We have saved this Wat for our last day, knowing that it is rather a hike and wanting to save something to do for our morning before check out. We’ve negotiated a 1pm check out, which still gives us 2 1/2 hours before Somak comes to ferry us to the airport.
So this morning, we get up and head out walking all the way up the Riverside district (which is far easier to do in the morning than anytime in the afternoon or evening) and cross our way over to Wat Phnom without incident.
We pay our $1 each to enter, then walk up the stairs to the Wat at the top of the little hill. It’s not necessarily and impressive Wat, but it is the original site of the sanctuary erected to house the four Buddha statues found on the riverbank by Daun Penh (considered the grandmother of Phnom Penh). The sanctuary has been destroyed and rebuilt a few times, with this latest rendition from 1926.
As usual, we need to take off our shoes to enter, but I’ve read where they might steal western shoes here (which I’ve never read about anywhere before) so we take ours off, but I carry them inside. The locals outside, trying to arrange everyone’s shoes, don’t like that at all, but I say tough, and put them in my back pack. These are the only sandals I have, and I’m not taking a chance that I’ll have to spend the rest of the trip in sneakers or searching SE Asia for a comfy pair of walking sandals!
Inside the pagoda is as promised, not particularly inspirational. But, there are Buddhas and gold and, well, you have to come here – it’s just part of history!
Back outside, shoes safely on our feet, we walk behind the Pagoda to the Preah Chao shrine. This is the place dedicated to a Taoist goddess said to grant wishes of good health, success with their business or good luck. Darn, wish we would have known! We would have brought pretzels! And this place is hopping! There is a whole managerial, service support thing going on with people buzzing around, helping with offerings, organizing offerings, and just cleaning up in general. Wow! The bacon offerings on the dog/sage statues are the best! But then again so is the whole pig inside.
That was worth the visit! Now we’re sort of done, but it is still early. We wander about the park setting, down the winding stone path to the clock set in the lawn. All the while being followed by a tuk tuk driver who wants to help us. Thanks – but not yet!
We had originally planned to walk around the old French quarter of Phnom Penh, but looking down the broad avenues, they are all devoid of shade and don’t look particularly interesting. We end up circling the hill on the garden strewn promenade, then heading back to the helpful tuk tuk driver and negotiating our ride back to the hotel.
I snap away – the last street scenes of Phnom Penh as seen from a racing Tuk Tuk! There is the sugar distributor, the coffin shop, a busy little road off the riverfront, Wat Ounalom (which we never got around to visiting – it holds an eyebrow hair of the Buddha and is the official headquarters of Buddhism in Cambodia – oh well), and finally the back of the Royal Palace Riverfront pagoda with all the tourists hanging out in front – along with the pigeons!
It’s early – but – we’re sort of done with the heat and the hustle bustle and really looking forward to Hanoi! So we coordinate, pack and check out of the hotel room at exactly 1 pm. Then sit in the nice cool lobby in our cold weather Hanoi clothes and have our last lunch in Phnom Penh.
It’s expensive (the room’s might be reasonable, but the food and drinks are relatively pricey) but it is excellent – Sour River Fish soup (which is excellent!) to start, then Amok Try (fish) for Ed and Khmer style fried rice with Egg for me (there is rice under that egg!).
Wonderful, filling meal. Nice way to end our little exploration here in the city. Somak arrives, and off we go to the airport, the only problem is actually getting out of the street where the hotel is located! It is crazy busy and jammed with tuk tuks today for some reason.
Traffic jam aside, we make it to the airport in good time, bid farewell to Somak, then start our journey onto Hanoi, more reasonable temperatures and the Hotel Elite.
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