Phnom Penh is the capital city of the Kingdom of Cambodia. For me, it has been a mystery and I have longed to visit the city during my lifetime. Cambodia, having been at war until the early 1980s, has been reclusive maybe due to its socialist government. More than this reason, it was not part of anybody's travel itinerary due to its tumultuous past. Besides, the country is known for the ancient structures in Seam Reap rather than what Phnom Penh can offer.
Excitement was felt since it is my first time in a country that was literally near yet far. I was also excited as to what I will see in Phnom Penh. Honestly, I was surprised as to what I saw in the city. It is bustling and has a big potential in becoming a great city in Southeast Asia. It is comparably big as Ho Chi Minh City with more space for development. Given a few more years, Phnom Penh will be a force to reckon with this side of the world.
One sad note is that the people mostly do not want to use their own money - the Riel. The use of the U.S. dollar is widely accepted in the whole of Phnom Penh. I just hope that the government would do something to instill in the minds and hearts of the Khmer people the love and trust for their own money.
The king is still the head of state. His palace is one tourist attraction in the city. Many architectural structures still abound in the city although some are already giving way to development.
There are only two malls that I noticed. Aeon Mall is considered as the higher end of the two. There, you can find stores that are staples in malls in other Southeast Asia countries. For bargain-hunters, the Central Market and Russian Market are places to go to. Haggling in these two markets is usual as in other flea markets around the world.
The Mekong River is part of lives of the people of Phnom Penh. Some of the population derive their income from whatever they can get from and do in the river. It is a symbol of Khmer life not only in the metropolis but in the whole Cambodia as well.
I was especially surprised with the Phnom Penh International Airport. Being in a supposed laidback country, I thought ours was better than theirs. To my surprise, they, I think, had better airport facilities and machines. Compared to the Vietnamese immigration mechanism in the Vietnam-Cambodia border, Cambodia has a better and less tedious system. Everything is computerized, had better machines at the forefront and effective procedures at its international gateways.
Given another chance, I will go back to Phnom Penh and see what happens next to this city full of potentials. I will not wonder anymore if it also exceeds my expectations the next time around. The awakening of Phnom Penh has already begun.
