Living in Phnom Penh, a photo from Phnum Penh, West

Photographer's Note

‘Living in Phnom Penh’

Not immediately lovely or beautiful pictures this time, but I also want to show images from the daily reality of life in Cambodia.

After having spent 40 days in Laos, the most unspoiled country on my entire journey, it were sobering experiences in Cambodia.
While in Laos the difference between rich and poor was not immediately shocking, it became very visible in Cambodia. I may be mistaken about Laos but that was my experience.
Maybe due to the still communist polity ... I don’t know …

Cambodia is clearly a country with a free market economy, with larger cities with sometimes very modern neighbourhoods and shopping centers where wealthy Cambodians go shopping but at the same time with slums like I never saw them in Laos where I had seen only small towns, little traffic, much untouched nature, friendly, helpful and honest residents without being pushy.

After traveling four times in India and enjoying it every time, I often found Cambodia a quite hectic country.
Not everywhere of course.
But a hectic society with a hectic traffic in and around certain cities and on some places with even very pushy people.
I didn’t find the relaxed mentality of Laos (unless on the islands in the south of the country).

I certainly don't want to say that I would regret my visit of Cambodia.
But as I left Laos as a very relaxed person, the nerves were sometimes a bit tense in some places in Cambodia. In some streets, it seemed like everyone wanted something from me.
I don't remember that feeling at all when I was in India. Was it due to having spent 40 days in the extremely relaxed Laos?

Although Cambodia is a lot smaller than Laos, there are significantly more people.
According to Wikipedia, there were 15 million Cambodians in 2015 and many live in straitened circumstances.
Think of an overpopulated Phnom Penh, a lot of trash on the street in some neighbourhoods, more tuk-tuk drivers than potential customers, a prostitution problem, …

I know that the country has become very popular with Western and Asian travellers. It was obviously much busier there than in Laos or Malaysia.
I also consider my visit very educational and there is of course the enormous cultural heritage of the country. But as a personal experience, my best description remains ‘hectic’ ...

All three pictures here are taken in the center of Phnom Penh, looking down from the main bridge over the Mekong.

holmertz, COSTANTINO, everlasting, jhm, jean113, Ilonka1974, macjake, jemaflor, alvaraalto, pajaran, PiotrF, ChrisJ, Royaldevon, worldcitizen has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

ikeharel (114477) 2020-04-16 9:52

Good evening Paul,
A very similar sight as the Favela's in south-American towns. Third world dwelling, reality of life - as stated.
Yet, a fine technical's applied for the sights presented.
Best regards, stay well,
Ike

holmertz (103540) 2020-04-16 10:05

Hello Paul,
I can't say that I immediately recognize these areas, although I must have seen them. I am sure they must have been there 13 years ago during my visit. These are interesting photos, and certainly very colourful, and personally I am more keen on realism than just constant beauty.
The feeling of being surrounded by pushy people who all wanted something from me is exactly what I remember from my first journeys to India in the 70's. Since then India has become much more relaxed and sophisticated (or maybe I just got more experienced). Could the Cambodians still be eager to catch up with the lives that were stolen from them during the Pol Pot terror? Or is it a result of living in an extremely corrupt country with virtually no social security system, which makes every day a struggle for survival?
I felt quite safe in Cambodia, except on the roads. Traffic seemed totally dangerous in some areas.
Best regards,
Gert

COSTANTINO (117672) 2020-04-16 10:11

Hello dear Paul and have a nice time
thanks for your useful notes
without them i could not understand
what happens in this country
a fine technical s applied for the
sights presented
welldone
regards
Costantino

everlasting (19978) 2020-04-16 10:18

I remember crossing the border from laos to Cambodia by boat along the Mekong and reaching the first town and thinking in was a little wild. But I dint remember being hussled by the people (except kids at Angkor, and there wasn't that many tourists. This was 2003/4 so times have changed, but by looking at your image, not that much for the people. Life is still hard and the squalor still abounds.

jhm (211738) 2020-04-16 10:18

Goedenavond Paul,

Wij weten soms niet in welke luxe wij leven.
Wanneer men dit zie, kan men alleen spreken van een sloppen wijk.
Maar misschien zijn deze mensen nooit meer gewoon geweest waardoor er vriendschap is ontstaan onder deze groep mensen.
Uw foto spreek boekdelen
Goed gedaan, bedankt.

