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          • Vietnam Museum of Ethnology Pictures 1 >
            • Vietnam Museum of Ethnology Pictures
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            • More Pictures of Vietnam Military History Museum in Hanoi
          • Fine Arts Museum of Vietnam
          • One Pillar Pagoda
          • Pilgrimage to the Perfume Pagoda
        • Halong Bay, Vietnam
        • Dong Ho: Folk Painting Village in Vietnam
        • Indigo: Saving Vietnam"s Traditional Handicraft
        • Phu Vinh: BambooCraft Village in Vietnam
        • Ho Chi Minh Trail
        • Hue: The Ancient Imperial Capital of Vietnam
        • 9 Ways to Enjoy Hoi An in VietNam
        • My Son: The Centre of Cham Culture
        • Ninh Binh: A Must Do Day Trip from Hanoi
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          • New Year with Vietnamese Friends
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        • The Best of Cambodia >
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          • Tonle Sap: Cambodia's Environment Hotspot
          • The Ancient Secrets of Preah Vihear
          • The Water Festival of Cambodia >
            • The Cambodia Water Festival in Pictures
          • Khmer New Year 2016 Pictures
          • Ikat Weaving in Preah Brokorng Cambodia
          • Pich Mkot Temple: An Oasis Outside of Phnom Penh
        • 13 Fabulous Items to Buy in Cambodia
        • Where to Shop in Phnom Penh >
          • The Streets of Phnom Penh
          • 6 Most Popular Traditional Markets in Phnom Penh Cambodia
        • Siem Reap, Cambodia: Things to Do Other than Visiting the Temples of Angkor >
          • Ta Prohm Temple
          • Angkor Temples in Cambodia
          • Beng Mealea: Cambodia's Jungle Temple
          • Traditional Silk Making in Angkor
        • Cool Things to Do in Mondulkiri Cambodia
        • Things to Know Before Visiting Ratanakiri in Cambodia
        • 10 Fascinating Places to Visit in Takeo, Cambodia >
          • Tonle Bati: Scenic Lake in Cambodia
        • The Unique Taste of Cambodia
        • Cambodia: A Unique Adventure
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      • Singapore: The Chameleon of Asia
      • Cool Things to do in Luang Prabang Laos
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      • Sri Lanka: Garden of the Gods
      • Boudanath
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    • 7 Tips to Make Your Travel More Fun >
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      • 7 Tips for Foodie Travel
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      • When A Guided Vacation is Better
      • 15 Tips to Whisk Through Airport Security
      • Travel As A Marinade, Not A Spritzer
      • 8 Tips on How to Make Group Travel Fun
      • 7 Ways to Restore Your Well Being After a Long Flight
      • How to Choose Travel Insurance
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      • Travel: A Unique Experience in Life
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    • Too Much Information
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      • Why Eat Bitter Melon
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    • Football Gets its Critical Mass in Southeast Asia >
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The Streets of Phnom Penh


​The Streets of Phnom Penh are the most productive space on earth. ​The range and volume of business going in every little lane and alley and cul-de sac and cross street is a cathedral to entrepreneurialism.​
Phnom Penh Street
Phnom Penh Street
We trudge the downtown route most Saturday mornings in a desperate effort to match weight and fitness so we've watched and dodged as the street-siders and carts come and go.
Streets of Phnom Penh
The Streets of Phnom Penh. Source: aesta1
Every small opening is a symphony of barber shops and phone vendors, mom and pop stores or eateries and business card printers, wedding packagers, beauticians and motor bike repair shops.
Picture
Barber Shop in Phnom Penh Street. Source: aesta1
​The next street may be filled with on-the-street light industry rebuilding air cons and TVs or making doors in steel or wood with fireworks of sparks illuminating the back of dark storage spaces.

Sandwiched in may be a sculptor doing unique, austere Buddhas or a painter of Chinese fish. Happy. Loud and colorful. Better than a Rock Show and it's all for free.
Woodworking in the Streets of Phnom PenhWoodworking in the Streets of Phnom Penh. Copyright: aesta1
Navigating Phnom Penh Street is a sport. The sidewalks are full of things for sale. And often we are the only barangs (foreigners) doing the trudge but always with big smiles aimed at us and even waves from those that recognize our doughy forms from earlier weeks. 

We navigate through all the hustle and bustle of these streets ducking around the transports and escaping onto the road when the streets overflow.

