Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Around Town and Trip to Udong


My blog posts from our January trip to Cambodia were put on hold for a while....first because I got a new computer (Thank you, Apple, for my MacBook Pro...but oh how I wish the transition could be easier!) and second because of the recent loss of our beautiful Nickie.  I do want to share more of our travels with you, however, and to bring you up to date on other recent events in our life.

We continued our Cambodian adventures with several excursions in and around Phnom Penh.   These included a tuk-tuk tour of the colorful downtown and “tourist” areas.  


Near the site of the crematorium being constructed for the funeral of Former King Norodom Sihanouk, we happened upon some street musicians playing traditional instruments.  A few feet away, this little street child was dancing to the music.



We stopped for drinks at the famous Foreign Correspondents Club and had to opportunity to see some of Al Rockoff’s famous photos taken during the Viet Nam war.  



The next day we visited Van’s, a lovely French restaurant in an exquisite old French Colonial building. 



Van's is located across the street from the Post Office (also a lovely old French Colonial structure).  

After all the fantastic meals we enjoyed both at restaurants and at Jimmy and Nine’s home, it’s no wonder that I’m still trying to get back to my pre-Cambodia weight!

On January 18 we took a trip to Udong, site of the former capital of Cambodia.  Numerous shrines and temples top the two hills of Udong.  One is the stupa where the ashes of former Cambodian Kings Angdoung, Monivon and Sisowath are housed.  



The climb is a steep one (I forget how many steps!) and along the way we passed this man playing one of the traditional Cambodian instruments, 


as well as several shrines and a number of beggars, who eagerly accepted our donations.



The largest stupa is said to contain a Buddha relic. 



As you can see, it was quite windy on top of the hill.


We rented space for a picnic lunch at the foot of the mountain.  The location was shady, and the young man with the fan kept the air moving while we ate.  Standing by for scraps was one of the ever-present Cambodian dogs.   















 We stopped to visit a silversmith’s shop before continuing back to Phnom Penh. 


Dinner was a real feast:  a lovely soup of ground pork and cressant (watercress), steamed fish with black soybeans and ginger, and taro “french fries.”   We were too busy enjoying it to take photos.