Cambodia: Sidetrip to Phnom Penh!

The original plan was to take the Poipet border to get into Thailand but A thought that it’s going to be dangerous and tiresome so he surprised me with plane tickets from Siem Reap to Bangkok via Phnom Penh.  It’s a 4 to 5-hour trip to PP so we decided to hire a taxi to bring us to the airport and take us around if we still had time.  Soryar made sure that it’s going to be a pleasant and comfortable trip for A and me so he asked Mr. Polie to drive us to PP.  Let me just say that HE is the best person to drive you to PP.  It sure does help that he’s a retired policeman with connections in the busy city.  The language barrier really sucked but we’d see Mr. Polie giggling everytime A and I kid each other so I guess he was able to pick up some of the things we said.

A with Mr. Polie and the cab that would take us to PP.  It’s interesting to note that 90% of cabs that we saw in Cambodia were Toyota Camry.

Exiting Siem Reap

While busy taking shots inside the cab, I kind of heard Mr. Polie say “nice bridge…very old!”.  I didn’t really understand what he was trying to say so I just gave him my biggest smile and said “Yes!  Yes!”.  Boy, I was glad I did because what he was trying to say pala was that we could pass by an old bridge if we like.  Mr. Polie pulled over and there we saw, “Spean Preah Toeus”, also called “Spean Kompong Kdey” by the residents of the area.  It is said that in the 1930s, there used to be 22 ancient bridges like this within the area but because bridges were not a great concern during the restoration of ancient heritage, only 11 still exist at present.  These ancient bridges may have been erected during Jayavarman VII’s era…kasabay lang ng Angkor Temples.

The stone used in the construction of this bridge is laterite (Wikipedia:  soil type rich in iron and aluminium formed in hot and wet tropical areas.  Rusty-red most of the time because of iron oxides.)

The decorations such as the balustrade, pole, guardrails and serpent (naga) heads on both sides of the balustrade is made of sandstone.

And then we’re back on the road again.

Mr. Polie knows how to multi-task…driving at the speed of 120kph while sending his son an SMS while talking to Soryar.  I…was…scared!  Of his shirt.  Hahahaha!

Thank goodness for the beautiful Cambodian countryside…it took my mind off Mr. Polie’s shirt.  Hehehe

Parang Pilipinas din…fruit stalls selling rambutan and atis along the road.

After driving for more than 4 hours, we finally reached Phnom Penh.  I was not impressed.  Traffic began to get heavy…it was scorching hot.  Bad ako but PP reminded me of Binondo.

Again, diba para din kaming nasa Pilipinas?

We asked Mr. Polie to drop us off the National Museum and pick us up after 30 minutes and then we could grab lunch.

Entrance fee to the National Museum is US$3.

Inside you'll see amazing artifacts...too bad cameras are not allowed.

The ponds and gardens within the museum compound.

These guys love phallic symbols talaga!

At exactly 12noon, Mr. Polie was already waiting by the gate.  I knew where we’re having lunch and I was pleasantly surprised to know that it’s within walking distance from the museum.

Love the thought of just having a meal and being able to help at the same time.

We’re lucky to be seated right at once…reservation is required.

I ordered this by mistake…but it turned out to be so yummy!

Another yummy dish of minced meat and mushrooms!

Right after lunch, we asked Mr. Polie to take us to Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum or S21.  In halting English, he told us that it used to be a school before Pol Pot came into power and turned it into a prison.  He also said that his wife used to go to that school.  Having an idea of the crimes that were committed in that building, I was literally dragging my feet towards the entrance.

We paid the entrance fee and started to walk around.  A and I went inside several rooms (former classrooms) used as torture cells at Tuol Sleng.  Inside the room, you’d find a bed frame, chains, ammo boxes (they were the toilet facilities then) and the picture of the person who was found there.  I cringed at the sight of those pictures.  I remember feeling numb but I was still taking pictures…like a regular tourist.  And then A and I got into this room filled with pictures of all the people tortured and most probably killed during the Khmer Rouge regime.  It took all of my will-power not to burst into tears but as I went from one board to another, I could already feel the pain in my heart.  The last straw was when I saw the blown up picture of a wife of a party official holding a baby.  It felt like she was staring back at me with tear-filled eyes.  So I went out and cried like a baby.  I told A that I couldn’t believe a human being could do those things to another human being.  I also told A that I’d delete all the pictures taken inside the museum to which he agreed.

The Tuol Sleng Gate

The UNESCO marker inside the museum compound.

We met up with Mr. Polie again and asked him to take us to the Royal Palace.  We’re already in a rush and we still had a lot to cover.

The long line to the ticket counter.

Monks and locals get in for free.

This Cambodian sun IS unforgiving!

There are several temples like this inside the compound.

Reminds you of Thailand, noh?

After the mad dash inside the Royal Palace grounds, we asked Mr. Polie what’s there to see pa in PP and he said that he’d take us to Choung Ek or the Killing Fields.  After the episode in Tuol Sleng, I was already having second thoughts about the Killing Fields.  Mr. Polie drove for 45 minutes and traffic was starting to get really bad.  A and I were already panicking because our flight was scheduled to leave in a couple of hours.  And it didn’t help either when I heard Mr. Polie talk about a tree where they would smash babies to kill them, I knew that I didn’t want to go anymore.  And right at that instant, we busted our rear tire.

Mr. Polie and the mechanic.

Now, how on earth did that screw end up stuck in our tire?

After Mr. Polie had the tire fixed, we rushed to the airport.  And I truly believe that the gods in Cambodia were actually looking after A and me as we learned that our flight had been moved 30 minutes earlier than scheduled.  If not for the flat tire, we would’ve driven all the way to Choung Ek and totally missed our flight to Bangkok.  

Happy to see the airport!

Happier that we got there on time!

While I have nothing but praises for the Angkor temples and the locals that A and I met in Siem Reap, I will have to admit that I was not prepared for what I saw in Phnom Penh and learned there.  Tuol Sleng had been the most appalling sight for me but I would like to believe that we went there for the right reasons…and it’s that we should not forget.  I hope more people would choose to visit Cambodia because tourism is a major part of the healing and rebuilding process if Cambodia is to prosper in the future. 

So long Cambodia, till we meet again!