​Sometimes, we have to turn back because we just can't get through and it can test your patience when the sun gets too hot, but a quick duck into an aircon show room and, in a minute or two, the good temper returns.
Phnom Penh Street
Phnom Penh Street. Source: aesta1
These streets are a tumble of parked cars, vans, motos, tuk tuks, motorbikes, bicycle rickshaws and hand carts.

Every corner is a restaurant, coffee shop or bakery with tables of noodles and mystery meats just waiting. And to top it off are the peddlers or street hawkers with the last bag of sun glasses or toys they were able to slip in from China, Vietnam or Thailand. And then the grandmas with their instant cooking of noodles and fresh greens packables and brought to the shop door.
Flower Vendor in the Street of Phnom Penh
Flower Vendor in the Street of Phnom Penh. Copyright: aesta1
When we first worked in Phnom Penh around 2002, Phnom Penh streets and houses were hardly identified. Since 2011, Phnom Penh's street and house identification has been improved.

Residents of Phnom Penh can get new numbers for their house upon payment of $4. Some people still contested this as too expensive. But without proper street names and house numbers, it is difficult to deliver services in the city.
Many houses and even streets have as yet to get their signs. It is easy to get lost even when you have the map as the signs are not properly placed. Hopefully, 2014 will bring in the new signs but better still to work with your tuk-tuk driver. On many occasions, they say yes or nod but they really don't know. So, you're on your own.

Am back in Phnom Penh and what really surprised me is the proliferation of coffee shops. There's one in every corner and many will satisfy even the coffee snobs. Here's a great review of these coffee shops.
Street Vendor in Phnom PenhStreet Vendor in Phnom Penh. Copyright: aesta1.
Get here in Phnom Penh quickly. This won't last. This hints of Paris and London of the 18th century when cities were not sterility zones. 

This is the Singapore and Hong Kong of late Kipling and early Michener and middle Conrad and Greene-noire. You can walk in history and celebrate the chaos of life.

