Battambang & Phnom Penh

Our next two cities were quicker stops, Battambang and Phnom Penh, the two largest cities in Cambodia. We arrived in Battambang from Siem Reap via a minivan, which was comfortable for the 3-hour or so ride. I wanted to take the boat between the two, but it was almost 3x the cost and would take at least 8 hours, so ultimately we opted for the much less adventurous, but much more convenient, mini-van. 

Arriving in Battambang, we spent our first evening strolling the city and visiting the night food market. It had a very different feel from Siem Reap, which was equal parts tourists and locals. Walking around Battambang, we really didn't see any other tourists, and I feel like we attracted more attention. The next day, Johnny and I parted ways for our own tours. He did a full-day guided bike tour of local culture and I took a Cambodian cooking class where I learned how to make Fish Amok, fried spring rolls, and green mango salad.

One of the highlights of Battambang was the chance to tour the countryside. We visited various homes where they made rice paper, dried bananas, and rice wine. Johnny was given the opportunity to try the "Cobra Wine", rice wine with an actual cobra in it, however I was told it was only for "strong men" so the offer was not extended to me. We also joined up with some new friends to visit the bamboo train, the remains of what was once a local means of travel and transportation turned tourist attraction. Basically, you're sitting on a flat bamboo platform that is chucking down the tracks via what seems to be a lawnmower motor or something, hitting about 25 mph. If you meet a fellow "train" on their return trip, one of you has to hop off while the operators disassemble and remove the car to allow the other to pass. 

After the train, we visited the killing cave, which was just a preview of what we would see later in Phnom Penh and the killing fields. It is now one of many monuments around the country that serve as a remembrance of the genocide that occurred here less than 50 years ago. At the base of the mountain that houses the killing cave is another popular tour stop, the bat caves. You get there early to get a good seat (with the purchase of a local beer) and wait for sunset for the bats to emerge. It was incredible to see the sheer number of bats and the formations they made as they exited the cave above your head. You really need to see a video to really appreciate it.  

After Battambang, it was off to the Capital, Phnom Phen, which we knew was going to be a quick stop as we were really there to see the "killing fields" and learn more about the history. The first thing I want to mention is that if you are not familiar with the Cambodian Genocide from 1975-1979 (I'm embarrassed to say that I wasn't), you should definitely check out this resource, spearheaded by a survivor, to learn more. The two stops we made in the Captial were centered around just one of many locations of unbelievable loss and sadness. The sites are curated so well, I started crying more than once during the audio tours, as you really feel the heaviness of what occurred there. The Choeung Ek Genocidal Center, or the "killing field" as it is often referred to, is one of many that were discovered around the country after the Khmer Rouge lost power and is a mass grave that only starts to scratch the surface of what transpired during that time. There are literal human bones and strips of clothing sticking out of the ground and as you walk on the wooden walkway above the mass graves, the audio tours walks you through what you're seeing. We also visited what is commonly referred to as S-21, but is officially called the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum. This was one of the secret prisons used for torture. All in all, it is estimated that almost 1 out of every 4 Cambodians was killed during that short time. 

Another feature of Phnom Phen that stood out was the traffic. There seems to be almost no rhyme or reason as to the chaos, but obviously, there is something there because in all the craziness of motorbikes driven by young teens, tuk-tuks carrying locals or cargo, and motorcycles hauling literal stacks of boxes (or pig carcasses) tied to the back, we didn't see anyone crash or even bump, despite passing within inches of each other constantly. The capital wasn't really our pace, and we witnessed a motorbike snatch a purse from a tuk-tuk while in motion and take off down the street, Johnny's biggest regret being that he didn't realize what was happening fast enough to clothesline the guy. After a day and a half in Phnom Phen, we were ready to get out of the big city, next destination, the coast.