The Snowlady Chronicles: The Most Intense Shopping in Phnom Penh

Sunday November 15, 2009

Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Day Two

Hot and Humid

Our last full day in Phnom Penh is a free day and we decided to start the day by exploring the markets. And walkers that we are, we decided to walk to the two main markets: The Central Market (Psar Thmei) and the Russian Market (Psar Tuol Tom Pong). It is called the Russian market as this is where the Russians shopped in the 1980s.

Tuk-tuks lined up across from our hotel in the morning.

A monk collecting alms.

Another interesting plant we encountered during the walk.

Rush hour@ Phnom Penh

Baby asleep in a makeshift hammock while the mother is busy selling stuff on the sidewalk.

Family and dog arriving at the Central Market

The walk to the Central Market was long… Long because it was so hot and humid. But we made it to the market and walked through rather quickly as there was not much we were interested in. Sandra though found an inexpensive sport watch for 3 USD so she did get one thing. We were feeling quite yucky because we were sweating so was longing for a cool place to rest. Then right next to the Central Market was a “shopping mall” with AIR CONDITIONING! So we decided to go right in just to get our body temperatures down. Well, we entered via the jewelry section and oh boy, what a selection. Girls that we are, we ended up buying earrings (moi, -ruby studs, Sandra – aquamarine studs) even though shopping for jewelry was not on our list.

Selling birds at the market

Jewelry maker@ Central Market

I've got to learn how to do this. It's so convenient because you have both hands free!

While walking to the Russian Market we found a smaller and very local market.

Rice seller at the local market

Skinned frogs for sell at the local market.

After getting energized as we bought jewelry, we stopped at the international grocery store and bought some water and then did the long walk toward the Russian market. On the way, we became experts at crossing the Phnom Penh streets and found our way to the market about 40 minutes later. Again we were exhausted and hot, but we had a mission to find wooden bowls to take back home. The market was SO HOT as there was no ventilation. I was dripping in sweat but our effort paid off as we found the bowls and wooden plates made from the local palm tree! In addition, we found the beautiful bamboo bowls that can be used as salad bowls that I bought in Vietnam about 2 years ago. The listed prices of the bamboo bowls were about 30% cheaper than in Vietnam! We bargained and was able to get the bowls for about 35% off the listed price!

"Russian Market"

We loved this shop and bought bamboo bowls and platters made from palm.

It was so hot but we persevered to get our shopping done.

The food court at the Russian Market

Because we had bowls and platters to carry (about 5 for me and 5 for Sandra), we took a tuk-tuk to our next destination which was Friends restaurant next to the national museum. My friend Mary from Japan recommended it as she went there when she visited Cambodia a couple of years ago. It is run by a charity that offers street children a safe haven and trains them to be in the hospitality industry. I had a delicious passion fruit shake and we shared a fabulous goat cheese salad and roasted fresh water fish with a coriander salsa. So good and the service was impeccable! We then shopped at the cute Friends store where I bought my nephews T-shirts and I got the cookbook for myself.

Yummy smoothie at Friends

Friends: great food, great shopping for a very good cause

Since again we were energized from the food and the contagious optimism from the people of Friends, we decided to walk back to the hotel.

Old building from the French colonial days across from the palace

We walked through this beautiful court.

Once back into the hotel, the idea was to rest for quite a bit and then take a cruise down the Mekong and end the day with drinks and appetizers and the infamous Foreigner’s Correspondents Club. But somehow, we didn’t have much time to rest, so just changed out of our sweaty clothes and took a tuk-tuk to the “boating area’. Well, our tuk-tuk driver ended up taking us to where one catches the boat to go to Siam Reap and Vietnam ( we didn’t know it at that time but figured it out later). Anyhow, there was only one boat that will take us on a cruise down the river and for only 8$ a person. Kasol told us it would cost us about 10-12$! We saw the boat from afar and it looked good so took it. We asked when it departs and they said “how about now?” So off we went on our private cruise. Well getting on the boat was a big challenge and we had to walk on a very unstable and narrow plank with huge holes in it. It was SCARY! But we made it and enjoyed our “private cruise”. But really, there is not much to see, so we were happy to pay only 8bucks a person and have two very nice gentleman take us around the river. We were hoping to see the sunset but it was hazy.

Our boat is the middle one. Getting on the boat was scary because the plank was unstable.

Getting ready to take off

Fisherman and daughter on the Mekong

More fishing boats.

Phnom Penh skyline@ Nov2009 from the boat. I wonder what it will look like 10 years from now?

After the “cruise” (btw, getting off was easier as he docked by a staircase), we headed to the FCC (Foreigners Correspondent’s Club) for happy hour and appetizers. The FCC in Phnom Penh is infamous because many journalists during the Vietnam War and during the civil war where the Khmer Rouge were victorious hung out there.

We again decided to walk as it was a nice evening. Since it was a Sunday night, everyone was out by the river walk and the restaurants were bustling. But we again got distracted as we found the new night market. We did not get anything there but it was fun to see the locals having a good time at the market and having a picnic with their families. We also found a cute boutique where I bought a very cute handbag for my second cousin Mi-chan who is 13 years old.

Baskets@night market

Silk Khmer Cushions@night market

Night Market

Food vendor at night market

Making sugar cane juice at the night market

Beautiful wall hangings at the night market.

We made it to the FCC, and was greeted by several geckos or lizards – not quite sure which one it is. Anyhow, the service was horrendous as they had a big party come in. Sandra got a beer and got it pretty quickly but my mojito took about 30 minutes. It was a very good mojito though when it finally arrived. We had the 3 “finger foods” for 11$ and choose a very good fried calamari, a so-so fresh shrimp spring roll and quite good chicken satay. I have to say the staff was apologetic but it definitely is not a place to go when there is a big party. Also, no locals go there, so it is quite interesting to see the interaction between the expats.