To know more about Phnom Penh, click any of these links:
  • Where to Shop in Phnom Penh
  • Angkor Temples in Cambodia
  • Siem Reap, Cambodia: Things to Do Other than Visiting the Temples of Angkor
  • Mondulkiri Cambodia
  • The Unique Taste of Cambodia​
  • GoGlobalToday
    • About Us
    • Privacy Policy
  • Global Destinations
    • 13 Tips in Choosing Unique Vacation Destinations
    • Southeast Asia >
      • Tips for a Meaningful Travel to Vietnam >
        • 13 Interesting Places Not to Miss in Vietnam
        • 11 Fabulous Things to Buy in Vietnam
        • Hanoi: The Rising Dragon >
          • 14 Interesting Things to Do in Hanoi
          • Discovering Hanoi's Hidden Secrets
          • Where to Shop in Hanoi
          • Pho Sach: Book Street in Hanoi
          • Downtown Park in Hanoi
          • Ta Hien and Ma May: Food Streets in Hanoi
          • Hoan Kiem Lake in Hanoi
          • Temple of Literature in Hanoi
          • The Citadel in Hanoi
          • Tea at Dinh Co Vu Temple
          • The Street Vendors of Hanoi
          • Where to Eat in Hanoi >
            • Cha Ca La Vong in Hanoi
            • Behind the Green Curtain
            • Mau Dich So 37 Restaurant: A Trip into Hanoi's Past
            • Mau Dich So 37 Restaurant Pictures
          • Hanoi Street Food: A Truly Tasty Experience
          • Vietnamese Women's Museum
          • Museum of Ethnology: A Peek at Vietnam's 54 Ethnic Groups
          • Vietnam Museum of Ethnology Pictures 1 >
            • Vietnam Museum of Ethnology Pictures
          • Vietnam Military History Museum in Hanoi >
            • More Pictures of Vietnam Military History Museum in Hanoi
          • Fine Arts Museum of Vietnam
          • One Pillar Pagoda
          • Pilgrimage to the Perfume Pagoda
        • Halong Bay, Vietnam
        • Dong Ho: Folk Painting Village in Vietnam
        • Indigo: Saving Vietnam"s Traditional Handicraft
        • Phu Vinh: BambooCraft Village in Vietnam
        • Ho Chi Minh Trail
        • Hue: The Ancient Imperial Capital of Vietnam
        • 9 Ways to Enjoy Hoi An in VietNam
        • My Son: The Centre of Cham Culture
        • Ninh Binh: A Must Do Day Trip from Hanoi
        • TET: Lunar New Year in Hanoi >
          • New Year with Vietnamese Friends
      • Why Visit Cambodia >
        • The Best of Cambodia >
          • The Royal Palace of Cambodia
          • Apsara: Cambodia's Traditional Dance
          • Tonle Sap: Cambodia's Environment Hotspot
          • The Ancient Secrets of Preah Vihear
          • The Water Festival of Cambodia >
            • The Cambodia Water Festival in Pictures
          • Khmer New Year 2016 Pictures
          • Ikat Weaving in Preah Brokorng Cambodia
          • Pich Mkot Temple: An Oasis Outside of Phnom Penh
        • 13 Fabulous Items to Buy in Cambodia
        • Where to Shop in Phnom Penh >
          • The Streets of Phnom Penh
          • 6 Most Popular Traditional Markets in Phnom Penh Cambodia
        • Siem Reap, Cambodia: Things to Do Other than Visiting the Temples of Angkor >
          • Ta Prohm Temple
          • Angkor Temples in Cambodia
          • Beng Mealea: Cambodia's Jungle Temple
          • Traditional Silk Making in Angkor
        • Cool Things to Do in Mondulkiri Cambodia
        • Things to Know Before Visiting Ratanakiri in Cambodia
        • 10 Fascinating Places to Visit in Takeo, Cambodia >
          • Tonle Bati: Scenic Lake in Cambodia
        • The Unique Taste of Cambodia
        • Cambodia: A Unique Adventure
      • 11 Top Must Do in Myanmar
      • Singapore: The Chameleon of Asia
      • Cool Things to do in Luang Prabang Laos
      • The Mighty Mekong
      • Cruising the Chao Phraya
      • Puerto Princesa, Palawan
      • The Best of Ilocos Norte, Philippines
      • The Best of Ilocos Sur, Philippines
    • Top Holiday Destinations for the New Year >
      • San Xavier del Bac Mission
      • St. Anthony's Greek Orthodox Monastery
    • Europe >
      • Why Visit Spain >
        • Top Places to Visit in Spain
        • The Blacksmith of Talavera
        • Toledo Spain: 10 Points of Interest
        • The Alhambra in Granada Spain
        • The Holy Mountain of Montserrat
        • Olympic Park iBarcelona
        • Joan Miro Museum in Barcelona
        • Trujillo: Cradle of the Conquistadors
        • Why Visit Badajoz Spain
      • Best Cities to Visit in Portugal >
        • 8 Interesting Neighbourhoods of Lisbon
        • Top 11 Points of Interest in Porto Portugal
        • Elvas: Portugal's Garrison Town
        • Bussaco: A Palace and a Historic Battle
        • Obidos: Treasure of the Queens
        • The Shrine of Fatima
        • Convent of Christ and Castle of the Templars in Tomar, Portugal
      • 10 Best Places to Visit in Croatia >
        • 10 Top Things to Do in Dubrovnik
        • The Palace of Diocletian in Split
        • Salona: The Ancient Capital of Dalmatia
        • 8 Best Places to Visit in Istria, Croatia
      • Fun Things to Do in a Day in Kotor Montenegro
      • Why is Italy a Premier Destination? >
