Silk Island

On this edition of Phnom Penh Hike Group, we took the ferry across the river to Silk Island. We have been on the island a couple times but picked a new route that took us through some pretty cool areas. I debated going this time since it was an insanely hot out. Mind you, the hot/wet season is coming up and the once cool mornings are now a pleasant memory. So! I slathered on the sunscreen and dragged myself there with my 1L water bottle in tow. The intense heat subsided slightly after the sun went down but either way this was a hike I was glad I didn’t miss.

Very peaceful.

Women using umbrellas to shield themselves from the sun while working.

There was a super random resort build in what felt like the middle of nowhere. We don't know when it was built but it was completely abandoned. Apparently it was built for "foreigners" but no one knew about it so it couldn't stay open.

First of two floors. There was also an elaborate walkway connecting a stage, a huge cage which likely held animals for show and some smaller buildings. 

Part of the abandoned resort. 

Organizing the fruit haul from the day. 

I seriously love the kids here.

Our group!

Oudong Mountain

Oudong is small town in the Kandal Provence about 40km outside of Phnom Penh. It's located at the foothill of the "mountain" Oudong which is fairly easy to spot from a distance seeing as Cambodia is so incredibly flat. In 1841 the King started constructing canals, terraces, bridges and erected hundreds of pagodas in the region. However, it was later abandoned by King Norodom in 1866 in favor of Phnom Penh and in 1977 the Khmer Rouge destroyed many of the remaining temples, monuments, and structures in the area. The temples that are left are now a tourist attraction however you will find more locals than foreigners in the actual town where you can relax in hammocks and get lunch.

The trek to the mountain was an adventure in itself which I've become accustomed to here. After several failed attempts at starting our friends tiny car we were finally on our way... Until we were pulled over by the police for "stopping on the white line" which also means "because we are a car full of white people". After some conversation about how we can avoid going to the station, we agreed on $4 to let us continue on our way... Until we realized no one actually knew how to get there. With our masks on (no a/c meant the windows were all down) we trucked along the busy, dirty, bumpy highway with only the knowledge that we were going in the right direction. We finally saw a hill in the distance and drove towards it. However, we had trouble finding the actual road leading into the town. We stopped 5 times to ask for help (meaning pointing to the mountain) to which most people awkwardly laughed and shook their head (also code for having no idea what we want). With a little patience and a good sense of humour we finally arrived.

It was 10 minutes of stairs to the top. 5 of which we were tailed by young kids with fans until the 10th time we say orh teh (meaning no). 

Drenched in sweat and happy to be at the top.

Great countryside views from the top. 

What seemed to be the main and newest stupa.

Old stupas with some local stands for snacks and water.

Thanks to a good zoom, I didn't need to get close to these furry demons. I didn't find monkeys cute before coming here and after being with someone who was bite by one, I am happy to stay as far away as possible! 

Kids playing a rock game on the steps.

Relaxing before heading back.

The Royal Palace

The Royal Palace in Phnom Penh was constructed in the mid-19^th century after King Norodom relocated the royal capital from Oudong to Phnom Penh. It served as the residence of the King of Cambodia, his family and foreign dignitaries, as a venue for the performance of court ceremony and ritual and as a symbol of the Kingdom. Today it is the home of King Norodom Sihamoni and former King Norodom Sihanouk however to my knowledge neither stays there on a regular basis, opting to stay at the quieter palace in Siem Reap.

The large grounds are comprised of a complex of buildings including The Throne Hall, Moonlight Pavilion, Silver Pagoda, Khemarin Palace and about 18 other structures which are all surrounded by impressive landscaping. Almost all of the buildings are closed to the public and the few that are open to peer inside from the entrance do not allow pictures.

After buying a $3 t-shirt at the entrance for one of the girls in the group (you must cover your knees and shoulders and we soon found out that a scarf over your shoulders does not count) we settled in with the waves of tourists milling about the grounds. Unfortunately the provided map was not very clear on what building is what (hence no captions) but we had a nice time anyway. 

The detail is amazing.

Same stupa from further away.

Goofing off at the gates. 

Dubai in a flash

Dubai was the last stop before heading back to Phnom Penh. It could be that we hardly had 2 days there or that I had this glamorous image of Dubai in my head, but I was a bit underwhelmed by the whole thing. I did see some pretty fantastic buildings and malls however it feels like you need a lot of money to experience a good portion of the activities here. To my disappointment, I didn’t even see the water because the beachfront is lined with private resorts where you need reservations and private golf carts to get by the magical gates.

Overall it was a good trip but I feel like I need a second and much longer stay to really experience what Dubai has to offer.  

At the Burj Khalifa. The tallest skyscraper in the world with 163 floors. You could really appreciated the height when you weren't right beside it and could see how tall it was in relation to everything else.   

Starting at 6pm there is an amazing fountain performance every half hour right in front of the Burj Khalifa. The water even dances to the theme of the music being played. 

Dubai mall is the largest mall in the world. In addition to the insane number of shops, you can find an aquarium, skating rink, cinema, fountains and souks.

The Burj Al Arab Jumeirah (also known as "the sail").  It has also been called the world's only 7 star hotel. This was another underwhelming experience since you couldn't get past the front gates for a picture. It looked sort of cool but I don't know what all the hype is about.   

One of the monstrous resorts blocking my way to the beach!

The Mall of the Emirates is the mall known for its indoor ski hill. The hill was larger than I thought and it was fun to see all the people in matching rented helmets and snow suits. It would have been great to get in a little snow-time but I was refused at the door without the $75 ticket. Boo. 

My only glimpse of the famous Palm Jumeirah was from the plane on the way out. This man made island (they are planning to make 3) is covered with 5 star resorts and restaurants.