Cambodia Snap Shot Phnom Penh & Kep

Sad to leave Siem Reap but 7.30 pick up for the bus to Phnom Penh. So quick breakfast on the roof terrace to keep me going and off to the depot. Bus finally left just before 9 with an eta of 3pm which was later than I'd hoped. Booked a sunset boat trip in the Mekong with a friend so not much time to spare. One poor couple had even less, as we picked them up half way as they were accidently heading to Siem Reap from PP and should have been on their way to Ho Chi Min, in Vietnam, so it was back to PP for them to start all over again..

Quick lunch stop for a bathroom break and some snacks... 

 mmmm...crunchy

maybe good with chilli and onion, but I didnt't try!

How I love a market! You would think in a hot country, that fish and meat would be kept cool. But no the opposite seems to be true, and is loving laid out to sweat and dry out in the heat, along with the dust of the road... 

Arrive in Phnom Penh, grab a tuk tuk and hurtle off to the Pavillion, a beautiful old French colonial villa, with a garden and small pool.

Very stylish. I love my room, with voile curtains around the bed and bright splashes of coloured throws and cushions. No time to unpack as need a quick dip before the boat trip! Friend finds me on a day bed like I'd been there all afternoon rather than 10 minutes! 

So quick change again and down to the jetty in front of the royal palace.

The upper and lower Mekong join two other rivers to create and amazing stretch of water ...

.and a big sky..

Dog gets the best view..

Delightful sunset cruise and all to ourselves with a captain, one crew to pass the beer and a small naked toddler, the captain's son, who proves very photogenic! 

More floating homes

Beautiful sunset and we happily snap away enjoying the warm balmy evening, with a beer.

Steff still thinks she's in China...

The royal Palace silhouetted against the golden light

Then it's off to the luxury of Raffles hotel to meet work colleague who is, alas, working. After cocktails head to a great local Khmer restaurant, local authentic food, delicious but sadly my stomach not so good for the next couple of days! 

Meet up with shanghai friend again  in the morning for quick visit to the royal palace, which is stunning. 

Beautiful frescos, (some worryingly splattered with white wash from the ceiling that is being painted). 

Wandering around and turn to go back to see the rest of the palace and are faced with this sign, 

We laugh but it's true, and all seems to be shutting! So will have to revisit another time....

Head off in taxi to the coast, to Kep. A 2-3 hour drive. My driver ignores the sign when the roads eventually fork after two hours, but just when I'm starting to stress he turns sharp right and we head cross country. 

Some lovely scenes of village life.

Slightly alarmed when we cross the rail track, have visions of getting stuck and the train hurtling towards us!!!!

But then realised I haven't seen any trains and had wondered if there actually was a rail network!

The seaside town of Kep. 

An escape for the French in the 20s, a Deauville of the east.

Staying at Veranda -lovely Eco villas..Time to relax.... Have a lovely hillside villa bigger than my apartment all to myself!

On a terrace with steps that lead down through the restaurant and bar with great views over jungle and the sea, and on to the pool. 

Take a mini tour by tuktuk  and see all the burnt out shells of old deco villas, destroyed by the Khmer Rouge. Some now being restored but plenty still deserted or home, like the King's palace, to local families. 

Some local colour, not sure if its's rug cleaning day or these were for sale?

Visited the spa at the beautiful contemporary knang bang chat, enjoyed the infinity pool, lunch at the sailing club and a snooze on the curtained day beds, bliss.... 

The crab market, alongside the water front, a highlight of Kep.

Not sure how many people it takes to catch a crab....but its a communal affair!

Fresh seafood and fish cooking on kebabs and grills. Small restaurants offering local fare, good wine and beer, the french influence.

Taking the sea air, the same the world over

My favourite roundabout..

Jungle walks and pepper plantations, a centre for pepper growing.

Then after four days back to Phnom Penh, and another friend was staying conveniently at the Raffles. So thank you for use of the frangipani surrounded pool.

Taxi takes me past the railway line and the art deco style station, (which is shut), and the contrast between rich and poor is apparent.

A lazy afternoon rounded off by cocktails at the Foreign Correspondents Club, a historic building on the waterfront, very busy and not a journalist in sight!

Midnight flight back to chilly Shanghai....