        • Cool Things to Do in Venice
        • Erice, Sicily
        • Assissi: A Visit to the Franciscan Roots
        • The Ancient Roman Port of Ostia Antica
        • Pompeii: A World Frozen in Time
      • Perouges: The Medieval Village in France
      • Avenches: The Ancient Roman Capital in Switzerland
      • Gruyere: A Postcard Pretty Medieval Town in Switzerland
    • South Africa >
      • Franschhoek: The French Corner in South Africa
      • Cape Agulhas: The Southernmost Point of Africa
      • Tulbagh: A Less Obvious Destination in the Western Cape
      • The Penguins of Boulder Beach
      • Mandela, Yet Another Reason to Visit South Africa
      • The Swallow: A Tale of the Great Trek
    • Istanbul >
      • The Fairy Chimneys of Cappadocia
      • Ephesus: The Biblical City of the Aegean
    • Canada >
      • Port Carling: The Hub of Muskoka
      • Muskoka: Quintessentially Canadian
      • Autumn in Muskoka
      • The Historic Town of Huntsville Ontario
      • Georgian Bay: Paradise of 30,000 Islands
    • South Asia >
      • Sri Lanka: Garden of the Gods
      • Boudanath
      • Thangka Painting
      • The Durbar Square of Kathmandu
    • The Bund in Shanghai
    • Stories of Bargaining in Asia
  • Global Travel
    • 7 Tips to Make Your Travel More Fun >
      • 8 Ways to Prepare for Airline Travel
      • 5 Tips for a Most Satisfying Travel
      • 10 Great Ways to Upgrade Bucket List Tourism into Technicolor Memories
      • 7 Tips for Foodie Travel
      • 11 Reasons Why You Don't Wait Till You Retire to Travel
      • When A Guided Vacation is Better
      • 15 Tips to Whisk Through Airport Security
      • Travel As A Marinade, Not A Spritzer
      • 8 Tips on How to Make Group Travel Fun
      • 7 Ways to Restore Your Well Being After a Long Flight
      • How to Choose Travel Insurance
      • Road Travel: Top 5 Ways to Engage Kids
      • Solo Travel – Is it For You?
      • Travel: A Unique Experience in Life
      • 10 Best Insights into Travel
    • What You Bring to Your Travel
    • Rural Tourism and Why You Need to Try It >
      • Top Possibilities of Rural Tourism
      • 7 Benefits of Rural Tourism
    • The Charm of Alleyways
    • 5 Effective Steps to Travel Packing
  • Global Careers
    • The Obsession with Success
    • Fun in Leadership
    • Do You Have a Blueprint for Success? >
      • 8 Steps to Becoming More Persuasive
      • Why Making Conscious Decisions is Key to Personal Development
      • 7 Key Steps to Personal Success
      • 7 Sure Steps to a Successful Career
      • 9 Sure Steps to Your Dream Job
      • What to Do When You Are in a Wrong Career
      • 7 Steps to Build Your Cope with Change Muscles
      • 10 Winning Attitudes for a Successful Career Kick-Start
      • 6 Ways to Make Risk Taking Easier
      • The First Thing You Do When You Find Yourself in a Hole
      • Key Steps to Becoming a Good Mentor
      • 5 Key Steps to Top Performance
      • 7 Sure Steps to Coaching Success
      • 7 Key Benefits of Finding a Career Coach
      • 13 Tips for Effective Training
    • Ever Dreamed of Working in Other Countries? >
      • 10 Steps to a Successful International Assignment
      • 7 Things Successful International Consultants Do
      • 8 Reasons Why International Consultants Fail
      • 10 Challenges to Working Internationally
      • 7 Benefits of Working Internationally
      • 9 Steps to International Consulting Success
    • 11 Steps Towards Successfully Working for Yourself >
      • Why I Work for Myself and Why You Can Too
      • Self Employment: It Ain’t All Roses
    • Global Business >
      • Expanding Your Business into the Global Market
      • Positioning Your Business in the Global Market
      • The Global Market Has Changed-Have You? >
        • Asia Shaping the World Economy
        • Mr. Ka is Asia
        • Tips to Doing Business in Myanmar
        • Entrepreneurship in Asia
      • 9 Steps to Success in the Global Market
      • Bureaucracies: Worldwide Garrottes?
      • Mobile: Today's Global Platform
      • 7 Key Steps to Grow your Small Business >
        • Adding Value in Your Business: The In-Between Step
        • 5 Winning Characteristics of Employees You Keep in your Small Business
        • 8 Steps to Build a Stronger Customer Base
  • Global Lifestyle
    • How Do We Expand our Global Circles and Make them More Inclusive?
    • Too Much Information
    • 9 Ways of Enjoying Being Offline
    • Healthy Eating Is Meant to Be Fun >
      • 7 Simple Steps to Limit Food Waste
      • Why Eat Bitter Melon
      • Urban Foraging
    • 5 Ways of Managing Stress
    • 8 Sign Posts in Finding Your Sense of Purpose
    • The Joy of Feeding Birds
    • 9 Simple Ways of Making Someone Happy
    • What To Do When You're Discouraged
    • 7 Easy Steps to a Happy Life
    • A Fan of Fans
    • The Silence of the Moment
    • The Poaching of Rhino Horns
    • Football Gets its Critical Mass in Southeast Asia >
      • Badminton: The Game of Empire
    • Journey Across Beliefs
    • Managing your Digital Footprint