Gay Phnom Penh, Cambodia Trip Report

[PeterRS]

Can't believe you remember the "FCC" ironwork in the seats...

 

I thought it was kinda strange having an FCC in a place like Phnom Penh. (Odd thinking, since there must have been many hundreds of them in the city during the pre-Pol Pot years). So I went to check it out and have a drink. Having seen the chairs, I had to have a photo of me sitting on one, which my guide kindly took. And it was the same side view as your pic. Modesty prevents me from posting it. Perhaps I should follow your lead and now do so with only an arm showing, but that might inflame passions amongst readers ("My right elbow has a fascination that few can resist" - Katisha in Gilbert and Sullivan's The Mikado)!

 

Interesting that that tree at Ta Promh is now cordoned off. It was certainly one of the most spectacular. In the interests of accuracy, I failed to mention that my trips were separated by 8 months. They were not done together. So I had the benefit of cooler early December weather to explore Ankor. I certainly think older guys would find it more difficult to 'do' too many of the ruins during the humid monsoon period.

 

Thank you for sharing your interesting pics. They really make reports come alive.

[Guest beachlover]

Interesting that that tree at Ta Promh is now cordoned off

Yeah, kind of ruins the photo but I had some other really spectacular shots standing under roots.

 

I certainly think older guys would find it more difficult to 'do' too many of the ruins during the humid monsoon period.

Oh, totally agree. It was flipping hot and humid when I was there so even I struggled on some days. I tried to get to the top of as many ruins as possible and 7-8 hrs of that every day for a couple of days wears you out (never mind my guide LOL). At some ruins you're completely exposed to the sun.

[PeterRS]

Thankfully I did not have the humidity to contend with, and I don't mind even hot sun. What got me by the 4th morning, which we spent going round the main Angkor Wat, were my thighs! I was fine until I was going up those horribly steep and sharply inclined steps to the top level. Half way up, I realised that my thighs were seizing up! I stopped to try and gently massage them, but to no avail. I then looked up, decided I'd never make it, and tried to go down again. But after looking down, I realised I would not make that either without falling! So I had no choice but to will myself up to the very top, in the knowledge that on the other side of the structure there were steps with - relief! - a handrail. Once i had got to the top, my guide mentioned that one or two people fall and get killed that way each year! If he'd told me that before I started up, no way would I have continued!

 

So I'd say to anyone planning on going and whose legs are not as strong as they might be - exercise those thigh muscles for a couple of weeks before departure, guys!

 

Found a pic of the FCC chair backs (with my modesty intact) - on the roof section.

[Guest beachlover]

Ah yes, the last stairs going up to the final summit of Angkor Wat! I'm a little shocked to hear 1-2 people died on those each year, but maybe not surprised. They are extremely steep.

 

My guide told me they made them like this because (1) they believed if you were going up to see the Gods you should suffer a little and (2) they wanted you to walk up the temple with your feet pointing sideways and not towards the centre of the temple.

 

Anyway, it's not so bad now. They've built a wooden stair case with handrails over the stone steps leading to the top. They are still extremely steep so some of the less able visitors were very slow ascending/descending and it's single file so you have to wait patiently for them, but still probably a lot easier than your experience. Also, I remember ascending and descending that last level with the same flight of stairs.

 

Thanks for the photo... a lot's changed in six years! That building across the road from the FCC looks so plain back then! Your photo looks like it's taken from the roof top because there's no roof and you're looking across at the third floor of the other building. Waterfront's very quiet and deserted too. It was bustling and full of people at all daylight hours when I was there.

 

You know you can just black out your face in any photo you want to post don't you?

[PeterRS]

You know you can just black out your face in any photo you want to post don't you?

 

I should obviously have waited a few years before making the trip to get the benefit of the new staircase! But now I can understand why the steps are so narrow. If my guide told me that, I forgot.

 

I have no clue how to black out anything, that's how bad I am with computers. I can get rid of red-eyes and downsize photos, but not much more

[Guest beachlover]

Your guide didn't tell you that about why the temple steps are so steep and narrow? IF I were as unintelligent as KhorTose I would accuse you of lying and fabricating because that is a very noteworthy thing.

 

Do you use Windows? I assume it's XP or Vista.

 

Assuming you only have basic Windows software, it's still easy. Open the photo. Save as another photo with different name (so you don't modify the original).

 

Right click on the photo, click "open with" and click "Paint".

 

Paint will let you edit the photo. Use the drawing or box tool to black out stuff. Save.

 

Have you ever looked at the area using the Satellite shots on Google Maps? The straight lines of the roads and features really stand out. Amazing to think this was once the largest urbanised centre in the world.

 

Would be interesting to see more of your photos of what PP was like six years ago. I guess I missed the Wild West era... I have high hopes for the country. It's been through a lot but the people are amazing.