I ain’t gonna sugar-coat: Phnom Penh is a pretty boring city. No offense. It’s nothing like the temples of Siem Reap or the open water and scenery of Sihanoukville. In planning this trip, I had thought “hey, it’s the capital of Cambodia – there must be loads to do!” So I booked for four nights.  Boy was I wrong. GUYS I’M RUNNING OUT OF THINGS TO DO HERE HELP!!! (You’ll hear later how I cope with all my free time.)

Don’t get me wrong, though. I have done SOME THINGS. And writing this entry has actually showed me that I haven’t been that useless, I guess (although it sure does feel like I’m wasting away).  So here goes…

Okay, first off, I’m going to put on my “Serious Hat” right now, because this next segment can get a little heavy. You’ve been forewarned.

One of the biggest attractions in Phnom Penh revolves around a really dark period in Cambodian history: The reign of the Khmer Rouge under leader Pol Pot. When the Khmer Rouge came to power in 1975, they converted a high school in downtown Phnom Penh into a detention and torture center known as Tuol Sleng, or S-21 (Security Prison 21). I was able to visit S-21, now known as the Genocide Museum, as well as the Killing Fields a little outside the city center, where an estimated 20,000 people were tortured and killed.

Literally nothing could prepare me for this. Absolutely nothing. Previously, I had visited the Ground Zero memorial in New York City, which was a truly emotional experience. But this was on another level. The moment I walked onto the Genocide Museum grounds, completely unknowing about its history, I could already feel a ineffable heaviness in my heart. One thing that set the Genocide Museum apart from the Ground Zero exhibit, was that it was completely uncensored. In efforts to expose what really happened, they hid absolutely nothing. And I do think that’s the way it should be. The world should know everything.

For those of you who may have weak stomachs – perhaps you should scroll past this section (go directly to the Royal Palace section). Even I had a hard time taking these photographs because I didn’t want to look most of the time. It was a seriously emotional and sickening experience for me; I absolutely regretted eating a large breakfast that morning.

I joined a tour to visit the Genocide Museum and the Killing Fields, since I wanted to know the history behind it all. The tour group was just me and another fellow named Robert. Robert had just attended his son’s wedding in Thailand and was solo traveling Cambodia as well.

This is the sign you see when you first walk into the Museum:

This torture prison housed an estimated 17,000 people. This is one of the buildings:

 

In 1979, when the Vietnamese invaded Cambodia, some Vietnamese journalists stumbled upon this prison. In the above pictured building, they found 14 men, dead in their cells. All of them were tortured in some sort of way. The journalists photographed how they were found in their rooms. None of the photos were censored. One of them is pictured below. This man’s entire face was skinned before they left him to bleed to death (btw, that is our tour guide, Daro).

All the modes of torture were truly atrocious – I can’t even imagine what type of person could perform these unfathomable deeds towards innocent human beings and be able to sleep at night. Even to babies. If you look closely, these are depictions (painted by one of the survivors of S-21) of what soldiers did to kill babies:

Pictured below: When I walked pass this wall displaying these mugshots, I had thought they were male prisoners of S-21. My tour guide corrected me: these were the SOLDIERS. OH MY GOD THEY WERE ALL JUST BOYS.

We were actually incredibly fortunate to visit on this day, since three survivors of S-21 were at the prison itself. As I mentioned before, in 1979, when the Vietnamese journalists were browsing the prison, they found five children hiding in the prison kitchen. This man was one of them:

Two other survivors were also on the grounds. One man was filming a documentary. Here he is in the very cell he was housed in, showing how they bound up his legs. I also have a completely disgusting story to tell you. Prisoners had a single box to use as a “bathroom” in their cell (he’s holding it below). They could dump their waste boxes only once every 14 days. Can you imagine the stench after 14 days? It gets worse. If within the 14 days, the box ever spills, the guards would make the prisoners lick it up. ………. Yeah, did you just lose your appetite like I did?

