"Phnom Penh" a Phnom Penh Travel Page by saracen

The name Phnom Penh carries with it all sorts of baggage. The hangover from its turbulent past seems to linger both in the collective memory of the world, and in the everyday lives of the people of the city.

Having seen my share of poverty around the world, the sight of two raggedly dressed girls who appeared to be no older than 5, sifting mounds of rubble through a rudimentary riddle on a street corner, while other children in freshly pressed, brilliantly white school shirts walked past, seemingly unconcerned, still lingers in my mind weeks and months later.

And that contrast is the one that seemed permanently on display in this city. An inordinately large number of SUVs and 4x4 vehicles parade through the city, glamorising the wealth of their drivers to those unfortunate enough not to be given the opportunity to steal from international aid funds and government coffers, or those with the morals to see the stealing of these funds as being the crime it is.

Still, considering the damage that has been done to the country in the past 50 years, both by its own citizens as well as foreign bodies, the people seem remarkably fortitudinous. They reminded me of Bangkok-ians – they have the eastern calm and serenity, but with a glint in their eyes.

The city itself seems to be in a bit of a stalemate at the moment. It is pretty squalid in places, seemingly in a slow, terminal slide into decay, but there are also signs of development and improvement, at least in terms of infrastructure if not social assistance.

Also, there are places of the utmost serenity and calm that could lead you to believe you were in another world. The National Museum, with its fecund central courtyard set out with ornamental pools, filled with eager carp, is such a place.

However, the lasting image I have of PP is that of people struggling to maintain a sense of dignity despite the personal or national tragedies they need to deal with: people with both arms and legs missing, people totally blinded, entire families sleeping on the pavements or living in the parks.

I wish I could write more positively about PP, a city I had long wanted to visit. And indeed it is a welcoming, friendly city. There are many tourists and many things for tourists to see in the city that give a sense of the city’s and the country’s glorious past. However, for me, the negatives were so overwhelming that they are the things that stick in my mind.