Asia 2018: Day #19 Phnom Penh and Surrounds

Excursions on day 19 were regulated by the early tour schedule change. Theoretically we should have started much closer to Siem Reap on day one of the cruise, crossed Lac Tonle and then travelled down the Tonle River to Kampong Tralach. But that got all thrown out the window due to the previously mentioned new iron bridge at Phnom Penh.

Mekong sunrise

So we were on a bus again, from just outside the boat in Phnom Penh to the former capital of Cambodia at Oudong. Here in the Vihara of the Vipassana Centre we received a blessing from the Buddhist monks.

Buddhist monks

After a wander around the temple grounds, we were back on the bus for a visit to an old pagoda via ox-cart some 15 minutes or so down the road. We had started early so it was still cool when we set off. Not so when we got to the ox-carts. Luckily it was only a short 10 minute ride to the sit of Wat Kampong Leu, one of the oldest pagodas in Cambodia. The temple is is in a rather poor state of repair inside as the forces of Pol Pot had used the building as a salt storage facility during the reign of the Khmer Rouge, and the bottom metre or so of the murals were badly damaged. UNESCO have now assumed control of the site and hopefully restoration will start sometime soon.

Ox-carts

Pagoda mural

The afternoon was left free for private tours into the city but we opted for a quiet time on board. This also gave us to the opportunity to attend the lecture of Cambodian History from 1953-1993 given by Jean-Michel Filippe, professor of linguistics at the Royal University of Cambodia. This lecture was fantastic, and Professor Filippe was hugely informative and very entertaining. He was also able to succinctly explain the reasoning behind the Khmer Rouge philosophy of emptying the cities and towns and trying to turn Cambodia back to a fully rural society. It made a lot of sense; the explanation that is, not the philosophy itself, which was insane and totally deluded.

And then dinner was followed by a 30-minute tuk-tuk ride around the night streets of Phnom Penh. Traffic was hectic but it did seems as though the crowds were down a bit as the citizens had probably already eaten and then gone home. A marvellous way to end the evening. Especially as we all made it back in one piece.