Phnom Penh Cambodia Highlights

My first look at Cambodia started with chatting up some information agents when I landed at the airport.  The people are really small and I looked like a giant.  I have to say that everyone I came into contact with were super polite and gracious.  Everyone was willing to help you find what you needed.

I landed around lunch time and we were taken to Tonle Bassac Restaurant for lunch.  It was a buffet style affair with stations.  I tried everything including the coconut juice straight out of the coconut.  Lots of dishes with rice as a staple.  Meat is very limited here.  Our tour guide stated that a kilo of beef costs $100 whereas most monthly salaries are only $30.

We then took a little boat ride and went up and down the river where the water was pretty much brown.  Saw some cool buildings as we motored by.

We visited the palace grounds where most buildings are opened to tourists and the great halls which would be used during ceremonial occasions.

There were quite a few of these statutes called nagas.

After touring the grounds, we saw a few museum rooms to show what it was like in the past with elephants.  Sad to say there are no more elephants in Phnom Penh where royalty would ride them around.

You can see how elaborate the staircase to ascend the elephant is here.

I also was surprised to see a weaver on the grounds.  The loom was a giant affair with carved dragons and such.

This is from the warp beam end.

This is close to the cloth beam where the heddles are.

Here is the cloth the weaver was weaving.

I tried to get a full view of the loom and I don't think I got it all.

We then headed to a temple and on the back side, there was this cool woven reed snake.

At the end of the day, we had dinner at the Titanic Restaurant and Louge along the river front and since it was warm and humid, we ate outside on the patio.  Interesting variety of dishes.

Everything was super fresh and delicious.