In the middle of Phnom Penh is the hill that famously gave the city its name, Phnom (hill) Penh (the founder's name). Any natural hill begs for a Buddhist worship site since every wat (temple or pagoda) is built on an elevation, either natural or man made. Wat Phnom is one of the most famous temples in the city and its tallest stupa or bone reliquary for a famous or particularly practiced monk or individual is the visual center of the city. Next to it is the the post-2001 built American embassy. It's an intimidating structure with multiple guard stations and metal detecting equipment and imposing Marine guards.



Inside the embassy Americans cannot get away from the local custom of building a spirit house for the spirits who occupied the land before the building went up. Even on the Fourth of July incense sticks were burning to honor those spirits. This particular spirit house is unique in that it is made entirely of metal and weighs several hundred pounds. Like others a statue of the Buddha occupies a central place inside.









Partisan politics never fail to appear in American settings even in the Ankor kingdom. Sales of t-shirts were brisk especially one with an outline of Cambodia on the front with the words "Yes, We Did!" decorating a picture of President Obama overlaying Ankor Wat on the back. Voters were invited to sign a petition asking C ongress to clear up the difficulties in absentee voting that many here and in other countries encountered. Many states require that voters send guaranteed mail or courier packages to their home jurisdictions making voting cost at a minimum $50 USD.



One thing that isn't different about the Fourth even in an embassy in a foreign country is the gaudy decorations. Vendors at this celebration hawked barbeque ribs, hot dogs, Kentucky Fried Chicken (Halal meat-Muslim approved of course), and doughnuts. USA Donuts owned by a Khmer American returnee sold the calorie solid and nutritionally vacant pastries to any and all comers. I, of course, had to eat two... Don't tell anyone.. I suffered greatly afterward.

So that was the Fourth in Phnom Penh. A party at the embassy was only one of the many celebrations in the city for ex-pats. Several of the other parties involved the imbibing of large quantities of imported American, Thai, Khmer and Lao beer. Somehow I don't get how putting down several cans of "Beer Lao" has to do with American self-determination. But then I've never been one for these celebrations.