On the streets where we live

 

I heard the unmistakeable ringing of a handheld, brass bell and instantly thought “ice cream” tonight. It feels like inclusion having the visual come to mind just from the sound alone, without actually understanding any of the blaring announcements these cart vendors repetitively play. I can now  identify the sugar cane juice seller, the fresh fruit and veg carts, the fried glutinous rice cake pusher, the spicy snails in their shells vendor, the garbage truck and others too. 

I feel a kind of calm detachment knowing that no matter how often I peer over the terrace railings to see what they have, I never feel the urge to race down the four flights of stairs to see if I can purchase from them before they move on, even though I do buy from various mobile stalls at street level during the day. At night they rarely have anything I’m keen to buy but the same cannot be said for the bargirls below and all along the strip. They all have their favourite mobile vendor snacks, meals and drinks. And personally I’m glad to see the sales and know there will always be business for them in this neighbourhood. 

We have had some incredible storms recently. I love it when we are at home and you can hear the rain approaching, with a drumming beat marching across the galvanised iron rooves. The wind picks up and sometimes the blinds and prayer flags fly horizontal. All around us visibility is reduced and everything is cloaked in grey mist. We turn off the fans as they aren’t needed, and the solar lights flicker due to the flashes of lightning while thunder booms loud enough to make us flinch even when we are indoors. Such an onslaught of the senses is loud, energetic, exhilarating and mesmerising. Unless you are caught outdoors or travelling it is spectacular entertainment. 

For me perhaps the best time to be in the riverside residential zone is one of the two long festival breaks of the year. While during Khmer New Year almost the whole city empties out and it becomes a ghost town, during the Pchum Ben break there is an exodus but still many remain. 

Children reclaim the streets and sidewalks as playgrounds and those business remaining open do a roaring trade: especially the noodle sellers at breakfast. Loud music blares from homes not bars for most of the day and a party atmosphere descends. 

The traffic is more easily negotiated and pedestrians are suddenly able to use the footpaths that are miraculously empty of mobile stalls, vendors and motorcycle parking. It’s then that we enjoy roaming in zones usually too cluttered and noisy to negotiate. Following tradition and joining locals in the compulsory visit to the wat is my recommendation. 

This year I donned my traditional Khmer clothes along with the locals and made my small offering at Wat Phnom. Unlike new year there were only a smattering of locals and tourist present but those who were and the scant few who remained in our community, were thrilled to see us participating and we were met with broad smiles, thumbs up and delight. 

Just another reason to love where we live. 

One PhOtO a DaY JaNuArY 2025

JANUARY 1st HI, IT’S ME: all dolled up for the New Year Parade last night. The excesses  and over exuberance of the evening mean today is not a good one for selfies

*however this was selected along with eight others for the fabulous grid on Facebook

DECEMBER 2nd SOMETHING GOOD: Catching up with friends we met in Bhutan over eleven years ago and haven’t seen again in all that time in our own hood tonight

JANUARY 3rd CURRENTLY READING: I just discovered this is the third selfie in a row for this month…. Me, who never enjoys taking selfies is suddenly on a roll??? I am also currently reading two books, which is something else I never do…. Perhaps 2025 is breaking the mold of who I used to be and honouring living in the moment

JANUARY 4th BLACK AND WHITE : This photograph titled “Ouk Chaktrang” was my selection in the vote for the best three photos in the Eyes on Cambodia 2024 photo completion. The title is the name of the traditional game being played and it appealed to me because the elderly person’s hand is so beautiful and the missing pieces in the set have been replaced with shells and a bottle top. Unfortunately the photographer was not stipulated

JANUARY 5th ON MY PLATE: is the kind of breakfast that we know, is just such an Asian fusion style that no one else is ever eating anything like this and yet we love every morsel. Buckwheat, rice and wheat flour with spring onion pancakes and homemade kimchi and simmered shiitake mushrooms, French beans, rocket and tomato. Yum yum yum

JANUARY 6th SKY :The facade of the central market with the clear blue sky as a backdrop

JANUARY 7th 5 MINS AGO: It’s the public holiday for Victory Over Genocide today in Cambodia and on our riverside walk (note the toes in the bottom left) we saw lots of people offering flowers and incense at the public altar

 JANUARY 8th SWEET: My local favourite is coconut water with the sweet young coconut flesh from the shell blended through it. I’m

Not a big fan of super sweet and this is perfect for me

JANUARY 9th KITCHEN BENCH: during breakfast preparation this morning - all the essentials for my favourite breakfast right there

JANUARY 10th A FAVE PLACE: Actually any swimming pool is the best place for me but this one is my all time favourite and that’s exactly where we were this morning

JANUARY 11th MORNING: One of my favorite early morning scenes returning from the market is seeing the local monks on their alms walk