Ho het veilig mijn vriend,
John

jean113 (28249) 2020-04-16 12:16

Hello Paul, looking at how crowded the dwellings are, and how ramshackle, one can begin to understand how each day must be a test for survival. Then looking at one of your w/s pictures, we see modern buildings in the background, and yet so close to the ones we see here.
Your high vantage point enables us to see so much more than if you were at ground level.
Thanks for sharing, regards Jean.

Ilonka1974 (10307) 2020-04-16 12:24

Hi Paul,
Interesting scenery, good documentation.
Composition and presentation are wonderful.
Best regards
Janusz

macjake (98544) 2020-04-16 12:28

Hi Paul
to answer your question, yes I do have shots of the Radio City Music Hall in neon, but I don't think they're very unique or interesting..but i'll take a second look. In your WS, i love the #2 shot, maybe even more so than the main. but all are great, really. Amazing and informative note Paul, I always enjoy reading and learning about your experiences and how you view each country when comparing it to another. Laos and Cambodia seem complete opposites...i wonder how and why that is - simply from crossing a border.
I don't enjoy that 'wanting something from me' feeling when I visit poor countries...and yes, I also DID NOT experience that in India :) excellent note and photo, wonderful
cheers
Craig

Gerrit (62042) 2020-04-16 13:06

Dag Paul,
Dit ziet er inderdaad op elkaar gepakt uit. Goeie foto trouwens.
Ik heb die ervaring overigens niet in Cambodja. Ik ben alleen in het oosten geweest; dat scheelt wellicht.
Ik vond Vietnam van de drie veruit het leukst, zeker qua mensen.
groet, Gerrit

lousat (139914) 2020-04-16 13:51

Hi Paul,interesting note about the differences from Laos to Cambodia,in fact the policy makes different things and way to live. And the pics are beautiful,a lovely puzzle made by the poor houses close to the water taken in the usual top quality,i like it! Have a nice evening and thanks,Luciano

ifege (49297) 2020-04-16 21:06

Hi Paul
Not beautiful but a very informative photo.
cheers
Ian

jemaflor (148124) 2020-04-16 23:44

Salut Paul,
Une vue plongeante et colorée sur ces habitations bien modestes, bon rendu d'image et composition avec ce coin d'eau dans l'angle, intéressante note au sujet de ce pays, tfs.

Silvio1953 (222779) 2020-04-17 0:54

Ciao Paul, sad view of poor houses by great POV, fine details, wonderful colors, excellent clarity and splendid light, very well done, my friend, have a good week end, ciao Silvio

GyurMaster (25000) 2020-04-17 1:44

Hello Paul,

I have to say that WS 2 is more shocking than the main upload in terms of portraying imbalances: the skyscrapers with the expensive flats and these bungalows in the fg...

Best Wishes
Gy.

Tue (93328) 2020-04-17 5:09

Hallo Paul,
De brug zorgde voor een mooi overzicht van deze wijk langs de rivier met de vele dicht op elkaar gebouwde huisjes van golfplaat. Hier en daar geven wat groene en rode huizen wat kleur tussen de grijze of roestige delen. Het lijkt er op dat er ook heel wat afval zich heeft verzameld langs de waterkant. Goede foto van deze kant van de Cambodjaanse maatschappij.
Lars

alvaraalto (42804) 2020-04-17 6:53

Dag Paul,
Vooral de tweede workshop foto laat schrijnend het contrast zien tussen arm en rijk. Het totale plaatje lijkt op het eerste gezicht kleurrijk maar zelfs als vakantiehuisje lijkt dit voor ons verwende westerlingen niet aantrekkelijk.
Drie mooie foto’s om het dagelijks leven in Cambodja te duiden.
Groet Rob

rychem (72187) 2020-04-17 6:53

Oh, it's really hard to imagine people living like this, densely packed houses, probably also heavily populated, I'm most scared by these piles of rubbish by the water.
The photo itself is a good reportage, but it causes sad emotions
regards Ryszard

pajaran (116947) 2020-04-17 12:26

Pozdrav.
Lepi pogledi, interesantan i dobar tekst ...
Interesantne kuce na obali.
Lepo pokazano sa fotografijama u radionici, dobro uhvaceni trenuci.
Stvanost koja nas prati.
Zelim vam sve najbolje za vikend.
Paja.

Greeting.
Nice views, interesting and good text ...
Interesting houses on the coast.
Beautifully shown with photos in the workshop, well captured moments.
The reality that accompanies us.
I wish you all the best for the weekend.

