Phnom Penh was founded at the current site of an active pagoda known as Wat Phnom. Sitting atop just about the only hill in town, Wat Phnom is a place of constant activity. Crowded with the curious (like me) and the faithful, Wat Phnom is one busy place. The entire site is surrounded by a traffic circle replete with vendors, tuk-tuks, and countless motorbikes all in perpetual motion around the shrine. Situated within the grounds are the temple, shrines, fortune tellers, vendors and beggars. Also there, making perpetual journeys around the traffic circle is an elephant offering rides for a fee.
The site is also home to a pack of monkeys (do monkeys live in packs? flocks? prides? broods?), who as local lore would have it are not too shy especially in the presence of food.
The large stupa contains the remains of King Ponhea Yat (1405-1467) who moved the Khmer capital from Angkor to Phnom Penh in 1422. Featured at Wat Phnom is the alter of Lady Penh, who is said to have fished a floating Koki tree from the river in 1372. Inside the tree she found four Buddha statues. She built a hill (phnom) and a small temple (wat) at what is now the site of Wat Phnom. Later, the surrounding area became known for the hill (Phnom) and its creator (Penh), hence the name "Phnom Penh."
according to ask.com "groups" of monkeys are called troops. I'm going to stick with Barrel, though. I've enjoyed the lesson on the origin of the name Phnom Phen! Keep 'em coming.
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