Phnom Penh, Cambodia-Russian Market Neighborhood & Highlights

Phnom Penh is changing rapidly with modern development and investment taking over some neighborhoods. In this podcast I wanted to share briefly the Russian Market or Toul Tom Poung area as many visiting foreigners may find it interesting. Although the neighborhood is becoming gentrified there are still lots of signs of traditional Khmer culture and you must go say hi to Mr. Bounnerath at his Best Coffee in Phnom Penh coffee shop inside the Russian Market. Trendy bars, restaurants, the”hipster” area will probably give you a sense of comfort with lots of expats that live in the area hanging out at the local establishments. Who knows, maybe it will inspire you to pack up and move to Phnom Penh. I also forgot to mention that you must visit the National Museum Of Cambodia when during your stay in the capital. This is where they keep alot of artifacts that were found in the Angkor Wat Temples and the buildings themselves are beautiful. As I mentioned in the podcast it’s really easy to walk away from Cambodia with a heavy heart after visiting the Khmer Rouge sites of genocide. They are everywhere throughout the country. It’s, I believe everyone’s duty when visiting Phnom Penh to seeToul Sleng and Choeung Ek, (the “Killing Fields”) and pay respect to the people that were murdered during the darkest period of Cambodia. But there are many places to see that can make you appreciate the beauty of the people and Khmer culture. I think you can walk away with a sense that although there are still plenty of memories of the darkest days of Cambodia there is a new revival in development and traditional culture that will leave you a sense of hope for the country.