Hi all,
As February closes I can only say that this has been a busy, stressful and sad month
Darren
February 2006 in Cambodia
Thursday the 2nd
Off to Kratie
After a long absence of field trips, I seem to have been roped into several this month.
This afternoon I am heading off to Kratie with Kimchhea; he is the vice chief of the office that I work in and I get on very well with, so I am looking forwards to a few days in the provinces and the provincial fishing villages with him.
Kratie is a province (County, State, or whatever) in the North-East of Cambodia
2:00 PM – Kimchhea is still not back from his trip to Siam Reap, this could be cutting it fine for getting to Kratie before sunset.
2:30 PM – Kimchhea finally arrives, slightly flustered and rushed
3:00 PM and we finally get on the road, I am slightly concerned that we will now not reach Kratie before nightfall; and driving along barely marked dirt roads, miles from anywhere, with lights is a slow and painful process.
5:00 PM - Out past Kompong Cham (about halfway) the driver takes a ‘short cut’ the ‘new road’ it is only a short cut in distance, not time, as the road has not yet been built, it is just a semi rough, bulldozed, red dirt track, dusty, bumpy, full of potholes, ridges, lumps and drops; it cuts 100Km off the over all journey, but reduces the speed to an average of 10-20KPH. Personally I would have preferred the extra 100Km on a faster, tarmac, road, but the amount of petrol used on the extra distance is the deciding factor for the driver who is being paid a flat fee to get us there.
6:00 PM – sunsets and we are still on the red dust equivalent of a roller-coaster at 5KPH
7:45 PM – and we crawl into Kratie town at last, tired, hot, dusty and battered from the bouncing. We check into our usual Kratie hotel, the Heng Heng 2 Hotel. It is not much different to the dozens of other places to stay here, apart from one thing; there is a large balcony up on the second floor which over looks the wide Mekong River, from which you get an absolutely beautiful view of the sun setting behind the river and the trees on the other side, the sky filled with purples and reds, the clouds black silhouettes amongst these colours, wide a vista dozens of miles wide to either side.
Of course, because we were late, we had missed it.
Friday the 3rd
In Kratie
Breakfast at 06:30 in the Heng Heng Hotel restaurant and then on the way to our meeting at 07:00
While I was stuck in a room with several dozen fishermen and provincial government lackeys. Yawn, yawn.
The main attraction for Kratie province is the dolphins in the town of Kampie. These are some of the last remaining ones in South East Asia. Unfortunately on this trip I did not have time to get out and see them as I was working.
Irrawaddy Dolphins
Or freshwater dolphins
Latin: orcaella brevirostris. Khmer: Trey Pisaut
Are an endangered species, especially so in Cambodia where there is now less than 80 of them left. Five died (or were killed) in 2004 and no calves were born in 2005. In January 2006 8 more died or were killed by illegal fishing or by becoming entangled in fishing nets.
The WWF and the MRC both have projects here assisting in trying to protect and save them, but they seem to be fighting a losing battle.
At the end of the day, we all meet back at the hotel and I finally got to watch my sunset :-)
After which, I was happy and the Khmers were slightly perplexed, but we all went out for dinner – yes, fish and rice… The Mekong Restaurant; Tom Yam Trey (fish soup), fried fish, minced beef in gravy (?sort of?) and a stir-fry of pork and mixed vegetables (my choice!)
Saturday the 4th
Off to Kompong Cham
05:30 and there is a knocking on my hotel room door?! What is going on, what time is it, aghh. It is my colleague Bo who cheerfully informs me that the taxi is now coming for us at 06:30; I think that I nearly flattened his nose when I slammed the door shut!
0615 and I am standing on the pavement outside the hotel loading my rucksack into the boot, uggh. Far, far too early.
10:30 and the taxi is filled with red dust from the ‘new’ road, I am blind, thirsty and more than a little irritable when I am dropped off at the crossroads outside Kompong Cham town. The boys are heading back to Phnom Penh for the weekend, I am stopping off for a night in the provinces to visit a colleague.
Before embarking on the next stage of transportation
A bowl of chicken noodle soup and 4 iced coffees helped take a couple of layers of dust off the inside of my mouth and throat, only a couple more left…
11:00 and I climb into a minibus (22 people plus luggage in a 12 seater) for the 18 kilometre trip to Oraing Au village. Once at the village market I phone Rena’s brother for specific directions to their house, Surprisingly he is in the market waiting for us and he turns up on his moto a few minutes later, the house is actually further out into the province, about another 20 kilometres away, so I get on the back of his Honda Cub 90 (with luggage) and set off down yet another dusty red dirt road. Blind again after 10 more seconds!