Honestly, if you were put under these circumstances at this prison, would you have the courage to ever come back? … I can’t 100% say I would. The fact that these survivors had returned to THEIR OWN “Ground Zero” to tell their stories is so incredibly brave to me. So inspiring. I purchased the books written by the two survivors. It took everything I could muster to smile for these photos.

As if the Genocide Museum wasn’t heavy enough, our next stop was the Killing Fields, where the Khmer Rouge sent people to die. To hide what they were doing, soldiers used codename “New Home”for the Killing Fields. “You are going to your New Home,” they would tell the prisoners.

This is the stupa the Cambodian government erected afterwards to show respect to those who died.

Inside the stupa:

Remember that painting of the soldier killing the baby? This is that tree. The Killing Tree.

An estimated 20,000 people died here. They’re still uncovering human bones every day. Every rainy season turns up more and more bones. Below, you can see a bone that has surfaced.

… *HUMONGOUS SIGH* Okay, that’s enough. This was way too depressing. But it was an absolutely necessary experience for me. Zero regrets. I learned so much about Cambodia’s history – about how this country went through a period of extreme turmoil and some seriously dark, dark times. I would definitely recommend going.

After the tour, I went back to my hotel to lie down a bit. Yes, it took a lot out of me. After an hour or so, I headed back out; needed to take my mind off of everything. So I decided to walk to and visit the Royal Palace.

… which, sadly, turned out to be so incredibly boring and lifeless. Tourist traps *rolls eyes*.

On my way there (30-minute walk): “Get me out of this damn heat…“

Here are some photos of the Royal Palace & Silver Pagoda:

 

Yes, it’s all nice and beautiful and all that jazz. Blah blah blah. But I was just so… incredibly… bored. SO MUCH SO, that I decided to play a little game I made up called “PAGODA HATS” (some are clearly more successful than others).

Pagoda Hat #1:

I’d say this one was pretty successful:

Meh, could be better:

These next few are total misses. Smh. Gotta work on my Pagoda Hat game.

Summore “Mendi-is-so-bored” photos:   

Just me and my bff, Eduardo the dragon:

I’M A PEACOCK:

So after this inspiring (read: not inspiring) trip to the Royal Palace, I decided to go to a local mall. The mall was called Aeon Mall, and it was… also boring. Nothing to “ooh and aah” about. I was surprised by how modern it was, though.

… And look, individually wrapped nigiri!

So after the mall, I went back to my hotel and sat down. Twiddled my thumbs. What to do, what to do…

OH YEAH! Coming to Southeast Asia, I need to get a massage! I had seen so many massage places in Siem Reap… probably 80% of which were not-so-wholesome (can you say: “happy endings”?). So yeah, I didn’t wanna get myself into any type of “situation” so I did a quick search on TripAdvisor. They pointed me towards Bodia Spa… and OMG THIS PLACE WAS INCREDIBLE.

I decided to get the “Tropical Moisturizing Treatment Package”, which included:

• Foot bath
• 75-minute Swedish massage
• 30-minute traditional body wrap
• 60-minute facial

The entire treatment took THREE ENTIRE HOURS. I want you to imagine three full hours of uninterrupted bliss. That was me.

This is Bodia Spa:

Iced tea to start it off:

My foot bath (I didn’t get photos of the rest of the treatment because that would’ve been… weird…)

I did feel a bit iffy about that body wrap, though. This was my first time ever doing any type of wrap. For those of you who don’t know, a body wrap is basically when you smear some type of goop all over your body and then they basically saran wrap you up and let you “marinate” for a period of time. Like a chicken.

When the woman started smearing the goop onto my body, I got whiffs of something familiar. I asked her: “is that yogurt?” She answered, “Yes, it’s yogurt, mango, and honey.”

… My eyes opened wide: … ISN’T THAT WHAT’S IN MANGO LASSI? I literally became a walking, talking Mango Lassi Burrito.