JANUARY 12th WHAT I SEE: Having gone out and bought a vacuum cleaner this morning after choosing not to own one for over a decade, what I see is a frenzy of cleaning hard to reach and long neglected crevices, ledges and nooks

JANUARY 13th HAPPY: Always happy to be packing my bags and anticipating another short domestic jaunt

JANUARY 14th ENTRANCE: A quaint little entrance to a very traditional rural home I spotted from the car today on the drive to Siem Reap

JANUARY 15th SIMPLE: The simple pleasure of an elephant - finding a secret stash of sugar cane after feeding time is over. We spent most of the day in Kulen Elephant Forest

JANUARY 16th 9 O’CLOCK: We were out walking on the riverside in Siem Reap and this gallery is part of the plan for the day but it still wasn’t open at 9 o’clock

JANUARY 17th LOOK UP: One of my favourite buildings in this neighborhood has this light well with hanging plants over the stairwell. It creates a lovely atmosphere and highlights the character of the space

JANUARY 18th A FAVE ANIMAL: Elephants are definitely up there as my favourites  and having been to a sanctuary just a few days ago, this was an easy choice. My favourite shot of the day, is this thirsty pachyderm who seems to be smiling

JANUARY 19th WHERE I LIVE: The small hall table in the entrance of our apartment is one feature of where I live that always helps me feel calm and relaxed

JANUARY 20th REAL LIFE: moment, when the kids flying their kite on riverside lodge it in a palm and fill a pet water bottle to throw up to dislodge it. Good throw but they are still working on it

JANUARY 21st EMPTY: They better be empty! There are two coffin shops, no not undertakers, right on the front of the downtown, riverside bar and restaurant strip. I always wonder how they do enough business to survive

JANUARY 22nd GRATEFUL: That quote sums it all up for me. I practice everyday by keeping a gratitude journal and it’s always improved the present for me. Archive shot from when I wrote a positive and motivational quote on the whiteboard in our apartment in Thimphu every morning before heading out the door

JANUARY 23rd A VIEW: across the Kampot salt fields to a drying shed off in the distance

JANUARY 24th FAVE CLOTHING: I don’t really have a particular favourite but I do love scarves and especially these Cambodian kramas and absolutely anything orange so I’m going with this. That’s what I’m wearing today anyway 

*surprisingly this one was selected for the excellent eleven on Facebook. Funny two selfies selected this month, when I know I’m not good at them 

JANUARY 25th THE WEATHER TODAY: like most days here is hot, humid and sunny. Anyone with any sense is seeking shade in the afternoon at least

JANUARY 26th A FAVE BREAKFAST: The Hungry Bellies vegetarian breakfast at Seapony Cafe on Koh Rong Sanloem Island, is pretty hard to beat. I have to get it at least once every trip there. Might just be the best place for breakfast in the entire Kingdom of Wonder

JANUARY 27th WHAT I’M DOING NOW: Enjoying a coffee and a delicious home baked cheese cake gifted to us by a friend

JANUARY 28th COOKING: It’s the eve of Chinese New Year and northerners, having cleaned their houses, all gather to together to make dumplings as a family. We lived in China back in the nineties and this dumpling style and filling using walnuts and carrots is typical of the province where we lived. Of course we’ve added our own twist to it too but it’s dumplings for dinner tonight

JANUARY 29th ON MY OWN: I thought of the idea and found appropriate adult phrases and presented them for our celebration on the weekend. Blessings for Chinese New Year. I do know red envelopes are supposed to have money in them and be gifted to children but this is a bit of fun. Thrilled I could still read, write and comprehend them

JANUARY 30th TO THE LEFT: is a group of tourists traveling by cyclo to see the sights of Phnom Penh on the riverside strip. Not an unusual sight in these parts, not that I’m tempted myself 

JANUARY 31st SOMETHING UNEXPECTED: A snail mail from the UK arrived today and we went to the post office to collect it. There is no mail delivery here hence the phone number on the address so that we can be called to come and collect.  10 days is also the record time for any of the seven countries we have been writing to in the last two and a half years since I started my snail mail project. Well done chaps at Royal Mail 

PROMPTS

One PhOtO a DaY dEcEmBeR 2024:

 

DECEMBER 1st HALF FULL: It’s actually been a full on day but I did remember the prompt at dinner and well yes my favourite kind of half full. Only totally full would be better!

DECEMBER 2nd MONEY: Cambodia uses two currencies and payment and change can come in one or the other or a combination of both so it certainly tests your maths skills

NOVEMBER 3rd CHEERS: the travelling trio returned home this afternoon and it’s almost wine/ beer o’clock but I’ll have to blame this prompt for the early start 

NOVEMBER 4th SPARKLE: nothing quite sparkles like fireworks

*this was selected for the notable nine on Facebook!

