Streets of Phnom Penh

One of the very first things a visitor to Phnom Penh notices is the chaotic streets.  Streets here may have any number of the following modes of transport:

Vehicles - ranging from large trucks to SUVs to sedans

Motorcycles (AKA motos) - carrying from 1-5 passengers and possibly cargo (seriously!)

Tuk-Tuks - motos hitched to an open-air passenger cabin that fits 4 people comfortably

Bicycles - usually riden by a Cambodian not wearing a helmet and talking on a cell phone

Hand-pulled carts - luckily there aren't TOO many of these in the central city district

Pedestrians - either trying to cross the street or walking in the street because the sidewalk is unpassable

In addition to all this, Cambodians employ some unique driving techniques.  When they come to an intersection and want to make a left-hand turn, but there's too much traffic to get across, no problem!  They will simply turn left into the lanes of oncoming traffic and hug the sidewalk.  As windows of opportunities open up, they will slide over until they are finally driving in the correct lane.  Thankfully, I haven't seen cars do this but all the other above vehicles do. 

Also, Cambodian drivers are only obligated to look forward.  It's not necessary for them to look to the side or behind them.  In America, we are taught that we need to look around us before we pull out, turn, or back-up to ensure we are not impeding anyone else's path.  I feel that the opposite is practiced here.  Looking only forward, drivers simple proceed on their chosen path and it's up to the drivers around them to notice and give way.  Demonstrating this principle perfectly is the below vehicle, which has an opaque sunscreen on the front passenger's window.  We've even seen these sunscreens on the driver's window!

So, how does all this end up working out in practice?  Some have described it as a "school of fish" mentality.  In general, everyone moves at low speeds and simply moves around and past any impediments that arise, whether it is a slower-moving bicycle, a turning tuk-tuk, a parked car, or a pedestrian.  We've also been advised not to make sudden moves while driving.  Slow and steady is the way to go, easing our way into a turn or intersection.  In actuality, though, there are an awful lot of accidents, and we've witnessed some very close calls at four-way intersections, which mostly don't have stop signs or traffic lights.  Very tricky when everyone is only looking forward!

Please enjoy a few more photos below of Cambodian vehicles!

  

This is a tuk-tuk.  We call this the Garden tuk-tuk because the driver has outfitted it with tons of plants. He's even growing lettuce along the back!  Most tuk-tuks do not have this type of decoration...or much decoration at all.

I told you motos carry cargo!  This guy appears to be transporting a desk.

Dodge, duck, dip, dive, and dodge

This past weekend, I played dodgeball with the Embassy Marines.  As I was walking out the door, my first thought was "Why am I up at 5:45 am on my day off?!" followed by "Why am I voluntarily subjecting myself to playing dodgeball with Marines?!"

Although we did not use the red rubber balls familiar to all of us from gym class days, these were similar rubber missiles capable of inflicting pain.  And as you can see from this action shot of Jeremy, no one was holding back.  Balls were flying with fury around the gym...especially when the Marines were targeting each other.  

But despite balls to the stomach, face, and other sensitive areas (guys-you know what I'm talking about!), we all emerged without major injury.  Although my arm, shoulder, and back were seriously sore the next day.  Thank goodness for the $10 massage parlors on every street of Phnom Penh!

Oodong Temple

Last weekend, we visited our first temple in Cambodia.  Oodong (also spelled Udong or Oudong) is located just over an hour's drive northwest of Phnom Penh.  The city of Oodong was the capital of Cambodia from the 1600s to the 1800s and its ridge features the Phnom Preah Reach Throap (Hill of the Royal Fortune) Temple grounds.  The grounds include multiple stupas, which are Buddhist temples that house sacred relics.

As soon as we pulled up to the entrance, we were swarmed by children.  Some were trying to sell us cold sodas or incense sticks to offer in prayer.  But most wanted to be our "guide" in our tour of the temple.  Guide is not really a good term; shadow is more like it.  Because there isn't actually any talking that accompanies the guiding.  A child just starts to follow you around and occasionally points out something of interest or motions for you to take off your shoes.  Below is my shadow.  Somehow he picked me as we got out of the car, and he stayed by my side until I got back into the car.  I guess it worked out well for him...he ended up getting $2 outta me.

With our shadows at our sides, our first task was to climb over 500 stairs.  Sounds bad, but actually it goes pretty quickly.  Along the way we saw monkeys and shrines for prayers and offerings.  This is a particularly good shrine with several Buddha figures overseen by an odd statue that seemed strikingly similar to the monkeys running around the site.

At the top of the stairs, we were rewarded with a beautiful modern temple with lots of detailed carvings and sculptures.  After walking all around it, I discovered the entry to go inside.  I made my way toward it, but the guard motioned that I'd have to take off my shoes and leave them outside.  I looked down at my $100 Keen sneakers and thought "I've seen Slumdog Millionaire where the kids make a living off stealing shoes from the Taj Mahal and selling them on the streets."  So I declined and walked away.  I'll have to go back again, and choose my footwear more wisely.