Cambodian Adventures Part II

We spent the majority of the first day of our trip to Cambodian in Phnom Penh, the capital city.  We didn't have much time but we tried to make every minute count!


First stop was the National Museum which was filled with incredible artifacts, many of which were Buddha statues from varying time periods.  While Cambodia is a predominately Buddhist country they have had significant influence from Hinduism throughout the years.  We found we know remarkably little about either religion and it was interesting having a guide walk us through how to recognize some of the different types of Buddhas often distinguished by hand positioning or objects being held in their hands.  We couldn't take pictures inside the museum but here is a shot of it's beautiful architecture and courtyard.  The spiky curves on the roof were a reoccurring theme on many of the buildings and our guide told us they represented a dragon and symbolized protection.

Next step was the Royal Palace (don't you think that "The Kingdom of Cambodia" has such a perfect ring to it?!).  The King was out of town for a holiday so we didn't get go meet him (ha!) but we did tour a few of the public buildings and areas within his grounds. Here are shots of a temple and a former King's crypt in the Royal Palace area.

The pink flower on the Buddha statue's lap is from a special tree that produces beautiful new flower blooms each morning.  The flowers fall from the tree each day around 1 or 2 pm and then fresh ones bloom the next morning.  Our guide said these trees are considered to have religious significance and are usually found near temples and shrines.

And a close up!  So beautiful and fragrant!

Our last stop in Phenom Pen was a visit to the Genocide Museum.  As some of you may know Cambodia has a very tragic history of civil war in the late 1970s.  This museum was originally a children's middle school that was used as a prisoner camp and torture/interrogation area during this time.    

Over the past few months  we  have developed a real heart for the country and interest in it's history.  This time period is particularly heartbreaking and has resulted in many present day needs and ministry opportunities in Cambodia.  If you are interested in learning more about Cambodia's recent history, we recommend checking out the movie:  "The Killing Fields" and/or the book " First They Killed my Father".