The Royal Palace – Phnom Penh

by Grace

After Kep, I prepared myself for another week of very relaxed sight-seeing. Most people do Phnom Penh in 2, maybe 3 days. I did it in 7, and I didn’t see much so I had to take my time. I took ample rests first to coddle my jet lag, and later because it got really hot in the afternoon and I had the luxury of being able to go home to an airy, spacious, fan-cooled house and dick around on the internet.

Monday I rose early as usual with Alice who finally got to do her long run albeit in Phnom Penh. I read a few reviews on the Royal Palace, all of which encouraged me to arrive early before the tour groups and wander around in peace.  I took their advice and at 7:30 took a moto to the Palace (actually he only pretended to know what “Royal Palace” was and ended up driving right by it until I insisted he turn around, and then he dropped me off at the wrong door, 4 blocks down from where I needed to pay entry. Drivers often pretend to know where they’re going but in reality have no clue.)

Everything in green or with a red dot are interdit to visitors. The King actually lives here, somewhere in the back, so I guess I can be understanding this time.

The advice was excellent. I was alone. I immediately booted it to the Silver Pagoda complex, which I found mostly through luck, and just kind of stumbled up the first set of stairs I found. I found myself by a radio sitting on a chair blasting Cambodian pop … looking into a big room filled with glass cases and dominated by a 12-foot-high palanquin on which sat a little green Buddha. I took off my sandals and walked in. I took two photos before I realized that the tallest Buddha in the shiniest glass case matched the descriptions of the diamond-encrusted Buddha inside the Emerald-Buddha Building. Bad me! Here’s a picture.

At least it's not a good photo, right?

I slipped out and slunk back in the front door where the two guards were chatting over some coffees. Other things I saw inside: silver and bronze persimmons and pineapple offerings, snuff boxes made of bone and inlayed with precious jewels, cases of tiny metal idols, Buddhas decorated with rock crystals, headdresses and masks of the most unimaginable intricacy, delicate silver and gold-leaf flower bouquets for processions, etc. Honestly, what is with religion and needing to coat everything holy in opulence!?

I was still the only visitor in the compound when I left the Emerald Buddha’s building.  Here’s some of what I saw in the Silver Pagoda Compound other than the Silver Pagoda:

Some water flowers in planters. Also bees inside the flowers.

A royal stupa. I didn't bother finding out whose it was, but he/she was King/Queen not too long ago. A stupa is where remains are housed.

Pretty flowers. My mom knows their name. I don't. Mom?

There was some sort of artificial hill with a building on it. There were gold idols in it and a grinning toothless guard who explained who they were to me in obviously painfully-learned English and then entreated me to leave an offering of money. (Didn't.) But in the side of this hill was a little cave and a hermit's effigy with a dingy, lonely lightbulb lighting his place.

Possibly Hanuman. He was gripping an old jasmine bouquet that still smelled nice.

When I had seen all the buildings in the complex I realized I hadn’t seen any silver floors! I backtracked into the main palace complex (not allowed. They want you to go forward only) and immediately met 3 or 4 enormous tour groups. If you go, go early.  I wandered around here too. No silver floor, but here’s what I saw:

Colours of royal dress based on days of the week. Here we have Thursday (green), Friday (blue), Saturday (purple). The other days are Sunday (red), Monday ("dark yellow"), Tuesday (violet), Wednesday (leaf-bud green)

A naga's tail and one of the palaces.

Gorgeous building, butI hate those trees. They're so ugly! Why am I posting this?!

A metal European home give to the King by Napoleon to house his sister when she came to visit.

I finally realized I had been the right building all along but had missed the silver floor because it was in the building housing the emerald buddha and I was being too busy seeming blase to notice the silver floor tiles. I went in again and there they were: mostly covered in carpets.  Most of the visible ones weren’t in so bad repair. *shrug*

The rest of my visit I ambled around looking at the ramayana paintings and lurking in displays with air-conditioning. Enjoy the rest of the gallery!

I love these doors.

This picture proves I was there. The downside of traveling alone (among many other things) is that you have to take your own lame photos of yourself.

My favourite bit of the Ramayana painting. Notice the heads flying and the tiger bouncing a decapitated head on his snout.

Cambodian beefcake, anyone? And I thought they didn't exist!

For Alex.

I found an air conditioner and I was alone in the room to spoon it in relief.

This was the air conditioned room. It was displaying Cambodian Royal Ballet artifacts ... as well as a few badly done acrylic paintings. This one was the strangest. How does this connect with a 1500-year dance tradition? I mean, I like the doggy's face although a bit mournful but ... who designed this?!

Does anyone remember the automaton from "Thief of Bagdad"? It totally captured my imagination as a child and as a result I can't get enough of art like this. Likewise the dance theme in the old "King and I". I was obsessed as a child.

Check it: (start at 8:30)