Lots of places in Phnom Penh reminded me of the scenes from The King and I. But none more than the Royal Palace.
It was more of a walled compound than a specific "palace." Some parts of it are still used by the royal family today, so the visit was somewhat limited. The building above was the main throne hall. Visitors were not allowed inside, but could look in through the end doors and windows. It was basically a large open room, with an area at one end for the King's throne and room for the court all around. Also no photographs of the inside, sorry I don't have anything to show!
The next photo below is the Moonlight Pavilion. This was about as close as I could get to it - visitors were also not allowed. But it was closer to the river than any other building in the complex. It was a very large, open-air pavilion meant for entertaining and in particular to showcase Khmer classical dance. Can't you just envision this all lit up at night with candles and torches while watching a dance? Enchanting.
Some of the greenery on the grounds. The gardens were very beautiful.
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