ABSTRACT
Cambodia, officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia (Khmer) and once known as the Khmer Empire, is a land of incredible beauty, natural resources, and majestic, breathtaking temples. Yet it is layered with a history of war, strife, and one of the most brutal genocides of this century. Phnom Penh, Cambodia’s busy capital, sits at the junction of the Mekong and Tonlé Sap rivers. It was a hub for both the Khmer Empire and French colonialists, and today is home to the ornate Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda, as well as to the National Museum. Phnom Penh has a diverse and exotic sense of “otherness.” Its culture is rich with history and yet modern Phnom Pen is impoverished and decimated, held captive by the very same history of colonization and war.