Arriving at the house I find a medium sized marquee being set up at the front of it, a dozen small round tables with chairs being carried in and lots of old Khmer women at the side peeling vegetables and scraping the flesh out of coconuts. After a round of hellos and introductions I am shown into the house and where I will be staying.
It was a fairly lazy afternoon, sat around drinking tea and most pointedly, yet politely, turning down repeated offers for a glass of homemade snake wine. A large plastic jar, similar to an old sweet shop jar, filled with neat homemade alcohol, in which has been marinating for several months the corpses of three medium sized snakes, half a dozen scorpions and god knows how many poisonous centipedes and millipedes. No way on earth am I touching that !
Early in the evening, an hour or two before sunset, several of us head off to be shown some local ruins – a place of ‘great magic’. After we hike through the hard and dry rice paddies for about 30 minutes we come to a small group of rather large, old, trees. Inside this ring of trees there are several large mounds, 6 to 8 feet high, 12 to 15 feet in diameter. The largest and most central of these mounds has a small offerings shrine at the base, where the Khmers light incense and mutter some Khmer prayers for ‘health, wealth and happiness’ as is the custom. They explain to me that the Bo tree turns into a giant snake during certain magical nights or festivals and that it will then hunt down and kill any tomb raiders or looters that have disturbed this sacred place, the look of wonder and certainty on his face prevents me from smirking or questioning this local belief.
Offerings made and local myths explained we then head back to the village, where people stop and chat and it starts to feel slightly like a royal procession; all of the local family’s friends have to be introduced and they all want to shake the hand of the white man.
Arriving back at the house we discover that even more distant relatives have turned up for what ever party / festival / ceremony this is.
Dinner is being served and the drinks are starting to flow – brandy and beer … mixed together…
Dinner is a curious mixture of dishes: barbequed spareribs (good) chicken heads soup (bad) beef mince soaked in gravy (okay) fried chicken stomach, intestines and offal (very bad)
Sunday the 5th
Back to Phnom Penh
Feeling somewhat groggy after all that beer and brandy; not too mention the early wake up call this morning, courtesy chanting monks and multiple guests arriving at 05:00
So it is off to the local market for breakfast, and more importantly, coffee.
A 15 minute moto ride there with two of Rena’s brothers
Having had some rice and coffee we head back to the house to discover that the ceremonial eating has begun. I am sat down at a table with the old woman whose house and ceremony it is and we are all fed beef and sugar palm root curry…
All too soon it is midday and time for us to head back to the main road to try and flag down a minibus that is heading to Phnom Penh. The family ask us all to stay another night – ‘tonight we have Khmer dancing and karaoke!’ as appealing as that sounds though (ha right) we have to be back in the office on Monday.
Monday the 6th
Back in the Office
My provincial wanderings on hold for a couple of days, it is back to the office and the work – and of course, the power cuts… three or four hours every day in the office and a couple of hours three or four nights a week at home
Tuesday the 7th
Another semi-interview today
This one with a business here that offers management training to other businesses, NGO’s and Government Departments. No current job opening but more of the usual ‘ifs and maybes’
Nice Thai meal in the restaurant next door though, ran by the boss’s wife !
Also, just been told this afternoon that we are going on another field trip tomorrow to Prey Veng province – yes, another dry, dust bowl, of a province. At least this one is only a couple of hours away from Phnom Penh and only involves an overnight stay. Think I will have an early night.
Wednesday the 8th
Off to Prey Veng
Taxi to Neak Loeurn town in Prey Veng province: beggars, hawkers, gawpers’ ratty hotel, dusty roads, oppressive heat, rice and fish three times a day. I have to say, Neak Loeurn town is not my favourite place in Cambodia. The only reason for the town’s existence is that it is the only point at which you can cross the river if you are heading East, South-East or travelling overland to Viet Nam. While you are queuing to buy your ticket, buying your ticket, waiting for the ferry, on the ferry and shuffling off the ferry at the other side you undergo a constant barrage of people trying to sell you things, pressing tings in your face, grabbing your arm, begging and generally trying to part you with money (which is your only reason for existing in there eyes)
The one saving grace of field trips to Prey Veng province is that the fishing communities are quite remote from this horrible little ferry town, which means that we get to spend most of the day travelling up and down the river on boats, picnicking for lunch on an island under coconut trees and enjoying the peace and quiet - if only the picnic had not consisted of rice and fish…
Thursday the 9th
Back to Phnom Penh
Early start off to Prey Veng town, the provincial capital. The deputy chief of fish for Prey Veng province stayed at the hotel with us last night – I suspect that he and Chhea were out singing karaoke until the small hours while I was in bed early suffering with a cold and headache - not sure which would have been more suffering, the cold or the karaoke?
