Phnom Penh, Cambodia
I now fully understand the phrase “It’s not the heat; it’s the humidity.”
Sure it was warm when we touched down in Phnom Penh on this early May evening. But the sun was going down, the air-conditioning was on in the car, and all was right with the world. We got to our hotel directly across from the U.S. Embassy and went to bed early, knowing we had a busy day of sightseeing coming up.
The next morning, even in our air-conditioned room, the heat and humidity rose noticeably near the window. Still, we decided to go for an early walk to explore the nearby Wat Phnom temple before our guide arrived to take us to the Royal Palace and other places around the city.
Within 10 minutes our clothes were drenched with perspiration. Turns out it was something we had to get used to — during this entire week, temperatures were in the mid-90s, with humidity levels in the 70% to 80% range. Whew! But we coped, with lots of cold water, clothing changes, and cool showers. And even on the hottest of days, we were glad to be visiting this amazing country. This was our first stop. Next, it was off to Siem Reap.
Cambodia had been on our radar for years because we wanted to visit Angkor Wat. It turned out to be one of our favorite countries, not only because of the temple visits but also its friendly and welcoming people. Whether we were on a tour with our guide or out on our own, we really enjoyed being around the locals to absorb the culture. Phnom Penh is finally emerging from the darkness of the Pol Pot regime’s genocide of the 1970s. And really, nothing beats being shuttled around the city’s busy streets in the back of a tuk-tuk. To enjoy some of the sights and sounds on Phnom Penh, click on the video below.
Tuk-tuks took us to and from the Foreign Correspondents Club, where geckos likely outnumber customers. The restaurant and bar overlooking the Tonlé Sap and Mekong rivers became one of our favorite places during our stay. Even on the steamy spring nights, the open-air, second-floor terrace caught breezes that made the heat and humidity a bit more tolerable. The wood-fired pizzas are excellent, and you can’t beat the happy hour specials. It’s where journalists once gathered to report on the turmoil that embroiled the country. Dozens of geckos emerge as the sun sets, running up the walls to the ceiling and support beams. We enjoyed the little circus as we ate and drank.
A few miles outside the city are the “killing fields” of Choeung Ek, one of the sites where the Khmer Rouge carried out its genocide in the late 1970s. Thousands of men, women, and children were killed here over the course of a few years.
I don’t think a trip to this country would be complete without learning more about the suffering its people endured. Choeung Ek is a grim and powerful place. For more about the site, click here.