But yeah, the wrap itself was not that comfortable. The saran wrap didn’t have any ventilation so I was just helplessly sweating in this yogurt goop. Not pleasant. I guess this is how chickens feel…

Whatever. The massage and the facial were ABSOLUTELY AMAZING. I felt reborn again after those three hours. All for the low cost of $66. Thank you, Cambodia.

So that was yesterday.

This morning, I went to Central Market. They sell everything you could possibly imagine, from clothing to jewelry to fake designer bags to kitchenware to creepy dolls. The center of market looks like this:

The shops surrounding the dome:

Look, they sell underwear with “butt-enhancers”! (We asian girls need all the help we can get, am I right…)

I did buy this awesome (and appropriate) tank for myself, though. He’s got his own version of a selfie-stick!

After Central Market, I went to lunch at an incredible restaurant called Malis (I had made a reservation a couple of days in advance.)

Four courses for $18.

This is the restaurant – so beautiful!

Table for one!

First course: Green papaya salad with prawns. I’ve noticed Cambodians really like to put whole flowers in their dishes…

Second course: Bamboo shoot (I LOOOOVE BAMBOO) and smoked fish soup. Omg, this soup was so rich and deep in flavor. Oh yeah, I got a glass of white wine. Because I can, that’s why.

Third course: BBQ pork, marinaded to perfection.

Dessert: Pumpkin Creme Brulee. Don’t be fooled by the goop-in-a-cup look. It tasted like brulee’d pumpkin pie. HEAVENLY.

This backpack has been my date for the last 10 days. Best date ever. Why? He doesn’t make unwanted conversation, he let’s me order whatever the hell I want, AND he doesn’t judge me when I shovel food into my mouth. What more could you ask for in a date?!

For my last two nights in Phnom Penh (and in Cambodia in general), I decided to splurge on housing. This isn’t to say the places I’ve stayed at thus far haven’t been nice; they absolutely have been! No complaints here. I’ve learned that staying in Boutique hotels abroad is the way to go. You get amazing, personal service, and you’re also helping local businesses!

But anyways, like I said, I decided to “go big or go home” my last two nights. I’m currently staying at the White Mansion Boutique Hotel. This hotel is just that: a White Mansion. Interestingly enough, it was the former residence of the U.S. Ambassador to Cambodia! Too cool.

AND THIS PLACE IS INCREDIBLE! My room is absolutely humongous, with high ceilings, marble floors, THE WORKS.

Complimentary fruit platter:

View from the room. I have a corner room so two sets of floor-to-ceiling windows:

… And one happy Mendi :).

Ever since I checked into this hotel this afternoon, I haven’t left. To be honest, I’m starting to get really pooped out; traveling really takes a toll on you. That said, I didn’t do absolutely nothing, though.

Guess what I did to fill the time…….?

….. ANOTHER MASSAGE!! (Hahaha, I know, this is getting ridiculous. I told you my boredom knows no bounds.) I decided my Swedish massage yesterday wasn’t “cultured” enough, so I opted for a two-hour Thai Massage this time. They sent a woman straight to my room. Paradise.

Okay, although, this was my first time getting a Thai Massage. And WTF, no one warned me the lady would contort me into all these weird positions – for some of the positions, I had no idea my body could bend that way.

Okay, guys. That concludes this entry. Apologies if it was a bit more boring than usual…

But I do have a surprise for you later on. Stay tuned. Hoping tomorrow’s forecasted rain doesn’t wash out my plans. Fingers crossed!

(Btw, on the topic of rain, I hear a big storm is going to hit the Bay Area today! Stay safe back home, everyone!!!!)

With love,

Mendi

11 Dec This entry was published on December 11, 2014 at 7:21 am. It’s filed under Asia and tagged asia, Cambodia, solotravel. Bookmark the permalink. Follow any comments here with the RSS feed for this post.