However, they are up early, if not bright, and we take his car for the 85K trip; a journey that takes us nearly 2 hours thanks to bad roads and his amazingly slow driving. The afternoon saw a meeting with the local chief of fish and some paperwork, bit and pieces.
Afternoon - Over crowded taxi back, 5 people in the front – including one between the driver and the drivers’ door, 5 of us on the back seat, the boot full of plastic bottles containing cheap petrol smuggled in from Viet Nam – close my eyes and just pray …
19:00 and back in Phnom Penh. A quiet night in for me, after a very long shower washing off all the dry, red, dust that had welded itself to me over the last 48 hours.
Saturday the 11th
Hello, Goodbye
Had leaving drinks for Lorna, with Margaret and Pete. We all arrived in Cambodia at the same time, on the same flight, to start roles as volunteers here. Nicky, the other member of our arrival team has already left, Lorna leaves on the 14th and Peter and Margaret leave in March, leaving just me out of our Feb 2004 group.
Quite sad really.
Thursday the 16th
Off to Kompong Thom
A slightly better quality field trip this one, Dr Ito the head of JICA, the Japanese organisation that funds this particular project, is going with us; so rather than a small, overloaded, shared taxi we are travelling up in his huge Toyota Prado, with only 4 people in it !
Taking a midmorning coffee break at the town of Skun we get out of the car and are beset, as always, buy vendors of deep fried tarantula. Their round plastic trays piled high dozens of the provinces best known snack. A couple of years back, full of bravado and beer at the time, I tried to eat one. All I managed was a single bite. That fleshy body lump was cold, greasy and so unpleasant tasting that I could only chew it a couple of times before spitting it out and claiming defeat, much to the amusement of my Khmer travelling companions who were happily munching their way through half a dozen of them.
Poor Dr Ito, a relative new comer to Cambodia had to look at their trays for a couple of seconds before he realised what they were, when he did he backed away very slowly and very perplexed. It seems that they had killed his appetite as well.
Arriving in Kompong Thom we meet the local chief of fish, outline the plans for the next stage of the project and generally get his okay for the work that is going to be done is his jurisdiction. He ups the ante a little by requesting various other things to be done, then suggests that he can arrange for the work to be carried out if we just give him the cash and go back to Phnom Penh…
Thankfully Chhea is fairly senior back at the Ministry and he is able to deal with this non too subtle attempt at bribery in a Khmer fashion – he ignores it and then says that we are leaving the meeting to go and do the work ourselves !
Wednesday the 22nd
During the afternoon I got some news that really shook me.
The Ginger Monkey Bar in Phnom Penh opened a couple of years ago, about the time that I arrived in Phnom Penh. We used to go there quite regularly at one point. The owner, a guy from Birmingham called David Mitchell, was funny and friendly, the bar was the most decorative and interesting in Phnom Penh; the owner of the building was a sculptor, making copies of the bas relief’s at Angkor Wat for tourist and the local market and when he left, he left the walls of the bar covered in huge recreations of ancient battles depicted in stone carvings.
Dave the owner seemed to give away more free beers than he sold, was always happy and joking and we had many good times there.
Well, it seems that late Tuesday night, early Wednesday morning a homeless drug addict broke into the flat at the back of the bar, where Dave and his girlfriend Jane live. The actual sequence of events is a bit blurry and has been reported slightly differently by different agencies, but the upshot of whatever happened is that Jane was slashed very badly about the face and throat and Dave was stabbed to death trying to save her.
The police caught the assailant not 15 minutes later; the criminal mastermind being 25 yards away from the bar washing blood off of his clothes and knife.
He claims that he was looking for food and got scared.
Pointless, stupid, pathetic, shocking and utterly meaningless.
