18 January 2014 (Saturday)
Rise and shine! Lunch time! (yes we slept through breakfast)
We had pork rice cooked in 2 different styles! One is like your typical char siu (top), the other is a deep fried version (bottom). Both come with a side of pickled veges and soup.
USD 2 per dish
Apek Mong
A simple yet filling lunch.
Since we did all the touristy thing yesterday, we decided to tone it down today.
We went for a walk around the area and found a post office. Decided to send a postcard home, something we do every time we are oversea.
Postcard: USD 1 per piece
Proceeded to walk around some more.
Stumbled upon Wat Phnom, a Buddhist temple built in 1373, which stands 27m above ground. It is the tallest religious structure in the city.
Legend has it, a wealthy widow named Madame Penh, found 4 bronze statues of Buddha by the waters of the Mekong river. She then constructed a small shrine on a hill to protect the sacred statues.
Nowadays, many people flock to this temple to pray for luck and blessing.
Entrance to Wat Phnom: USD 1 per person
The entrance to Wat Phnom is guarded by lions and naga balustrades
After walking around for about an hour, taking in the history and the architecture, we got hungry and proceeded to hunt for food!
We ended up at Blue Pumpkin - a fusion restaurant serving both western and local dishes.
Prices are all quoted in USD.
The restaurant is located on the ground floor and the 1st floor facing Ton Le Sap river. You can choose to sit in the air-conditioned indoors, or enjoy the outdoor breeze on the patio.
Long Island Iced Tea (USD3.75)
Quiche Lorraine (USD3)
Amok Fish (USD5.50)
After a satisfying lunch, it was time to move to our new accommodation for the next 2 nights.
Bye 11 Happy Backpackers!
Hello Le Cube Hotel! (a much welcome upgrade from our first night)
Ahhh so happy! Now this is what I call holiday!
Comfy bed, clean rooms, artsy deco, and a balcony with an awesome view!
There's also a TV with english channels! *yay*
Having breakfast here every morning is such a joy!
Have I mention that Phnom Penh is a really cooling and windy place (or maybe it was just the season)? Imagine sipping hot tea whilst people gazing and enjoying the Ton Le Sap river view with the wind softly blowing against your face *bliss*
Took a nap and rested indoors for abit before heading out again for an evening stroll along Phnom Penh's Riverfront. This place is quite the haps especially in the evening with aerobic classes and ah peks ah mas blasting oldies on the speakers, and little kids playing football and badminton.
They even have sakura trees! So pretty!
Statue of Techo Meas and Techo Yot, famous Cambodian commanders in the 16th and 17th centuries, at the Riverfront.
If you follow the flags, you will eventually see the Royal Palace of Phnom Penh on your right.
The Kings of Cambodia have occupied the palace since it was built in the 1860s, with a period of absence when the country came into turmoil during and after the reign of the Khmer Rouge.
Certain areas of the palace is open to the public (with a small fee of course). Since we arrived late, it was already closed. Oh wells, we can still admire the architecture from the outside =D
From the palace area, we saw lots of shiny laser lights emitting from a building and guessed that it is most probably a casino (we were right and yes they do have casinos here). It seemed quite near to us at first glance, so we made the decision to walk over. Long story short, it was NOT NEAR. Overestimated our abilities. Lol.
Naga World Casino
*Why you so far casino!?*
Walk so far must at least take a few touristy shots for memory.
We were smart enough to take a tuk-tuk back to the main town for the return trip (USD 2).
Dinner was at a pizza joint famous for their Happy Herb Pizza.
Its called 'Happy Herb' Pizza for a reason. Guaranteed to make you happy by the end of the night!
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