The following bits and pieces of interesting information did not seem to fit with our other posts about Cambodia. So we grouped them into one final post about this country.

Pictures of the Royal Family – Cambodians are proud of their monarch. Many places of business display photos of the King Norodom Sihamoni and his parents, the former king and queen.

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Communist Party Signage– We saw many road signs and names on buildings that subtly (or not so subtly) remind residents and tourists that Cambodia has a communist government. 

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Architecture – Religious and government buildings in Cambodia often include modern Khmer architecture features such as multi-tiered roofs; detailed and decorative trim made from gold painted concrete; and sculptures of dragons, nagas, snakes, and apsaras on pillars, roofs, doorways, and staircases.

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Interesting Signs– As in other countries, we saw signs during our Cambodia visit that made us pause and take a second look.

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Motorbike Fuel– We discovered that most small shops sell petrol in liter bottles for motorbikes. This is more expensive than buying at a fuel station, but probably more convenient. In Vietnam the fuel was often in plastic bottles. In Cambodia the small quantities of fuel were sold in repurposed glass bottles, with glass soda bottles being the most common. 

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Motorbikes & Tuk Tuks – Motorbike helmets in Vietnam often covered just the upper part of the wearer’s head. Cambodia must have more safety-conscious helmet laws because the motorbike riders all wore helmets that covered the entire skull, included face shields, and looked much stronger or sturdier. Tuk tuks are a more common type of taxi in Cambodia than a car. We rode in both the traditional tuk tuk (motor cycle pulling a covered trailer with benches) and the more modern tuk tuk (mostly enclosed three-wheeled vehicle.). And a couple of times in Phnom Penh we used the Pass App to hire and pay for a tuk tuk, very similar to using Uber. And it has the advantage of a pre-set rate regardless of whether the passenger is a tourist or local.

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Cars & Traffic – We saw fewer motorbikes as well as more tuk tuks and cars (including a higher number of quite expensive cars) in Cambodia than in Vietnam. In one day we saw an Austin Martin, a Jaguar, and a Bentley as we walked in Phnom Penh. And two days prior to that several Rolls Royces drove past us. Our hotel was near the prime minister’s residence, several foreign embassies, and the National Assembly, so that may be why we saw so many fancy cars during our stay in the capital. Cambodian traffic was much less congested, but many drivers only slowed just a bit for stop signs and red traffic lights. As pedestrians we still had to pay quite a bit of attention when crossing streets, even when we had a green “walk” light at an intersection.

Food – We discovered many similarities between Vietnamese and Cambodian cuisine. However, two unique foods we enjoyed in Cambodia were amok and Khmer curry, which included different spice combinations from those used in other Asian countries we have visited. Amok is a red curry often cooked in a banana leaf and seasoned with turmeric paste, chilies, lemongrass and kaffir lime. Khmer curry is a spicy red curry with sweet potato. In addition, rice in Cambodia is served in molded form on banana leaves, not just dished by spoonfuls into a serving bowl. 

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