Jane is in Bangkok getting treated for her wounds; nobody is quite sure yet what funeral arrangements are for Dave
News:
http://www.channel4.com/news/content/news-storypage.jsp?id=926042
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=2&ObjectID=10369787
http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3582472a10,00.html
http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,,1717376,00.html
Friday the 24th
Update
Was watching Khmer TV last night, well it was on in the background as I was reading, when the Khmer equivalent of Crimewatch came on. This program usually consists of the local police in the local police station showing which criminals they have caught that day, parading them around before the TV camera, along with the evidence. There is a large Ghanaian guy standing handcuffed next to the police chief’s desk, the police chief opens up a FedEx box in which half a dozen bags of heroin are spilled out onto the table. The police chief for the district points at the accused, points at the heroin and is talking about something I can not be bothered to try and follow in Khmer. The only reason I looked up from my book is that it is very unusual to have a Westerner arrested.
I should also point out that this show is on every evening, usually before the accused is even charged in the courts the following morning.
Then ‘he’ comes on screen; 18 year old Tong Chen. Homeless street urchin and drug addict. Charged that very morning with the premeditated murder of Dave Mitchell.
The handcuffed Chen holding the long bowed knife he used on Dave and Jane, held is instructed to hold it up further for the cameras. I feel somewhat light-headed.
Next the police show crime scene photos on their digital camera, Dave laying on the floor, eyes closed and covered in blood, I fight down the urge to vomit. Transfixed by the unimaginable horror of this image before me I can say nothing, do nothing, just stare unbelieving and numb at the screen for the next 30 seconds until the next criminal is presented to the viewing public.
Monday, February 27, 2006
Thursday, February 23, 2006
RIP Dave Ginger Monkey
A British bar owner was stabbed to death by an 18-year-old youth during an apparent botched robbery in the Cambodian capital, police and neighbours said on Wednesday.
The youth, a street kid called Tong Chen, was arrested in a park as he cleaned blood off his knife after stabbing David Mitchell, from Walsall, five times in the chest, police investigator Neang Sopheap said.
New Zealand journalist Jane Nye, who worked as managing editor of Cambodian Scene magazine and who had been staying in the same house, sustained injuries to her neck, hands and head and was evacuated to Thailand for medical treatment.
"The boy could have climbed up the wall to steal their property but woke them up," Neang Sopheap said after a preliminary investigation of the scene, which still had pools of blood on the floor.
Chhum Sara, who lived next door to Mitchell's Ginger Monkey bar -- a favourite hang-out for Phnom Penh expatriates and tourists -- said she heard Nye screaming "Help me! Help me!", adding that she feared her friend might die of blood loss.
Under Cambodian law, Tong Chen could face life imprisonment if found guilty of murdering Mitchell, who had been running the Ginger Monkey for several years.
The youth, a street kid called Tong Chen, was arrested in a park as he cleaned blood off his knife after stabbing David Mitchell, from Walsall, five times in the chest, police investigator Neang Sopheap said.
New Zealand journalist Jane Nye, who worked as managing editor of Cambodian Scene magazine and who had been staying in the same house, sustained injuries to her neck, hands and head and was evacuated to Thailand for medical treatment.
"The boy could have climbed up the wall to steal their property but woke them up," Neang Sopheap said after a preliminary investigation of the scene, which still had pools of blood on the floor.
Chhum Sara, who lived next door to Mitchell's Ginger Monkey bar -- a favourite hang-out for Phnom Penh expatriates and tourists -- said she heard Nye screaming "Help me! Help me!", adding that she feared her friend might die of blood loss.
Under Cambodian law, Tong Chen could face life imprisonment if found guilty of murdering Mitchell, who had been running the Ginger Monkey for several years.
Wednesday, February 15, 2006
Sher – E - Punjab: Phnom Penh curry house
As we entered the restaurant, at 6PM on a Sunday evening, we were surprised to see that there was only one table left free. For a restaurant that has only been open for three weeks, and has done no advertising yet, that is quite a feat. Even more so in a city likes Phnom Penh where the restaurant and bar markets are already oversaturated.
Taking the last free table we are handed menus by a smiling Khmer girl, whom then returns to fill up our glasses with iced water; swiftly dispensing with that nonsense we order up some large, 1 litre, bottles of Beer Lao, US$2. No sooner had we returned to the menus, when our smiling, yet nervous, waitress returned bearing complimentary poppadom and pickles.
