Today was a busy and exciting day in the Paris of the East, Phnom Penh. Following another delicious breakfast aboard Jahan, guests climbed into cyclos for a tour through morning rush hour of the city. Cyclos were perfect for truly getting into the hustle and bustle of the city streets. Along the way we were treated to fantastic views of French and Cambodian architecture along with firsthand looks at normal city life.
Our first stop took us to the elaborately ornate Royal Palace which was overpowering in its size and decor. We left our cyclos behind at the Palace and then boarded buses to take us to National Museum to see statues and other artifacts from between 800 and 1300 AD. We were excited to be able to take photos of the art in the museum, as photos have not always been allowed. Many of us took a brief walk in the surrounding neighborhood before going to lunch at an upscale French restaurant called Topaz.
After a tasty lunch we headed off to a more serious afternoon discussing the dark period in Cambodian history under the Khmer Rouge. We took a sobering tour of the Genocide Museum which is an old high school and was used by the Khmer Rouge to house and torture Cambodian citizens before sending them off to the Killing Fields. Guests who wished to visit did and then went to see one of the killing fields.
Back on the board Jahan we were treated to wonderful buffet dinner on the upper deck followed by traditional and Apsara dances.
