▲ the King lives here

the Royal Palace

a fairytale space 

facing East

where the Tonle Sap River and the Mekong meet

built in 1866 as a seat of power

for the King of Cambodia

Silver Pagoda

filled with treasures and the Emerald Buddha of Cambodia

the floor inlaid with 5000 silver tiles    

Hor Samran Phirun

a store for musical instruments

 Moonlight Pavilion

for banquets

Stupa Kantha Bopha

a memorial for the daughter of King Sihanouk

who died of leukaemia {aged 4}

phochani pavilion

for Aspara dancing

King Norodom Sihamoni was not home that day

he was visiting Laos we were told

people carry on tending the grounds

ready for his return

⧋ {non} christmas in Cambodia

London > Bangkok > Phnom Penh

we are whisked to our hotel by our guide Vannak 

our room looks on to a pagoda

buddhist monks hang out their saffron robes

we hear their deep throaty chants early morning

tiled floors with lotus flower motifs

a signature we will see everywhere

 downtown Phnom Peng

no-one walks anywhere

cars, trucks, mopeds, bicycles, tuktuks

this country has been ravaged by war

it's being picked up

there are no trains, no buses

some roads are solid

the rest are dust

red dust that is everywhere