After we had placed our order, with a very well spoken young Indian lad, we started discussing the various merits of the other existing curry houses in Phnom Penh, we had got no further than saying a few harsh things about one certain establishment when the charming young lad had reappeared with three complementary glass of Johnny Walker Black; the reason he gave was ‘because it is Sunday’, well, never let it be said that I did not like Sundays’ – chin chin.
As the discussion led further into Phnom Penh’s culinary past – Peace Man “there was this curry house on Monivong Boulevard about 7 years ago…” - I scanned the room, taking in our fellow diners and picking up hints of their conversation. There was a trio of young ladies fresh of the boat and on holiday in Cambodia; a youngish expatriate guy with his Khmer wife and her brother (who seemed somewhat suspicious of the food), an older Singaporean gentleman was dining alone in one corner, content to pick at his meal slowly over a long time. On one of the tables out side sat a very elderly gentleman, that I believe may have been American – the Red Sox tee-shirt and baseball cap gave me this clue. As well as two middle aged Sikhs, complete with turbans; all in all quite the cultural mixture.
Before long our food started to turn up.
The Governor’s meal turn up first, a Chicken Tikka Masala, US$3:50 served in a miniature copy of a balti dish. He pronounced it rich and spicy – much like his good self.
My Chicken Rogan Josh US$3:50 was equally excellent, a medium to hot in spiciness. The surprise came when I flaked one of the lumps of chicken apart to discover that the rich brown colour of the sauce carried all the way through the meat, obviously this dish had been well marinated and cooked slowly.
The Peace Man was a little miffed that his Gosht Mutton Masala, US$3:50 did not come in a balti style dish, but rather on an ordinary plate, but that soon passed as he tasted his curry. The mutton was soft and tender, again speaking of proper preparation and cooking; rather than just fry up some meat and toss in a jar of sauce.
Only the Governor had bothered to order basmati rice US$0:50, Peace Man and myself are both Midlanders from the UK and as such had grown up with large Indian and Pakistani populations – in short, we eat our curries with bread, not rice. And what a selection we had ordered; Butter Naan US$1:20, Tandoori Roti US$0:70, Garlic Naan US$1:30, chapatti’s US$0:50 – okay, we may have gone a little overboard on the bread, but it was well worth it.
At this point, the Peace Man went over to the owner and started requesting some obscure Indian singers CD to be played, he returned happy, and slightly surprised that they had it and were happy to play it for him.
As we had finished eating, the nervous, grinning (near gurning) waitress reappeared with three small bowls of complimentary banana slices. Only a small finger banana worth each, but a pleasant enough nibble after a warming curry.
A few more beers followed, the restaurant started to thin out a little and we felt thoroughly satiated.
Along with the bill came three little pots of the traditional, liquorish flavoured sweets that are served as a digestif in India. All things considered, we deemed the US$26 bill quite reasonable, once we had taken into consideration the US$12 worth of beer.
The one small downside I suppose was the inexperience of the staff, the girls’ grins hiding just how nervous they really were; but that should improve with time, or with hiring experienced staff.
A couple of days later, I had just been stood up for Brunch on the riverfront by a ‘busy’ Khmer colleague. Rather than endure an hour on the front being pestered to buy postcards, books and my shoes polished every couple of minutes I slipped a couple of blocks up the road for a spot of Indian Luncheon at the Sher-E-Punjab.
Again, upon being seated I received complementary poppadoms and pickles. However, this time I opted for a Gosht Mutton Masala US$3.50 supported by a Butter Naan bread US$1:30
I also noted that on the menu they carried 42 different vegetarian main courses, with 15 vegetarian starters; that should keep those pussies among you who are a squeamish about red meat and bloody steaks quiet for a while, or then again, maybe not.
The meal appeared so swiftly that I thought that they must have brought me somebody else’s, but no, it was mine. I had not even had enough time to read through all the job advertisements in the Cambodia (rarely) Daily (almost).
The mutton, again, had obviously been well marinated and cooked slowly, it was tender, it was juicy and had none of the usual, tough, characteristics of the meat. The sauce was onion, tomatoes, lentils and coriander and had just enough spices to make it a comfortable ‘medium’ for a lunchtime – no beer – curry.
Afterwards, I again received a complementary banana and the bill came with the little liquorish flavoured titbits.
As I left the restaurant for the second time in as many days feeling as replete as before and seriously considering taking the afternoon off work to lay in front of the telly, on the sofa, stroking my increasingly large restaurant reviewers belly.
