Phnom Penh

Arrived in Phnom Penh this evening after a fast boat from the border and a slow boart from Chau Doc, Vietnam. First impressions, the street hawkers aren't as aggressive as in Vietnam or try to gouge you 1000% over what they charge locals. The writing is a beautiful, flowing script (evocative of elf writing from LOTR). The Wats, or temples, are similiar in style to Thailand's. The streets here are full of motorbikes and cars - strangely, many business signs are also written in Chinese characters.

Some similarities are not surprising as many aspects of classical Cambodian culture were precursors to the Thais' (the classical dance, the architecture). The Thais sacked Angkor Wat and wholesale transplanted the royal court artisans and artists over to Thailand.

I'm staying at Guesthouse #9 Sister, which has a nice wooden patio that extends over the Boeng Krak lake. Lots of Mosquitoes. Had some good indian food in the neighborhood. Surprising how even south indians have managed to find their way here.