Blogs from Phnom Penh, South, Cambodia, Asia - page 11

Breakfast at our hotel was fantastic. Andy had bacon and sausage so he was over the moon, Claire and Helen enjoyed their pancakes and I got exactly what I was hoping for which was congee. What better way to start the day! Sustenance was needed for what was to follow as we headed out to the Killing Fields. Let's get some educating done for those that don't know. They have so far dug up the graves of 1.7m victims of Pol Pot's Khmer Rouge. They believe that up to 3m people were actually killed though out of a then population of 8m. The current population of Cambodia over the age of 18 is just 40% which shows just how many people were slaughtered. And I do mean slaughtered as bullets were expensive (equal to two bowls ... read more

I felt bad for the guys who took us to the boat. Our transportation was three wheeler push bikes with and one small Vietnamese man peddling, aided only with one gear to help him. Add to that that they were not only carrying a larger tourist on the back, but their luggage also. But worse for my guy, he not only had me, but EE and her luggage too! I guess they know what they're doing and Glyn's bike guy was relaxed enough to make a phonecall as he pedalled across a busy junction. It was a small junction afterall, not big enough to warrant taking any notice of the traffic lights, which were on red. The areas of Vietnam that we've seen have been very flat, so the the incline over this junction was barely ... read more

Phnom Penh, the Cambodian capital city, is clearly a place with a troubled past with a present-day situation which acts as a reminder of both the suffering and the progress made since those sour times. As the final piece of the jigsaw in this 2-nation trip, expectations were perhaps riding on the back of the standard-setting elements of what had come before it, but thankfully, Phnom Penh seemed to slot in effortlessly with the whole run of events. Full marks must surely go to the Frangipani living arts and spa hotel for being a well-located (near the Russian market), well-equipped (ground floor and rooftop pools) and well-serving hotel (see morning breakfast juice for proof) which was a sound choice of lodgings in a city with no shortage of options. Onto the day of tourist sights, and ... read more

Hej med jer Jeg håber i havde en go' fødselsdagsfest hos H+D, ærgerligt jeg ikke ku' være med (Søs, fik du drukket de Gajoler for mig du lovede? :) ) Lidt om indtrykkene de første dage i Cambodia. Phnom Penh er en ganske charmerende by, den er ikke nær så stor og kaotisk som f.eks. Bangkok og Hanoi hvilket bestemt ikke gør os noget - man får ikke stress. Her er en sjov blanding af bygninger der bærer præg af den franske kolonitid blandet med den pompøse Khmer stil. Valuta herude er en anelse irriterende, de bruger US dollars som store penge, og deres egen valuta, Riel, som mønter så at sige. Du kan f.eks. få $5 og 7000 Riel tilbage - meget besværligt :S Den første dag slappede vi ved poolen ovenpå den lange flyvetur, ... read more

Day 24 We slept in until 9am today then down for a hearty breakfast. We then ventured to the roof top pool. The infinity pool was amazing with the views all along the Mekong,pure heaven. A feeling of peace even though below was bustling with people and traffic. There was a jacuzzi, well it would be rude not to! The bubbles were great therapy for Lesley's arm. We sun bathed for a short while but whilst hot it was cloudy. It would have been perfect had it not been for 3 young lads from London who brought the 3 girls (workings girls I'd say!) who they picked up last night. It was cringe worthy. Nearly noon so we decided to get ready to go out. Taxi booked for 8.30am tomorrow as flying to Siem Reap. My ... read more