close to the Royal Palace – the Mysteres d’Mekong, while Ellen and Alex find a cheaper option close by at the Cyclo – this place is very popular for Francophiles. Both choices of accommodation have an odd feel to them but as we have just a couple of nights we decide to endure rather than going through the hassle of moving. The Mystere's d Mekong does have a lovely garden and the icey pool is a great way to cool off after the heat of trekking around town during the day.

As we’d seen plenty of the main sights in PP on previous trips, our last days in Cambodia are spent with a few trips to some lesser sights and a couple of visits to the Russian Market. This is a particularly interesting market. It now has the fairly usual range of tourist goods but also has plenty of the everyday goods that the Khmer shop for. The market gets its name from the days when the Cambodia had close ties with the communist bloc, when the poorly paid embassy staff from the Russian and Eastern European embassies would go here for cheap second hand goods for their homes. We pick up a few nice things to take home as well as feeding on the delicious and cheap food in the centre of the market. A visit to one particular noodle soup vendor is always a must.

The day before Alex leaves for Australia, he takes us out as a treat to thank us. He's booked a restaurant Malis that has some connection to Gordon Ramsay. It has very refined Cambodian cuisine and we have a great feed. Its a very pleasant way to say goodbye to Alex. Have a look at http://www.malis-restaurant.com/

As we prepare to leave Cambodia, we are filled with the usual mixed feelings about the country. Its desperately poor with the ravages of Khmer Rouge years still lingering. Its clear that it will take generations for the people to stand on their feet. During our trip we see and hear all about the corruption. Its endemic and even in the education system where the poorest have to pay underpayed teachers for their exams, the teachers having scammed their qualifications in the first place. But as Gina and I walk the streets late at night, we see the street kids playing impromptu games of football and basketball in the dark. They are happy and oblivious to their plight. I suppose its really only from our relative position as outsiders that we see and make judgements about the state of the country.

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Photos

Kompong Thom food stall
The bugs always seem better when fried in a spice mix

Manicure at the Russian Market
Every girl needs a little spoiling

Coffee stop Russian Market
A happy customer