Visions of Days Past
- May 27, 2009
- Rated 5 of 5 by
mh75 from Harrisonburg, Virginia
Stepping into the Foreign Correspondant's Club, or FCC is like entering days past when wars raged in this area and reporters, diplomats and soldiers ranged over the area. Having read quite a bit about the permenance of the bar and restaurant, it was easy to envision. Sitting over the Quay and watching the Cambodian sampams cruise up and down the river while sipping an Angkor beer was truly an experience. Watching the ceiling fans slowly twirl overhead and listening to the Cambodian banter in the background while watching the international news piped through the tv, you can honestly loose yourself in the moment and be transformed back to an earlier time when the are virtually teemed with persons from all over the world covering and involved with the Vietnam War passing through.
But if historical significance is not your thing, take a stroll down the quay and head back away from the Mekong River for silver shopping unlike any that you have ever experienced before. From jewelry to service sets to goblets to wall art, the silver shoppes near the FCC are loaded with silver of all types.
I cannot say that I recommend the food the food though. It was decent, international cuisine, but not anything to write home about. However, after 18 hours on a plane, lots of shopping and several Angkors. it did hit the spot.
But have an Angkor at the FCC...that is about as authentic as Phnom Penh gets for a foreign visitor.
From journal Phnom Penh, Cambodia: The Gem of Indochina