Phnom Penh

We've been back home in Ashland a week now, busy recovering and catching up on a variety of things, so here's a late posting on the last little bit of our trip.

We finished up with a couple of days in Phnom Penh, mostly to visit our nephew Adam and also to meet his sweetie Thy and her son Jimmy.

We took a larger bus from Kampot back to Phnom Penh, and it was more comfortable than the sardine-fest we'd taken down there.  We opted to return to the Double Leaf Boutique Hotel (where we'd spent one night previously); it's a comfortable place and very convenient to Adam's apartment.

After arrival and cleaning up, we spent a little time wandering around the Russian Market (just a couple of blocks away).  It's an interesting place: there are a few sections with tourist items, but also a large section devoted to stalls selling used motorbike parts, another devoted to miscellaneous hardware items, and a third with mostly regular (non touristy) clothing.  Adam was busy with work in the evening, so we ate at one of his favorite $2 dinner places, right by our hotel.

Phnom Penh is a difficult city for walking, even by SE Asia standards.  Streets tend to be very narrow and packed with moving motorbikes, tuk-tuks, and cars.  There are no sidewalks so walking is right there in the midst of the traffic.  Anything more than a couple of blocks calls for a tuk-tuk ride.

Adam and Thy graciously took time out of their lives to show us around Phnom Penh.  We spent part of the day walking around the Royal Palace (a large museum complex).  The Royal Palace features a very detailed mural depicting the Ramayana that runs for over 600 meters along a covered walkway.

After the Royal Palace we walked along the riverfront and eventually climbed up the hill to the Wat Phnom temple.  Not huge, but one of the only  patches of green in the city.

Next day we tuk-tukked over to the Genocide Museum, which is located in a former school that the Khmer Rouge converted into a notorious torture center and prison.  The prison was run by the former head of the school, Duch, who was a key character in OSF's recent production of Cambodian Rock Band.  Many former classrooms are carved up, by bricks or wood, into tiny cells.  There are countless photos of people who were brought to the prison; most were tortured and eventually killed.  Adding to the unease, the cinder-block architecture is slightly reminiscent of the old Taylor Hall at SOU.

In the afternoon we spent a little more time wandering around with Adam, and saw his apartment.  It's quite spacious and has balconies off the two large bedrooms.

In the evening we watched Adam, Thy, and Jimmy play in their weekly dodgeball game at a nearby indoor sports center.  It was a very aggressive and fast moving game; we were glad to be on the outside.  After dodgeball we joined many of the players for drinks and snacks at a Korean bar.

Next day we had a series of flights to get home.  In the Phnom Penh and Taipei airports, and on the flights originating there, over 90 percent of the people were wearing masks due to the active coronavirus scare.  After we stepped off our long flight in Seattle, I don't think we saw another mask.  We were met in Medford by Lisa, and in a surprise by Zac also, who was returning from a trip to the Bay Area.

Great trip; good to be home.