I don't know how these guesthouses manage to make any money. This morning, the breakfast, which was included in the $15 room price, included two eggs, a baguette, butter, jam, fruit and tea
Syden picked me up in the morning to take me to his mother's home. On the way we picked up an auntie and then we went to the village. All the rural areas are the same. They are poor, dirt roads, poor water supplies. I always get depressed because I generally visit them when it's the dry season and everything is covered with dust. The people spend most of the day under the house, which is on stilts, as it's a bit cooler. I saw grandmother's great grand son who is two months old. He was lying on a cloth on a table, waving his arms around. Being born into this heat can't be fun.
On the way, auntie said she'd only been able to get some dried fish and rice so back we went to the highway to get some chicken. The stall was owned by a cousin; it's just a simple bamboo platform, with a roof, and a 'stove' that uses charcoal to cook the chicken. We sat down for lunch which was some dried fish, the chicken, and rice - a very simple meal but this is what the people eat all the time.
I arrived with three adults and a child in the car and returned to the city with six adults and two children. When there are more than two Khmer together, then the conversation is always in Khmer, so I just switch off and nod off. One of the ladies had a shaved head to show she was widowed; not all women do this. From a distance she had bright red lips but looking closer I saw she was chewing something. I was dropped off at the hotel and told they'd be back at 7pm for dinner.
Being flexible I wasn't too bothered when Syden phoned at 5pm. Earlier, he'd asked where I wanted to eat so it was my own fault. Syden said, "We are going to a place where we will see a wonderful sunset." That meant we were going to the outskirts of the city. We went on a dirt road and stopped near a sign advertising Ganzberg beer. It's supposed to be a German brand and all I can say is if this is what German beer tastes like nowadays then something's gone wrong in Germany.
It was an open air place with small areas for families. Each area had a low table that was about 3m x 2m and the family climbed onto it - tables are not just for eating, they are also for sitting. I can't sit crosslegged the way they do so I was grateful for a small bench. The roof was made of grass and the lady switched on the fan when we arrived. I noticed a border behind us that was made of a tarp, about 1m tall and behind it were thousands of empty pop and beer cans. It was a 'wall' about 1m wide and about 10m long so there must have been a fortune in scrap metal. I asked about the toilet and was shown where it was but Syden suggested I used the great outdoors. I decided on the toilet. It was a shed made of corrugated iron and the floor was like a rock garden gone wrong. In the centre was a 0.5m tank, which I had to climb on to, to use the toilet. It was a squat toilet so I'm glad I didn't need to do much there.
The food came and it was delicious but very traditional and very simple. A boiled chicken soup with some greenery, a plate of greenery with tiny shrimp and peanuts, a dish of small eels and a beef dish. No other vegetables, just green things. The chicken was a challenge as it was free range and very chewy. I thought I'd get rid of it first but my plan backfired as Syden's wife kept filling my bowl when I emptied it. Syden said the food was fresh because they had no fridge and so food was cooked when you ordered it. When we finished we were told we were going off for an ice cream.
We ended up at a new, trendy place, that is made up of containers. It's a popular idea here, creating markets, restaurant complexes etc out of empty containers. It's very creative but not always easy to fill. This one had the usual clothing, dining and drinking areas and also a large place for kids to play. It was like an adventure playground with a pirate's ship, ropes, swings, slides and a host of things for children. Parents sat down, ordered food and let the children run wild. Rattana (Syden's brother), wife and child arrived. Rattana is a tour guide like Syden so he was telling me his latest escapades. He doesn't think much of the Russian and Indian groups who don't tip. For some strange reason he's become popular with people from Utah who are always Mormon. For a while he's been building a school and he needs $800 a month to pay the staff salaries - he must be doing alright with tips as the school is successful. One Utah man gave him $1000. They keep reminding him he hasn't visited the church. He knows they are after his soul but they won't win as he's a devout Buddhist and a very knowledgeable one too.
When we left we stopped for ice cream, but it was only for the children. So now i'm on the bed again and feeling quite droopy - it's been a long day.
