Cyclo tour of PP!

On our first Saturday in PP VSO hired us a cyclo (a chair pushed by a guy on a bike) to take us on a tour of Phnom Penh!

It was a little scary getting in these things as the roads here are MENTAL. I mean MENTAL. I saw a massive 4x4 driving the wrong way up the dual carriageway yesterday and this is totally normal. The only law is that there is no law, especially if you're wealthy.

So we got in our cylco and headed off to our first stop which was the temple on which PP was built. It has been totally restored and is set in beautiful parkland. There are many Khmer people there praying to all the different buddah's and shrines and the whole place hums with incense. One of the first things you notice with PP is the smell, one min it's drains, next jasmine, then rubbish, then insence! Very odd!

After that we headed up to the main market called 'New Market', which was amazing! It is a rabbit warren where there is anything and everything you could ever want or imagine!

We travelled on to the Foriegn Corrsepondents Club down by the river front which is really famous as it is where all the journalists were during the war. It has an amazing terrace with great view accross all of the riverside. It also has wifi but is quite expensive at about $8 a meal, so one to save for when someone else is paying :p

We then headed up towards our lunch spot passing a hotel called 'The Pavillion' where you can spend all day by the pool for spending $5 on food and drink, which was a great find!

Lunch was at an amazing little restaurant where you eat whilst reclining (a little difficult if you're not a teeny asian!). Was very tasty!

The cyclo tour then continued on to Tuol Sleng (s-21) which was the school that the Khmer Rouge turned into its infamous torture prison during the civil war here. It was a harrowing expeience and really very graphic. We hired a guide to take us around, which was definately worth the $2 as he told us some amazing stories from his life during the Khmer Rouge reign. I didn't take alot of photos there as it didn't really feel right and it was really quite graphic. I could probably write a huge long blog just about the place but it really does need a visit in person as nothing I could say would really describe it.

So after that harrowing experience we cycloed back to VSO office and chilled for a bit before going out for a curry with some other volunteers who have been here for a year already!

Sorry for rushing this but just noticed that I am massively late for a shopping trip to the market and I have alot to buy!

Hopefully will get on later and can describe my shopping experience!

Love xx