Mostly a travel day. We booked a 6 hour bus ride on the Mekong Express. It was the most economical way both time-wise and money-wise for us. I don't remember how much it cost, but I think it was under $15 per person. A shuttle picked us up at the hotel and took us to the bus station. Just don't plan on sleeping. In Cambodia, the horn is used liberally to announce your presence, whether you're passing, turning, or not stopping. Being a in a fast-moving bus on a busy roadway filled with slow vehicles means the bus will be honking a lot.
We took a $5 tuk-tuk to Hotel 9 when we arrived in Phnom Penh. The room was small, the staff was frazzled, and the bathroom had a...scent. Not quite sewer-y, but not pleasant. We were just happy to be off the bus. And even if it wasn't the greatest hotel, the location was perfect for us, walking distance to almost everything we wanted to see.
Crossing the road is terrifying in Phnom Penh. There are no stop signs and no street lights. It's just run and pray, mostly. Eventually, we found 240, a trendy street filled with Western boutique shops. I have to highly recommend the shop Keokjey. I bought a cute shirt with bulldog print and a great canvas belt for $16. All of the material used to make the clothes is recycled and the outfit employs women infected with HIV. Not only does Koekjey make fashionable clothes, they also support a great humantarian cause.
We headed back near our hotel for dinner, passing by the National Monument (photo at top of post). It looks like a red version of the entrance at Angkor Wat, and it's quite striking at night.
Walking around Phnom Penh, it felt like a real city, which I didn't feel in Chiang Mai or Siem Reap. I loved the frenetic traffic energy, I loved all the monuments. I just had a good feeling about this place from the moment we stepped out of our hotel.
We ate dinner at Sovana, a mostly outdoor restaurant specializing in grilled meat. We had grilled pork:
And fried noodles with beef:
The food was delicious, and the vibe was great. No tourists, the place was packed, and the staff didn't speak English, so ordering was an adventure.
Pork + Beef Noodles + 2 cans of beer = $7. This place was wonderful! We probably would've eaten here again if we had another day in Phnom Penh.
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