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| Pedalling in the heart of Phnom Penh |
Typically at noon we often have lunch at the local restaurant where Khmer food is tasty and cheap - it's a $1.50 for a plate of vegetables with either meat/egg/fish, a side plate of rice and a large glass of ice tea. The food market is just up the road and we often venture there after lunch to buy fruit. Oh yes, there's a bakery just across from the VSO office that sell fresh crispy bread. What a treat!
PP city bustles with tuk tuks, cyclos, bicycles, motorbikes that hold between 3 to 5 passengers - children are either at the front and/or sandwiched between two adults behind the driver. Everyone drives insanely in different directions making it tricky to cross the road. Sidewalks are just as eventful. Food vendors and vehicles block sidewalks for parking, leaving little room for Barangs 'that's us' to maneuver around the pavement. You'll find that it's the expats who prefer to walk and the locals who prefer to drive.
Sometimes we take refuge at the Noodle Café which is just behind the Burley guesthouse. (the guesthouse has been our home since early September). This place is peaceful with comfortable cushioned seats.
The people are friendly and helpful -we often come across smiling faces and a chorus of hellos 'Swysadae' in Khmer. Since we've been here in PP, we found that we're able to easily get by because most Cambodians speak English especially the younger generation.
Though it's almost the end of the monsoon season, it's still hot and muggy. Usually there's a down pour in the evening that will last for about an hour and cool things down for a little while.
Next week is Phchum Ben' a national holiday where Cambodians pay respect to deceased relatives of up to 7 generations. This is a bonus for us -we have a week off and heading south.
More later ...
