This morning tried to lie in for a bit as I now had and extra day in Phnom Penh as the HCMC buses were sold out for saturday. Exchange rates are easy as $1 USD = 4000 or 1000 = .25 cents. I thought you could pay for everything in USD and but some vendors prefer local currency. Bought a small water bottle for 1000 (.25 cents) and headed to the river. This cafes here have a colonial north african feel along the french riverfront. This street will bypass town and take me the 1km to the national museum and royal palace. The first major site you pass before them is Wat Ounalom. This is a temple complex with many different styles. Some were the tall pineapple style common in these parts. At the back was a five storied pagoda like I had seen on my trip to inner mongolia china. I went to one building in the rear which was closed but the caretaker opened it and ushered me to come in. Then he dipped some dry incense sticks in a small jug of water, starting chanting, and flicking the water over me. I hadnt asked for any blessing but went along with it. Then he wanted an offering to the buddha so I placed $1 since entry was free here. Behind is the National Museum but there were tuk tuk drivers waiting at the entrance to Wat Ounalom. They said the royal palace is closed to 2pm but I carried on going to the National Museum ahead of me. It might be rude but I've had to adopt the policy of not making contact or responding and to keep walking. Since Bangkok there are too many tuk tuk drivers, too pushy, and you cant keep stopping to politely say no thank you or waving your finger away. The national museum was $3 entry. It was a small one story complex. The building is square perimeter housing the exhibits with an inner garden in the centre. The first section had many stone statues and sculptures finally leading to some brass carvings. It was now about noon so I had two hours to kill before the Royal Palace opened at 2pm. Walking down a side street I came across a convenience store which were not that common. I got an ice cream for .75 cents and was chatting with an older american man who lived here. He told me the interesting building in front which wasnt on my map was a monastery so I went in to look around. It was an interesting and quiet from other tourists and hustlers. Back on the main road I was now in the embassy district and passed by the well manicured world bank building. Odd that their money in invested in their landscaping rather than investing in the country? There was also a KFC and nowhere else to eat so I decided to take a look. I was surprised to see a halal certificate by the cashiers. Wow, I hadnt seen a halal KFC since 2005 so this was my first time to get some real chicken. I ordered a two piece chicken with fries and drink for $3.50. Others ordered rice with fried chicken, a local adaptation. I also got a refill for .60 cents. I sat here till about 1.30 killing more time and staying out the midday heat waiting for the palace to open at 2pm. The road led to the Independence Monument which was a giant pineapple shaped stone structure set in a traffic roundabout. Crossing the street to the rear was Wat Lanka another temple. This was a quieter temple from tourists and was having some restoration work done. A landscaped median then led towards the Liberation Monument and National Assembly. A local that seemed like a homeless person was trying to tell me I think the name of grass in his language repeatedly pointing at it and I told him the english name. It was now 2pm and time to goto the Royal Palace