They do it so tough.
In the tropical summer sun or drenching monsoon, completely cocooned in clothes to protect their skin while lugging bricks, pouring concrete, and digging ditches.
They are an inspiration to all.
Cambodia
Trees Grow Out of a Motorbike in South-East Asia
This must be the greenest, most eco-friendly motorbike in South-East Asia.
Trees are growing out of it.
Next to the Wat Ounalom Monastery Pagoda, in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
A Graceful Way to Start the Day
How Civilised: iced caffè latte with a chocolate brownie (note the tiny “tree fork”).
Followed by an almond croissant. The temptation was overpowering.
Soft French jazz music in the background.
A graceful way to start the day …
(Lagrace Cafe, Street 178 Riverside Phnom Penh, Cambodia)
SE Asian Street Juice Vendors Feeling the Squeeze
It’s surprisingly difficult to find street vendors selling fresh fruit/vegetable juices, in Phnom Penh Riverside, Cambodia.
Five years ago, they were seemingly on every street.
Perhaps they can longer compete with convenience stores on price and variety? These little cans – this “winter melon” is delicious – cost USD60c.
Cafes/bars/restaurants (having costly rent and expenses) sell freshly squeezed orange, watermelon (a personal fav!) and coconut juice for USD3.50-USD4.
Lok Lak Lunch
Lok lak lunch. An essential joy of visiting Cambodia.
The side dish of Kampot pepper, garlic, chilli and salt – I like to lift that egg and blend the pepper mix through the steamed rice.
Heaven on a plate. At Bgari Restaurant, Sisowath Riverside Street No.1, Phnom Penh.
Our Hunger for Plastic
South-East Asia & Plastic: this is from one very simple lunch.
Pork, vege and rice USD2.50, from a popular street vendor in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
(Tasted good, too!)
This visit I have seriously reduced my plastic consumption:
● I’ve washed & reused a plastic bowl/spoon/fork/knife;
● go out always with a used plastic bag in my pocket for incidental purchases (those little cold cans of beer);
● given my empty plastic water bottles to housekeeping to recycle.
But still …
Alas, The Piquant Mini Sausage Piques My Interest No More
The piquant, mini sausages of South-East Asia.
At every breakfast buffet, cafe, street cart vendor.
A staple of any Asian traveller’s diet; the acme of manufactured meat.
I used to enjoy a small – very small – portion of these zestful mystery bags.
That is, until my recent flight from Vietnam to Cambodia, when a fellow passenger seated to my immediate rear, and obviously a “mini sausage” gastronomist, had an excess of wind.
The flight suffered severe flatulence, not turbulence.
It was 90 minutes of non-stop, emanating mini sausage, sickly sweet piquancy.
For the first time, I had wished that face masks were still mandatory on flights.
Sadly, I now find these sapid snags to be beyond the boundaries of my otherwise wide and adventurous palate.
So, I shall conceal in a serviette these two items left over on my breakfast plate (you’ll notice everything else has been scoffed with satisfying alacrity), and spirit them away to my guest house room where, hopefully, they will be welcomed by my balcony’s nightly visitor, a neighboring cat I’ve nicknamed Miss Brindle …
Travel’s Belly Rebellion
Phnom Penh, Cambodia: Travel’s “Rebellyon”.
Bouncing back after 2 days of “belly rebellion” – and a diet of only electrolytes in water – I’m putting my inner production line to the ultimate stress test: The Big Breakfast!
And keeping the immodium handy. Just in case.
Cool and Calm Start to the Day in Cambodia
Waking up in my loft suite, to the early morning breeze from the merging Tonle Sap & Mekong rivers, Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
Staying at the Angkor Mithona Guest House, Daun Penh Riverside.
Cambodia may no longer be the cheap destination in South-East Asia but some good value accommodation can be found, especially on this popular Riverside strip in the capital, Phnom Penh.
That Special Morning Coffee Spot
Some streets have a cool breeze, others do not.
Call it yin & yang, call it physics, call it Buddha’s will – whatever, it takes years of #travel experience to hone the craft of picking your morning #coffee spot.
Phnom Penh, Cambodia, March 2023.
Haxtrax 