Giorno 7 — Kampong Chhnang → Phnom Penh
Breakfast. Around 08:00, we will continue to Oudong Meanchey (the "noble victory"), a group of ruins located on the Oudong hill about 50 km north of Phnom Penh. This was the capital of the Kingdom of Cambodia from 1618 to 1866. The Oudong hill has a slightly arched shape and Cambodians like to consider it as the head of the mythical Naga serpent, the marine deity derived from Brahmanic culture. A long staircase touches three distinct peaks in sequence. The panoramic view of the surrounding countryside from here is of rare beauty. The ruins are mainly composed of the tombs of the ancient Kings of Oudong, built in the shape of stupas, some of which are very imposing. But there are also ancient Buddhist temples still consecrated, some of which house impressive seated Buddha statues. Unfortunately, some of these statues were damaged by the Khmer Rouge, who established one of their bases here during the fierce defense against the Vietnamese invasion in January 1979, which put an end to their terrible and disastrous regime. From here to Phnom Penh, the current capital of the country, the distance is short. Phnom Penh is known as the "city of the 4 rivers". The great Mekong, coming down from Yunnan and after crossing Laos, branches out in Phnom Penh. The two main branches of the famous 'Mekong Delta' are born here, in the Cambodian capital. A third branch, which goes north, is the Tonle Sap River, which feeds the eponymous large lake. Around 13:00 (depending on traffic conditions), we will arrive in Phnom Penh and have lunch at a local restaurant on the banks of the Tonle Sap River, near the point where it branches off from the Mekong. In the afternoon, we will visit the city, including the Royal Palace, inside which is also the Silver Pagoda, the name given by Westerners to the Royal Temple for its splendid floor entirely made of silver tiles! Not far away is the National Museum, where artifacts from the Angkorian and pre-Angkorian periods of Khmer history are exhibited. The last stop is at Wat Phnom, a Buddhist temple connected to the foundation of the city of Phnom Penh in the 14th century. Dinner free.
