Kingdom of Cambodia - A Phnom Penh's taste

and here is the video of me experiencing Tuk Tuk ride in Cambodia.




Made a quick stop at Phnom Penh's Central Market before meeting The Royal Highness'...garden and bricks.

Girls, behold.

A dome shaped like building, resembling Angkorian stupa with 4 vast hallways branching out - a home of hundreds stalls offering what market supposed to offer. From clothes to accessories, 

To silver blings lover, Cambodian provide good quality pure silver with price trice cheaper than in KL.

Cheap.

and from paintings and dust collectors for your living room.

Bring out your bargain skills and this place turns you to an instant merchant. No more souvenir shit. If your friends ask for it, tell them - "here, I sell you cheap. Consider my selling (cheap) price as my gift for you on top of it" 

Cambodia is the place for you to buy good quality accessories like silver and semi precious stones compared with what you can get in China. In term of clothes & leathers, they don't have much compared to Indonesia and Vietnam, I guess?

Anyways, I bought 2 Cambodian pants here and put it on my facebook wall. What I know, few friends of mine wanted it too. Sandal, rings... instant merchant, that's what I am :)

Enough about merchant shit. Let's go back to the 3rd sightseeing I am about to share with you..

Our Tuk Tuk driver dropped us down at pigeon field before the Palace entrance. Feeling Trafalgar square la kejap. Beware of the little kids around that pigeon field. Once you talk to them or suddenly they are so nice to gather the pigeons around you - they will follow you for a kilometer or two, asking you to buy packed dried corn for the pigeons from them.

and it is so amazing that this picture taken by my SIII . Actually all pictures are. I was thinking to ditch my dslr like totally. I really want to travel light - small luggage and no bulky camera. I don't want to appear too touristy with big bulk camera hanging around my neck :(

Stood on 435 meters long by 421 meters wide, is the Preah Borom Reach Veang Chatomuk Mongkul, or The Royal Palace. This palace was constructed twice, 1st on year 1434 and 2nd was on year 1866 heavily sculptured with traditional Khmer architecture. Pavilions are characterized by many tiered roofs which are symbols of prosperity and this place now merely function as a museum and open to the visitors, daily.

The Eastern Gate or The Victory Gate.

The Royal Palace adorned in yellow and white - yellow represents Buddhism and white represents Brahmanism.

The previous buildings were wooden and then reconstructed in concrete - but their original forms have been preserved.

The Throne Hall - The visitors are not allowed to step into it or take pictures. But what I can tell you is this - inside, the furniture are all in gold and the floors luxury carpeted in beautiful yellow and red.

and then we were entering the southern section of the Royal Palace called The Pagoda of the Emerald Buddha or The Silver Pagoda.

It is called Temple of Emerald Buddha due to the fact the main image housed inside is made of Emerald. The floor completely covered with 5329 silver tiles, each tile weighing 1.125kgs - made this temple known as Silver Pagoda to the westerners.

As usual, even the visitors/ tourists are allowed to step in, however photographs are completely disallowed. Inside there are 1650 artifacts, most are Buddhist statue (which looks like completely mold in gold, or maybe plated in gold) precious and semi precious stones like diamonds, sapphire, rubies are inlaid.

I am not sure if you still remember the history of Malaya during Majapahit or Ramayana or whatever (I hate history, I swear) but my point is I remember about "Bunga Emas" (Golden Flower) that Malaya has to come up as a tax payment or as a token during Majapahit reign - I saw that inside this building! There are silver and bronze flower as well. 

Pond full of blooming lotus surrounded this temple.

Once you enter The Silver Pagoda, you will notice this white tower surrounding every corner of this temple. I was amazed by the sculptures embedded on every inch of its surface and thought it is something like Khmer traditional 'gazebo' for the royals to beautify the temple's landscape.

It turns out this Khmer gazebo is tomb of His Majesty King. It contains the cremated ashes of Kings and the great great grand father of His Majesty King =.=" (aku punya la berposing atas batu nisan ni kau tahu???)

and this one is belong to the princess. Notice the shape of the stupa for male and females.

PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA - OCTOBER 17: People light candles and pray to honour former King Norodom Sihanouk on a street corner on October 17, 2012 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. King Norodom Sihanouk died of a heart attack in Beijing on Monday at the age of 89. Thousands of people lined the streets and the Royal Palace park to view the kings body as it arrived home from Beijing. (Image credit: Getty Images via @daylife)

The west part of this Silver Pagoda, model of Angkor Wat sit beautifully with every inch, every detail, resembling the real Angkor Wat in Siem Reap - haunting my desire be in Siem Reap to see this remarkable constructions of classical antiquity with my own eyes.

While you approaching the exit gate, you will be entertained by live shows and performance by the locals - helping you to glance to the life inside the palace back in the past. They have clothes and household equipment displayed behind the glass and traditional music is playing.

By looking at this map - Khmer, Kingdom of Cambodia really had its full glory in the past. It's a sad thing that, they lost it now together with Riel...

We went back to our hotel area for a dinner. In every journey you made during your travel, it seems like you are bound to meet, see or taste something that you can never forget - and it stays in your mind like a dream ever since...

It sets a new benchmark in your taste buds.

The most delicious Pumpkin Soup I ever had in my ENTIRE LIFE. The smell of pumpkin and cheese already telling me that I will never forget the taste.

..and as for Mike, he found his new love in his taste buds - Amok Chicken. He even pledge that, this dish came after his favorite food spaghetti & pizza NOW.

So, if you ever come to Phnom Penh, come to the riverside and find this restaurant called "Karma". Recommended!

To be continued...

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