Taking the last free table we are handed menus by a smiling Khmer girl, whom then returns to fill up our glasses with iced water; swiftly dispensing with that nonsense we order up some large, 1 litre, bottles of Beer Lao, US$2. No sooner had we returned to the menus, when our smiling, yet nervous, waitress returned bearing complimentary poppadom and pickles.
After we had placed our order, with a very well spoken young Indian lad, we started discussing the various merits of the other existing curry houses in Phnom Penh, we had got no further than saying a few harsh things about one certain establishment when the charming young lad had reappeared with three complementary glass of Johnny Walker Black; the reason he gave was ‘because it is Sunday’, well, never let it be said that I did not like Sundays’ – chin chin.
As the discussion led further into Phnom Penh’s culinary past – Peace Man “there was this curry house on Monivong Boulevard about 7 years ago…” - I scanned the room, taking in our fellow diners and picking up hints of their conversation. There was a trio of young ladies fresh of the boat and on holiday in Cambodia; a youngish expatriate guy with his Khmer wife and her brother (who seemed somewhat suspicious of the food), an older Singaporean gentleman was dining alone in one corner, content to pick at his meal slowly over a long time. On one of the tables out side sat a very elderly gentleman, that I believe may have been American – the Red Sox tee-shirt and baseball cap gave me this clue. As well as two middle aged Sikhs, complete with turbans; all in all quite the cultural mixture.
Before long our food started to turn up.
The Governor’s meal turn up first, a Chicken Tikka Masala, US$3:50 served in a miniature copy of a balti dish. He pronounced it rich and spicy – much like his good self.
My Chicken Rogan Josh US$3:50 was equally excellent, a medium to hot in spiciness. The surprise came when I flaked one of the lumps of chicken apart to discover that the rich brown colour of the sauce carried all the way through the meat, obviously this dish had been well marinated and cooked slowly.
The Peace Man was a little miffed that his Gosht Mutton Masala, US$3:50 did not come in a balti style dish, but rather on an ordinary plate, but that soon passed as he tasted his curry. The mutton was soft and tender, again speaking of proper preparation and cooking; rather than just fry up some meat and toss in a jar of sauce.
Only the Governor had bothered to order basmati rice US$0:50, Peace Man and myself are both Midlanders from the UK and as such had grown up with large Indian and Pakistani populations – in short, we eat our curries with bread, not rice. And what a selection we had ordered; Butter Naan US$1:20, Tandoori Roti US$0:70, Garlic Naan US$1:30, chapatti’s US$0:50 – okay, we may have gone a little overboard on the bread, but it was well worth it.
At this point, the Peace Man went over to the owner and started requesting some obscure Indian singers CD to be played, he returned happy, and slightly surprised that they had it and were happy to play it for him.
As we had finished eating, the nervous, grinning (near gurning) waitress reappeared with three small bowls of complimentary banana slices. Only a small finger banana worth each, but a pleasant enough nibble after a warming curry.
A few more beers followed, the restaurant started to thin out a little and we felt thoroughly satiated.
Along with the bill came three little pots of the traditional, liquorish flavoured sweets that are served as a digestif in India. All things considered, we deemed the US$26 bill quite reasonable, once we had taken into consideration the US$12 worth of beer.
The one small downside I suppose was the inexperience of the staff, the girls’ grins hiding just how nervous they really were; but that should improve with time, or with hiring experienced staff.
A couple of days later, I had just been stood up for Brunch on the riverfront by a ‘busy’ Khmer colleague. Rather than endure an hour on the front being pestered to buy postcards, books and my shoes polished every couple of minutes I slipped a couple of blocks up the road for a spot of Indian Luncheon at the Sher-E-Punjab.
Again, upon being seated I received complementary poppadoms and pickles. However, this time I opted for a Gosht Mutton Masala US$3.50 supported by a Butter Naan bread US$1:30
I also noted that on the menu they carried 42 different vegetarian main courses, with 15 vegetarian starters; that should keep those pussies among you who are a squeamish about red meat and bloody steaks quiet for a while, or then again, maybe not.
The meal appeared so swiftly that I thought that they must have brought me somebody else’s, but no, it was mine. I had not even had enough time to read through all the job advertisements in the Cambodia (rarely) Daily (almost).
The mutton, again, had obviously been well marinated and cooked slowly, it was tender, it was juicy and had none of the usual, tough, characteristics of the meat. The sauce was onion, tomatoes, lentils and coriander and had just enough spices to make it a comfortable ‘medium’ for a lunchtime – no beer – curry.
