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Everything Store
There's a phone booth on the right. Also check out the Love Beer umbrella. I never saw this brand in Cambodia and I'm not sure if it's a brand or a statement.This was my last day in Cambodia, a 37 hour day by my calculations. I was not a math major, so if I'm off don't be surprised. I left Phnom Penh just after noon, but arrived in Seattle at 2pm the same day. It felt like more than a 37 hour day. Being back in Seattle is a bit odd, and definately cold. I had my first warm shower in a month - only crazy people want hot water in Cambodia. There was one tourist at our hotel in Siem Reap, he was complaining to one of the women who worked there how the hot water in his room didn't work. I tried hard not to laugh out loud at him. Cold showers are the only relief I could get from the heat. The last thing I would have wanted in Cambodia would be a hot shower.
Amok is probably one of the most memorable dishes I had there. It's like curry, but has a distinct flavor that makes it very Cambodian. The sandwiches at Psar Toul Tom Pong also stand out for me, they were simple baguettes with satay meat (I have no idea what kind) and pickled vegetables
Morning Routine
Anisa and I usually curled up out on the balcony with a book in the morning to be outside a bit before it got too hot out. inside. I only had them twice, but they were very good. Market food was so good. I feel sorry for people who never get to try food in street stalls when they're in Asia. Restaurant food is good, but it's just not the same. Somehow it all tastes so much better when you're sitting on a little plastic stool in the market or on a sidewalk.
I don't think I got a picture of a gas station. There were conventional western gas stations in Phnom Penh, but there were also two undeveloped kinds. You could buy gas from a barrel that had a litle pump sticking out of the top. People positioned these by the side of the road and slept by them until a customer showed up. The other option was the Everything stands which sold everything, including gasoline in 1 and 2 liter Fanta or Pepsi bottles.
Phone booths were also a mystery to me at first. Before I arrived Anisa had emailed to me that if she couldn't pick me up at the airport (she did) and I needed to call her I should just go to a "black box with the number 012 on it and give money to the person behind the box". Even after I had seen many "black boxes" I wasn't sure that those were phone booths. It turns out that 012 is the prefix for Anisa's cell phone and the numbers on the box indicate the area codes of the cell phones that the person "behind the box" has. You tell the person which area code you want to call and they hand you a cell phone, then charge you after the call for however long you use the phone for. Convenient and modern, yet so confusing at first.
It's easy to feel rich in Cambodia, and by most people's standards, I was rich. In the US I'm a poor college student who just graduated and spent all my money. In Cambodia, where $10 goes a long way, I was very well off. I was continually surprised by how much they used US dollars. Every person at every little market accepted them. There was no preference for riel over dollars, it was all the same. Even after experiencing that for a month it still seems strange to me. It definately made me feel like I had an advantage over the other tourists. Nobody accepted Russian or New Zealand money, or even euros.
Angkor Wat is a must for any tourist to Cambodia. It's the Paris of the Khmer people, their pride and heritage. And not for nothing, they should be proud of such an amazing place. The rest of the country is beautiful, at least what I saw of it, but the temples around Siem Reap are something else. .
My strongest Lasting Impression is how far the country has come since the Khmer Rouge destroyed everything. Construction is everywhere: bridges, wats, schools, roads, homes, hotels, everything. I was very impressed by how many places had internet and how many schools dotted the countryside. Most of the country is undeveloped, but considering where they were 20 years ago, Cambodians have come a long way. It's incredible what they have accomplished in such a short time.
It's a beautiful country. I'm glad Anisa moved there and was so eager to show me around. Having a friend who knows the place at least a little makes a big difference. Leaving was somewhat of a relief, I need to be home for a bit before I can handle going to France. The change between Cambodia and Europe is going to be shocking. At the same time, it was a bit hard to leave. The place has really grown on me.
Thanks Anisa!
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Anisa
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an adventure of lasting impressions...
Thanks to you Heather! I LOVED having you visit! I got to see Cambodia like it was my first time... you're the best friend a girl could have and traveling with you was kick ass! I wanna beer I wanna beeeeer I wannna beeeeer Lift the hand up.... lift the hand down.... Lady you wann froooot?? spiral staircases are awesome... except if you're drunk and the light is off... lychees by the kilo giggling like teenagers knowing the neighbors in the hotel would be pissed... except for those Germans tatoos and memories