 DECEMBER 5th MERRY: Just strolling past the Chinese temple on our way to the movies when we heard the clatter of cymbals and pounding of drums. Then we spotted a lion dance rehearsal in full swing. A merry group of acrobatic performers

DECEMBER 6th LIGHTS: In our hood the streets light up every evening and the bars do a roaring trade - Phnom Penh Nightlife Street spelt out in lights. It helps you know where you are if you’ve had a few too many as an added bonus

NOVEMBER 7th XMAS TREE: I’m no artist but I’m making labels for Xmas cakes and this was the best of the batch

NOVEMBER 8th THIS IS CUTE: We attended a massive products of Cambodia Xmas fair today and had a bit of a spending spree but we didn’t buy this despite how cute it

NOVEMBER 9th ON THE SHELF:  in a local community retail space was this watercolour with an accompanying touch of Xmas

NOVEMBER 10th A HAT: Not just any hat but the Panama hat we bought in Peru and both still wear. An archive shot because today has been mostly overcast and windy

DECEMBER 12th STAR: In the floor of the newly renovated Central Post Office in Phnom Penh is this beautiful terrazzo star set in the original tiles

NOVEMBER 12th THIS IS JOYFUL: Having guests from both Australia and the USA visiting at the same time and all enjoying hanging out together and all chipping in to bake the final batch of Xmas cakes

NOVEMBER 14th CANDY CANE: Taken on the fly from a tuk tuk this morning actually. This is on the roadside down town in Phnom Penh unfortunately in front of casino which is why I didn’t want stop

DECEMBER 15th SHOPPING: I almost never buy anything online but this laptop stand is something I have been looking at for ages and finally I bit the bullet this morning and got one delivered. Maybe the fourth online purchase and delivery in seven years.  It is exactly what I wanted and I haven’t been near a shop all day

NOVEMBER 15th FESTIVE: A tasty, tempting festive morsel  made with pistachios, cranberry sponge, mascarpone and cream

NOVEMBER 16th MAIL: Just about to head to the post office with this morning’s efforts for my snail mail project. The card is extra special as we just bought ourselves a framed, over sized print of this exact image for the living room wall

DECEMBER 17th DECORATION: When we are about to take off on a little island jaunt and therefore there are no fresh cut flowers in the house I use my collection of dried seed pods found in the neighbourhood streets as a the decoration on the hall table

DECEMBER 18th RED AND GREEN: These are Cambodian Kramas and they have a thousand uses from rolled up as a children’s ball, a baby’s hammock, sun protection, belt, scarf or tow rope. Every Khmer owns one and I always give one to guests who visit us. I own several, love them and wear them regularly

DECEMBER 19th WRAPPING: This is the deconstructed wrapping I did late last night so we could enjoy homemade sandwiches at the ferry port in Sihanoukville  after bussing here from Phnom Penh. They were delicious too

DECEMBER 20th SANTA: Not a Santa in sight on this Cambodian island but I did snap this one as a precaution a few days ago in Phnom Penh when I thought that might be the case

DECEMBER 21st ON THE FLOOR: The ocean floor counts right? That’s where this one time fishing boat seems to have met it’s demise and that is where it remains regardless of the high or low tide

DECEMBER 22nd PARTIAL: Who isn’t partial to a stunning sunrise over the ocean and even more so when on a holiday break?

DECEMBER 23rd SILLY: On our morning walk along the beach this morning we saw this very fresh chilli in the sand at the shoreline. It certainly hadn’t been there overnight as it was so fresh and there wasn’t a soul about so it’s the silly discovery of a chilli for me today

DECEMBER 24th A GIFT: to me from me - oriental lilies and a new, custom made to my preferences and design, handbag made from recycled single use plastic bags. Merry Xmas

DECEMBER 25th CELEBRATE : Xmas is just about the only day of the year when alcohol for breakfast is de rigueur. The celebrations begin now

DECEMBER 27th DECOR: The latest addition to our home decor is still waiting to be hung. Fingers crossed Sunday will be the day. It contains all the elements of Phnom Penh we love: the street scape with residential properties, like our own and monks, hornbills and frangipanis

DECEMBER 28th PEACE: Spreading peace and love in the world through assisting the poor and needy - the Sisters Missionaries of Charity. Despite not being Christians, we had the honour of joining them for a food distribution event at their mission. So happy to offer our time and labour

DECEMBER 29th REFLECTION: The silhouette of the small sampan in the foreground is only visible due to the reflection of the lights on the sunset cruise boat behind it. Riverside atmosphere is enhanced by the refections 

DECEMBER 30th POP: This prompt came a day too early for me. I will be waiting until midnight tomorrow to pop the cork on the bubbles but we’re ready to celebrate a new beginning 

DECEMBER 31st LOOKING BACK: from the start line down the line up for the New Years Eve Parade in Phnom Penh. It’s all about to start happening 

PROMPTS