First Night in Phnom Penh

We arrived at the guesthouse in Phnom Penh sometime after 4:00 pm.  Got our room assignments and went to settle in. The guesthouse was basic, but with decent sized rooms .  The bed was significantly more comfortable than the rock at the Blessing Saigon Hotel where I’d spent the previous night.

We regrouped in the lobby, and our guide, Jae, led us around the area to see the  sights and get familiar with the area.  We walked past street food stands serving up such treats as fresh water snails, chicken feet, and battered, fried frogs (whole). Jae assisted a couple in the group to exchange money and to buy Cambodian SIM cards for their phones. I’d left About 1,500,000 VND at the room so could not exchange them for $US. Maybe tomorrow.  I don’t need a SIM because T-Mobile gives me unlimited texting and unlimited data.

We looped around and strolled along the waterfront along the Tonlé Sap River, which drains Tonlé Sap Lake, reportedly the 4th largest freshwater lake in SE Asia. The sun was going down and sightseeing boats were cruising the river. It was all quite beautiful.

We went to a restaurant Jae recommended, where I had a bowl of Khmer seafood curry.  Tasteful, but not nearly as spicy as Thai curry can be.  After that we strolled past the Royal Palace the King, I was informed, is 66 and one of the richest men in the region. Where did I go wrong?  After that a few of us went in search of a bar that would open at 6:30 am so we could watch the Super Bowl.  No success. Paul, Joe and Dylan stayed downtown at one of the bars that had outside seating and I made my way back to the guesthouse and bed.