Afterwards, I again received a complementary banana and the bill came with the little liquorish flavoured titbits.
As I left the restaurant for the second time in as many days feeling as replete as before and seriously considering taking the afternoon off work to lay in front of the telly, on the sofa, stroking my increasingly large restaurant reviewers belly.
Wednesday, February 08, 2006
Hint Hint...
Budget flights arrive in South-East Asia
Cut-price air travel has arrived in South-East Asia - and it is making the same kind of impact as it did in Europe and the United States.
Low-cost airlines have outperfomed higher-priced rivals in recent years
Well-established national carriers that have enjoyed near-monopolies are finally being challenged.
The newcomers use a similar business model to internet-based operations in Europe and the US.
Because of the limited access to computers in some countries in the region, tickets are also available through travel agents.
But the same principle applies: the earlier you book, the cheaper the ticket.
One of the main players is the Kuala Lumpur-based Air Asia, a company that has grown rapidly since it started four years ago.
It recently made a canny decision to buy advertising at English Premiership football matches - ensuring massive exposure to potential customers around the world.
New destinations
Air Asia's chief executive, Tony Fernandes, feels he has thrown down a challenge to the established carriers in the region - although an inability to obtain landing rights in Singapore clearly rankles.
"It is a country that is supposed to welcome open competition, but they are scared of us," he said.
Not all Cambodia's airlines have been commercially successful
"We will open up new destinations. People can go to Bali and Bangkok to shop. It is going to be a loss for Singapore."
Another of those new destinations is Cambodia. In October, Air Asia started flying from Phnom Penh and Siem Reap to Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur.
With no major carriers of its own, Cambodia operates an "open skies" policy - and the low-cost carrier has been given a warm welcome.
There were already two airlines offering direct flights to Bangkok. But the effect on the cost of flying to Malaysia, previously only possible with Malaysia Airlines, has been dramatic.
It is now possible to book a return from Phnom Penh for as little as $41, including taxes.
Even though it has been struggling financially, Malaysia Airlines was forced to respond with price cuts of its own.
Welcome change
Jet Star Asia, backed by the Australian carrier Qantas, has made a similar impact by starting flights between Singapore and Cambodia.
Singapore Airlines' regional carrier, SilkAir, used to charge $400 for a round trip from Phnom Penh.
More and more people will now be able to afford to come to Cambodia
Cambodian Tourism Minister Lay Prohas
The arrival of Jet Star Asia's service has prompted SilkAir to cut its prices in half.
It is a welcome change for people in Cambodia to have a choice over which airline to fly.
The country's own carriers have an unhappy recent history, and Phnom Penh is littered with the offices of companies that have ceased to operate.
Those still flying have to battle an image problem.
Local airlines have a reputation for cancelling flights at short notice, and there are also safety concerns.
PMT Air flies elderly Antonovs to domestic destinations, but its reputation was tarnished by an accident on landing in Ratanakkiri last month. Nobody was seriously hurt, but the United Nations subsequently barred its staff from flying with the airline.
Royal Khmer is trying to rebuild its business after more than a year out of action. It offers flights to several destinations in South East Asia as well as Cambodia's tourist centre, Siem Reap.
Abandoned planes
The outlying parts of Phnom Penh Airport are a testament to the fate of most Cambodian airlines.
Idle Antonovs and Chinese Y7 passenger planes in several different liveries line up next to about 20 abandoned MiG fighter jets in various stages of decay on the weed-strewn concrete strip.
A clearly decommissioned President Airlines jet sits behind a fence in the middle of a well-kept garden.
The arrival of Air Asia and Jet Star Asia suggests that the remaining local carriers will have to improve quickly if they are not to go the same way. Cambodia's Tourism Minister, Lay Prohas, takes a pragmatic view.
Phnom Penh airport has its fair share of decaying planes
"More and more people will now be able to afford to come to Cambodia," he said.
"To have Jet Star Asia and Air Asia is a wonderful thing for tourism. People will have more money to spend on other things, like accommodation, entertainment and souvenirs."
As tourism is the number two industry in Cambodia - and growing rapidly - the increased competition among South-East Asian airlines has come at exactly the right time.
Across the region, eyebrow-raising deals are on offer.