PiotrF (55862) 2020-04-17 15:12

Hello Paul,
Interesting picture from this place.
I like high POV, good composition, nice colours and good quality. Interesting picture in WS.
Good work, fine presentation.
Regards
Piotr

Nicou (193814) 2020-04-17 20:38

Hello

quelle maisons sue de haut du ciel quel graphisme sur ces toits toutes collées les unes aux autres avec le plan d'eau et des barques fantastique vue et compo
Belle journée
Nicou

ChrisJ (172378) 2020-04-18 0:39

Hello Paul,

I've only been from Poipet to Angkor Wat, although I have flown over Phnom Penh several times at 30k feet. This aerial view is much starker and clearer. A good daily life scene with superb sharpness and the disposable trash on the riverbank is a worry. Tfs!

Royaldevon (86364) 2020-04-18 3:34

Hello Paul,

This was a very interesting and sobering read!

After watching 'The Blue Planet' and being horrified at the amount of plastic pollution in the sea, my heart lurches at this scene!
My friend, who visited Thailand where her son was working, commented frequently at the gross amount of litter scattered over the beaches. Education! Education! Education!

Your photographs are well composed and sharp, without pulling any punches.

Keep safe,
Bev :-)

emka (158680) 2020-04-18 13:16

Hello Paul, The houses not directly near the river do not look so terrible, are quite colourful, but this garbage near the river is horrible. And this "garden" in the foreground...
I haven't visited Rio's favelas but the slums in Peru were the worst I saw (except the Gypsy slums in Slovakia). If not beautiful but excellent picture showing real life.
Warm regards MAlgo

kasianowak (17676) 2020-04-19 3:21

Hi Paul
Firstly, I have to disagree with you, I think this photo is rather picturesque. That is, until we realise that the colourful dots are piles of rubbish... still, a good example that poverty tends to be deceptively photogenic.
I've read the notes to your most recent upload with a lot of interest and, since you were comparing Malaysia to Cambodia, I had to go back to this photo and read your notes with growing fascination. I also often wonder why one place feels more pleasant than others to a visitor (although different individuals sometimes get a different impression), why local people are more relax and seem happier in some countries or regions...
Even before I finished reading, I checked the population density in Laos and Cambodia, then I read on and realised that you were thinking along the same lines. But then I checked the same info on Malaysia that you liked so much, and it had the same high number of humans per km2 as Cambodia... But it's probably a mixture of a lot of things: population, climate, geography, history, even number of foreign visitors that makes a difference.
And our impressions also depend on our particular circumstances, how we are feeling at the time, at what stage our lives are, our individual experiences during the trip... I didn't really like India first time I went there (2012), when it was one of the first Asian countries I had seen. I didn't like it at the beginning of my second journey in January this year, then one of many Asian countries I had seen. But that changed and, as I was leaving, it felt it was enchanting, because I lost my phone in Agra and met some wonderful local people who helped me find it. But I think, at the start of the trip, I was subconsciously compering it to Afghanistan (Oct 2019), where no one ever asked me for money or baksheesh, no one was trying to sell me anything... but they are of course not used to visitors and haven't developed those behavioural patterns.
Sorry, I could go on and on... Great post and thank you for making me think about how complicated and fascinating our world is.
Best wishes
Kasia

worldcitizen (16226) 2020-04-20 11:59

Hello Paul,
It is sad how so many people must cope with conditions like these around the world. I am particularly struck by the amount of garbage sliding down towards the water. In the wider view of your WS photo, we can see just how close these dwellings are to the more modern ones. The differences are striking. Take good care...

Miguel82 (47110) 2020-04-22 1:51

Hallo Paul, these houses on stlits covered with metal sheets were built very close to the river. The waste produced by the slum is accumulated on the bank. Excellent global view. People live in hard conditions here. Fine colors, good sharpness, interesting photo note, regards.

mkamionka (75015) 2022-05-05 3:16

Hi Paul,
It is interesting to read your comparison note between various Asian countries. I think at the moment neither of them is on my list of places to visit so it is even more interesting to watch your knowledgeable reportage from there.
This area sadly does not strike me as beautiful. I suppose it is similar to the towns which I have seen in Cape Verde.
I wish I could help but the only thing I can do is to appreciate more everything what I take in my life as granted.
Great point of view from above and I see you have couple of more similar views as well in the workshop.
Excellent reportage,
M