The Cambodia File

Notes from Phnom Penh and Siem Rep

I had scheduled two nights in Phnom Penh before flying to Siem Reap to see the Angkor Wat complex, so it gave me time to relax and get a feel for the town before touring.  The hotel I selected, Hotel Castle, had been renamed Hotel Ohana and was a half block off the main drag that runs along the Tonle Sap River, which merges with the Mekong as you go south along the street.  The area is filled with restaurants, many on the roof tops, and sidewalk cafes and bars serving Tiger and Angkor beer.  Perfect place to put away my long pants and put on the shorts and sandals.  It’s a bit like stepping back in time, into the 50’s or 60’s. 

A 50 minute plane ride took me to Siem Reap, where I had two days of touring the sites with a most knowledgeable guide.  I think I’ve heard all the Hindu and Buddhist stories at least twice, and, after India, probably more than that.  But the temples and palaces are truly amazing and worth visiting.  I was early for watching the sunset at the top of one site, escaping before the multitudes but staying long enough for a couple good shots.  Probably the “coolest” site is Ta Phrom, where Banyon trees have grown up, in and around, sometimes supporting, the buildings.  My guide said the tree seeds scattered by the wind are washed away on level ground but get trapped, or stuck, amidst the rocks and buildings, where they take root and weave their growth into the structure over time.  Very cool place where my camera got a workout.  It’s worth traveling to Cambodia just for this site.

Cambodia, in particular Siem Reap, is a place where cheap tourists can thrive.  Years ago when I was such a tourist returning from the Peace Corps, I traveled on $4 a day, often spending less than a dollar for a space to sleep.  The price has gone up but there are all sorts of places that would fit the bill for such travel today, and I saw a lot of 20 somethings bargaining for the last 50 cents.  And, of course, you are expected to bargain.   Some 40 years ago, I had planned to visit Angkor Wat enroute home from the Peace Corps in the Philippines, but they closed it just before I could make it.  Finally made it.

I took the boat back from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh, a trip I thought was to begin at 7 a.m., when I arrived, but, I discovered, that tended to be a flexible starting time.  We left at 8:30 a.m.  There’s one class, basic, but they did pass out a bottle of water and two mini chocolate muffins, and we took turns sitting on top of the front of the boat, which deposited us a short distance from my hotel. 

In Phnom Penh, the next day, I toured the national palace where the current king lives, while his father, now 90 years old, survives in Beijing most of the time. Then we drove out to see the national memorial of remembrance at one of the sites of the “killing fields.”  I’ll attach only a couple photos, but it’s a somber spot.  Back to town, we went to “Former Office S.21,” the prison where they tortured prisoners before sending them out to the killing camp.  I hadn’t realized how much of the top leadership had studied in Paris and had joined the French Communist Party. 

Since I was a “party of one,” I had a guide and driver in both cities, with enough waiting time when they “had” to fill the gaps in conversation.  And, in both cases, I was trusted enough that they relayed their historical (and current) distrust of Thailand (for appropriating the Khmer heritage for “their” own), and distrust of the Vietnamese (and to some extent, the Chinese) for their domination of their government, business and politics.  “They” did not feel free to express publically their “real” feelings about the government, there’s apparent resentment at how the Chinese in particular show little respect for the environment in developing natural resources, and the Vietnamese for having bought up lots of real estate.  On the surface, the place is marvelous for tourists and visitors, particularly if you enjoy good food, a fascinating culture and weather for frequenting sidewalk cafes and roof-top restaurants in shorts and sandals, all at a price hard to beat.

From the Foreign Correspondent

An Australian couple on the train in India told me to check out the press club in Phnom Penh, which had a 50s feel, much like the train.  I asked the locals at several spots but was met with blank stares, until a fellow in the adjoining table asked if I was looking for the FCC, the Foreign Correspondents Club, which was just a couple blocks down the street.  So there I went, discovering an open-air, four story bar and roof top spot to drink and eat while looking out at the river.  I must note that folks were reading newspapers, in particular the English-language Cambodia Daily.  On my first stop I sat between a bunch of French folks, where the lady was having a Budweiser.  I ordered the local brew and later returned for the national dish, fish amok.  I ate it three times on my trip and it was different but delicious each time.  Later on in my boat trip back from Siem Reap, a British fellow of my age who had lived in Asia for most of the past 40 years (in banking) told me the FCC was started by the government years ago to try to keep journalists happy since they were having more austere places to eat and lodge.  He was familiar with the one in Hong Kong, and, I discovered a quite new one also was built in Siem Reap.  Since I’m blogging, I figured I had a “right” to frequent the establishment, which is largely just a bar and restaurant these days that’s popular with expats.  And Cambodia seems like a good place for expats—comfortable, inexpensive and friendly.

After India, the international influence seems to have grown, with all the usual commercial interests—Sony, the auto companies, even a Swenson’s ice cream in Siem Reap.  But there’s a nice side as well, with each temple in the Angkor area being adopted by a country for restoration.  A very sensible approach given what this country has gone through.  Some 70% of the present population was born after the Pol Pot genocide, so it’s remembered but as history more than experience for most folks.  The parents of my guide in Phnom Penh had lost all but one of their siblings (out of almost 20) to the Khmer Rouge, and he relayed stories that fit the pictures.   

Clearly, the world comes to Angkor Wat and Cambodia, but I detected more French than I would have expected.  And many times, hotel employees would mix in their Khmer greeting with Bon Jour.  My hotel had a few English-speaking folks, some other Asians, and a large group of French.  So the French have come back to visit the former French Indo-china.  This was enough of an excuse for me to have the “French buffet” at the Bougainvillier restaurant, my most expensive meal at $16.50—but well worth it.   I only turned on the television once in Siem Reap, to discover that they appeared to have a channel for every nationality they expected as guests, a strategy I’ve seen in many other places. 

Also discovered that the local folks were more into cell phones, and I saw numerous people using them to scroll or watch videos of one type or another.  And on the boat ride, on my way down the aisle to the backroom at the back, I saw two iPads, a Kindle, a laptop and several folks writing long-hand or reading paperbacks.  This was an entirely international group.  In one of what must be frequent ironies brought to us by technology, I found myself responding to a student’s thesis survey on SurveyMonkey for the neighborhood I live in home in Cleveland, while using Wi-Fi at a restaurant along the river.