As per my previous post a portion of any visit to Phnom Penh should be devoted to finding out the recent tortuous history of the Cambodian people. However this shouldn’t overshadow everything. We found Phnom Penh to be quite a pleasant modern city: not too big and plenty to see and do, eat and drink.
The BKK1 area we stayed turned out to be a really nice area to go out in the evening, so much so we didn’t bother going to the riverside (which was the colonial heart of Phnom Penh). The promenade is nice for a late afternoon stroll though.
In terms of other sights, we went to the National Museum, a big red oriental building containing statues and relics from prehistory to Angkor and beyond (no pics allowed inside again). The building is a square set around a lovely courtyard with plants and fishponds and it was good to learn some more details about the Angkor period and the temples we had explored a few days earlier. Well worth the $5 entry fee.
Next to the museum is the Grand Palace and Temple of the Emerald Bhudda (yep, exactly like the same name as the Thai one!). It was cheaper to get in than the Thai palace ($6.50 each) but also much less grand by comparison. Still pretty swanky compared to my house but when you have neighbours as rich as the Thais you are going to struggle to compete!
The story of this statue was quite interesting. Apparently the French sent the Cambodian king a statue of Napoleon. The king was so insulted by the gesture that he had the picture beheaded and replaced with his own image instead!
Next to the palace is the Silver Pagoda, or Temple of the Emerald Bhudda, the floor is completely covered in silver tiles and the outside courtyard is filled with ornate stupas and statues.
The wall murals depict the Ramayana epic Hindu saga and are over 100 years old. They are currently undergoing extensive renovations though.
All in all well worth a visit!