Angkor Wat and Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Spending some of my last hours in Phnom Penh. Small city and relatively quiet. Traffic is slightly haphazard than what is in Kathmandu. Liked the city. Loved the part called Sisowath Quay aka Riverside: “an attractive boulevard running along the banks of the Mekong and Tonle Sap. It’s fronted by a large, long open space with manicured lawns, palm trees and open pathways, all recently re-done as part of a Japanese funded project to upgrade the flood infrastructure along the river.” That description is taken from a Wikitravels page on Phnom Penh.

Came here two days ago from Siem Reap- the town that houses famed Angkor Wat or the temple. [Wat in Khmer means pagoda, my friend tells me.] But Angkor Wat is hardly a pagoda. It was a temple- Vishnu mandir by a Angkor king. One of his descendants ‘modified’ it to be a Buddhist temple. For a Nepali visitor like me, the temple stood as a symbol of religious harmony and close integration of Hinduism and Buddhism. But the reality may be complex: one religious belief trying to overthrow other etc. That’s just a hint. Details will be posted as I post more pics later.

May be its time to visit some beaches in Thailand.

angkor wat temple reflected over a pond in front of the grand structure

Cyclos are three-wheeled cycle-rickshaws. Considerably slower then a motodop, and gradually becoming less common in the city, they are still popular with locals and foreigners alike.

Dawn at Sisowath Quay is also a busy time, with locals doing calisthenics in front of the Royal Palace, and the sun rising over the river. This pic was taken in the evening.

floating restaurants over mekong rever

mekong river

samundra manthan at angkor wat

sun set view from near angkor wat