Air Asia's current promotion is for two million free tickets; or you could fly to Darwin in Northern Australia for one Singapore dollar with Tiger Airways, partly-owned by Singapore Airlines.
Passengers still have to pay the usual charges and taxes, but travel bargain-hunters will be hoping this golden era lasts rather longer than some of Cambodia's airlines
Cut-price air travel has arrived in South-East Asia - and it is making the same kind of impact as it did in Europe and the United States.
Low-cost airlines have outperfomed higher-priced rivals in recent years
Well-established national carriers that have enjoyed near-monopolies are finally being challenged.
The newcomers use a similar business model to internet-based operations in Europe and the US.
Because of the limited access to computers in some countries in the region, tickets are also available through travel agents.
But the same principle applies: the earlier you book, the cheaper the ticket.
One of the main players is the Kuala Lumpur-based Air Asia, a company that has grown rapidly since it started four years ago.
It recently made a canny decision to buy advertising at English Premiership football matches - ensuring massive exposure to potential customers around the world.
New destinations
Air Asia's chief executive, Tony Fernandes, feels he has thrown down a challenge to the established carriers in the region - although an inability to obtain landing rights in Singapore clearly rankles.
"It is a country that is supposed to welcome open competition, but they are scared of us," he said.
Not all Cambodia's airlines have been commercially successful
"We will open up new destinations. People can go to Bali and Bangkok to shop. It is going to be a loss for Singapore."
Another of those new destinations is Cambodia. In October, Air Asia started flying from Phnom Penh and Siem Reap to Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur.
With no major carriers of its own, Cambodia operates an "open skies" policy - and the low-cost carrier has been given a warm welcome.
There were already two airlines offering direct flights to Bangkok. But the effect on the cost of flying to Malaysia, previously only possible with Malaysia Airlines, has been dramatic.
It is now possible to book a return from Phnom Penh for as little as $41, including taxes.
Even though it has been struggling financially, Malaysia Airlines was forced to respond with price cuts of its own.
Welcome change
Jet Star Asia, backed by the Australian carrier Qantas, has made a similar impact by starting flights between Singapore and Cambodia.
Singapore Airlines' regional carrier, SilkAir, used to charge $400 for a round trip from Phnom Penh.
More and more people will now be able to afford to come to Cambodia
Cambodian Tourism Minister Lay Prohas
The arrival of Jet Star Asia's service has prompted SilkAir to cut its prices in half.
It is a welcome change for people in Cambodia to have a choice over which airline to fly.
The country's own carriers have an unhappy recent history, and Phnom Penh is littered with the offices of companies that have ceased to operate.
Those still flying have to battle an image problem.
Local airlines have a reputation for cancelling flights at short notice, and there are also safety concerns.
PMT Air flies elderly Antonovs to domestic destinations, but its reputation was tarnished by an accident on landing in Ratanakkiri last month. Nobody was seriously hurt, but the United Nations subsequently barred its staff from flying with the airline.
Royal Khmer is trying to rebuild its business after more than a year out of action. It offers flights to several destinations in South East Asia as well as Cambodia's tourist centre, Siem Reap.
Abandoned planes
The outlying parts of Phnom Penh Airport are a testament to the fate of most Cambodian airlines.
Idle Antonovs and Chinese Y7 passenger planes in several different liveries line up next to about 20 abandoned MiG fighter jets in various stages of decay on the weed-strewn concrete strip.
A clearly decommissioned President Airlines jet sits behind a fence in the middle of a well-kept garden.
The arrival of Air Asia and Jet Star Asia suggests that the remaining local carriers will have to improve quickly if they are not to go the same way. Cambodia's Tourism Minister, Lay Prohas, takes a pragmatic view.
Phnom Penh airport has its fair share of decaying planes
"More and more people will now be able to afford to come to Cambodia," he said.
"To have Jet Star Asia and Air Asia is a wonderful thing for tourism. People will have more money to spend on other things, like accommodation, entertainment and souvenirs."
As tourism is the number two industry in Cambodia - and growing rapidly - the increased competition among South-East Asian airlines has come at exactly the right time.
Across the region, eyebrow-raising deals are on offer.
Air Asia's current promotion is for two million free tickets; or you could fly to Darwin in Northern Australia for one Singapore dollar with Tiger Airways, partly-owned by Singapore Airlines.
Passengers still have to pay the usual charges and taxes, but travel bargain-hunters will be hoping this golden era lasts rather longer than some of Cambodia's airlines
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