Saturday 14th of July

Enjoyed a leisurely first day in Phnom Penh. Didn't check the guidebook until after I had breakfast and only discovered at that stage that most of the tourist sites close between 11am and 2pm. In the light of day the area that I'm in is really nice, Sisowath Quay runs alongside where the Mekong and Tonle Sap rivers meet, with a nice promenade running along the length of the quay as well as a number of bars restaurants and shops dotted along the road. The place definitely has a European feel to it. My hotel, the Foreign Correspondents Club, despite the name has only been here since the early 90s, its really a restaurant and bar but they have a small handful of rooms on the first floor.

Got bitten by a mosquito during the night despite liberal application of insect repellant. From talking to the Irish couple I met last night they were telling me that they'd heard about an outbreak of Dengue fever in this part of the world. So here's hoping I wont get that, by all accounts it doesn't sound like a very pleasant experience. Like Malaria its transmitted by infected mosquitos but in the case of Dengue the only preventative measure is to not get bitten. They had a friend of theirs who was in this part of the world a couple of years ago who caught Dengue fever but had moved on to Australia by the time the symptoms started to show. Apparently the guy was quarantined in Australia and was stuck in the hospital for 6 weeks before getting the all clear. The chances of catching it are very slim, but fingers crossed I wont be one of the few that does! :)

After a bit of lunch I paid a visit to the Royal Palace and the National Museum which are both just around the corner from where I'm staying. The architecture in this part of the world for traditional buildings is pretty spectacular, but the impact of it is slightly lessened the more of these similar places you visit in a short period! The Cambodian Royal Palace is similar in a lot of ways to the Thai one. Was funny to see groups of Buddhist monks in their Orange robes, visiting this place as tourists as well, getting their photos taken in front of the various buildings.

As with India, there's a sizeable gathering of motor cycle taxis, rickshaws and taxi drivers outside the hotel waiting to pounce on anyone leaving any of the bars, restaurants or hotels in the area, but they do seem to get the message when you say 'No', although maybe my 'No' has become a little firmer in the last few weeks! The Royal Palace was worth a visit, all of the buildings are filled with beautifully intricate paintings on their ceilings which unfortunately you're not allowed to photograph. The National Museum (as with the one in Delhi) was probably missable. I must remember that the next time I feel the desire to visit a museum! Weather is warm here, probably around 30 degrees but not really humid and am feeling comfortable (ish) during the day, must be getting more used to the heat.

Just had dinner here at the hotel restaurant and I have to say that Cambodian Khmer food is fantastic. I just had some veggy spring rolls and a fish curry for main course and its definitely the nicest meal I've had since my travels began. Melt in the mouth fresh water fish cooked in a coconut milk based curry sauce. Might have to try and get my hands on a Khmer cook book before I leave. Phnom Penh has a laid back feel to the place, although maybe that's just my perception from the limited part of the city I've seen so far, with the colonial French influence very much evident in the architecture of the buildings in this part of the city.

Earlier today on my way back to the hotel I did something I'm normally dead against doing when away from home. I'd passed a "Rory's Irish bar" on the way to the National Museum and ventured in for a drink. Complete with picture of Michael Collins above the bar along with various GAA paraphanalia it was nice to have a small taste of home (even if I was drinking Tiger beer).

Need to figure out the plan for tomorrow but the Genocide Museum, Russian Market and Wat Phnom (from where the city gets its name) look like they're worth a visit. I think I'll give the Killing Fields a miss, a little bit too much like visiting one of the Nazi concentration camps, not exactly my idea of a tourist attraction.