mardi 6 avril 2010

Cambodia...I ve lost track of time...Easter weekend

So it has been a little while since last time. But in the mean time lots has been going on. I finished with the Southeast Asia Globe Friday the 2nd of April and was relieved to move onto something else, something new. That Friday night, The PA director, Pises took me out for dinner and a good amount of beers. He briefed me about my future placement and the director of the orphanage, who apparently has a quite a character and way of doing things. After the serious talk was done we talked about a lot of interesting things about Cambodia. I have noticed that there are no movie theaters and a lot of fake dvd copies (actually I wonder if it is possible to buy any real ones anywhere). This is the reason the film industry in Cambodia is so bad. Not to mention that most of its artists were killed or emigrated during the Khmer Rouge occupation. The people here don't have the culture of "going to the movies", they have just as great programs on their televisions so they prefer to stay home to watch the newest cinema releases in their own living room. It is sad that the country is actually stuck in a vicious circle. They want to develop, but the corruption keeps it from getting anywhere: they produce so many fake copies of anything from fashion, to software, electronics and even medicines. This does not really make companies want to come to do business in Cambodia. How can a country run on fakes? I walk in the street and I see plastic, cheaply made brands, it looks fake. Most of it...but the smiles you encounter on a daily basis somehow are real. Oddly enough I was wondering about all the beautiful and colorful fruits and vegetables sold on the market here. Are they imported from other countries or are they local produce? Well most of them are imported from other countries and also cheaper than the Cambodian ones. I just think it is weird when a country has so much fruit and vegetable that they need to import more...maybe there national production isn't enough to cater to the Khmer people? Maybe it's cheaper to import and more lucrative than to grow and harvest yourself? I don't know...I m just learning about Cambodia's ways.

Saturday night I went out with some of the girls and had some nice cocktails on the posh Riverside.
Margaux and I in a tuk tuk on our way out

Emily, moi, Julia and Margaux...Chow Moy!!!! (Cheers)
Next stop: the night market. The night market happens only on weekends, usually there are mostly cambodians who go there to meet. It is very social and you have the outdoor kitchen part where mats are laid on the floor and a lot of locals eat there and then enjoy the concerts and night life that the market attracts. I personnally like it a lot, and although I haven't dared try the food there yet I think I might want to do it before I leave.


One of the outdoor kitchens

The social life on the restaurant part of the market, we came quite late though so most cambodians had gathered around the stage by that time

Some goods found on the market

You want scarf? Cheap Cheap!

After the night market we relaxed with an unusual foot massage...a FISH massage! For someone who doesn't like fish I can proudly that these little things have been given the honor (in all modesty of course) to eat at my feet twice :)...they eat your dead skin and are fish imported from Vietnam. At first it feels really weird, like uncomfortable tickling, but when you get past the fact that fish are eating your feet, it becomes very nice and relaxing and when you're done, you feel like your feet are lighter and softer...almost like swaying on a cloud (not that I would know how that feels like haha). It feels like when my dad used to tickle my feet before I went to sleep when I was younger...

Touching the fishes :) hihi it tickles!

E
Doctor Fish taking care of us ladies...Julia, moi, Emily and Margaux...the fish seemed to love Margaux and Julia's feet. Emily and I were jealous

Nam Nam...eat me fishes...eat me


Easter Sunday was pool day...no Easter bunnies, no chocolate eggs, no eggs...no easter really.
We went to Phnom Penh Hotel Pool, largely overpriced but very good for sunbathing and swimming.


And how I missed the "gigot d'agneau avec de l'ail" and a good red wine...I had a burger and a hot dog. That was sad. But we made up for at least the lack of wine part. We organized a wine and cheese roof party!

The roof party


Katherine and I, wine and cheese partay!

That was fun and I think everyone enjoyed. I certainly did! Chow Moy!

1 commentaire:

  1. Well, we ll have to have some gigot avec de l ail when you come home then my dear!
    Ouf, don t know if I would like to try that fishy thing, tickel, tickel!!Chow moy from the Mams

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