More bus stories

Today while on the afternoon bus I saw a hotdog stand attached to a motorbike.  Hotdogs sizzling on the grill, and it caught my eye because the stall keeper was turning the dogs on the grill.  Then I looked again, and realized, yes, it WAS mobile, driving down the road and frying up hotdogs at the same time.  I only wish I could say we were passed by a hotdog-cooking moto-driver, but we passed him.  And he did have a friend along for the ride who was responsible for cooking.  But still, it was amazing.

first meal

It is hard to want to cook in this city with a million good restaurants and always meltingly hot days.  But I made my first meal in my PP apartment tonight--Grandma's green beans and new potatoes with onions, tomatoes, and dill.  And pasta.  Mmmm... 

Green beans and new potatoes the way Grandma made them.

What i saw on the weekend

Fishing boats at Kep

Bus talk

I ride the 4:10 teacher bus home most days.  Well, and there in the mornings, too, but this story is about the 4:10.  It's free and takes me right to my block--most people have to walk but I live right on the route.  And it has the added bonus of lively conversation.  Which I can't stand at 6:15 in the morning and live through only with the comfort of my ipod, but is fun in the afternoon.  Usually we talk about food and Mandy gives us an update on the new restaurants she and Paul have tried since yesterday.  Today was dentists.  Matt had a tooth pulled but was feeling healed enough to give us a gory account.  I held up through that before Mandy launched into a nasty one which included a tennis ball-sized bruise on her cheek.  Bleh....  Food talk is better.

Market Day

We're at the market! What FUN!

I love how I can hear the rain come closer, seven seconds before it hits my roof.  Especially if I've made it home with only two minutes to spare before the floods begin.  Sitting here at my desk watching the rains pound down is almost as good as moving to Seattle.  It makes me feel like I'm lost at sea.  In a good, adventurous way.

I'm healed from my terrible sickness (antibiotics, thank you Dr. Dzieczkowski, even though I can't pronounce your name!), and ventured out to meet Mandy and Paul for lunch at the Living Room.  Mmmm... I had a yogurt smoothie and croissant, Mandy had a yummy looking roasted pumpkin/feta sandwich and Paul an omelet.

Dad asked me this morning if I miss Boise yet, and the truth is...not yet.  But I did have a vivid moment of missing the drive into Winnemucca from the south at sunset.  Weird.

So, market day!  I didn't do a thing this week, but the market was awesome last week.  Lynsay and her visitors from NZ had arranged to go with our experienced travel guide, Danielle, and I was invited along, too.  Danielle came to pick us up on her moto, and I hopped on the back while Lynsay, Meagan, and Dave rode a tuk-tuk.  Slowest moto ride ever, as we were trying to keep pace with the tuk-tuk, but Danielle kept us upright the whole time.  We parked, and entered the market--crazy noises and loads of cool things everywhere.  Three floors of tiny stalls, each with a little storage shelf over the stall.  Loads of people wandering through and food vendors pushing carts of food which sadly I didn't dare try.  I could have taken a hundred more pictures, but here are the ones I'm sharing, with annotations.  Next time, lunch at the market.

Here is a view of a poultry shop from above.  I think

the shopkeeper is sorting raw pigeons.  At least she

has rubber gloves, right?

See how the top can be used for storage?

Mmmm...limes!  I've become addicted to lime soda since I arrived--
a few fresh-squeezed limes, soda water, and a bit of sugar.

I'm only putting this one in because
it is one of my favorites.
Love the colors.

Did you know that pepper is grown in Cambodia?
And you can get them pickled, too.

smoked fish on a stick!  you can get duck and
chicken the same way.

cool fruit.  the pink funny
one in the left bottom is dragon fruit which is
white with scattered black tiny seeds on the inside. 

A happy baby in a hammock.  Every day is bring your baby
to work day in this country, and you can see parents
bouncing babies in hammocks everywhere.

Stuck at home. For days.

So I still feel pretty gross.  I've been in bed with a fever since Wednesday night, and all the intestinal stuff that brings joy to the hearts of travelers everywhere.  I tried waiting it out, but called our medical hotline after two and a half days.  Surprise, they suggested I go in to their clinic and be seen by a doctor as it was most likely bacterial at this stage of the game.  I really don't want to go to the doctor because it will be expensive, invasive, and most likely unnecessary, so I chugged down the antibiotics my travel doctor at home gave me.  And spent another night with fever.  But maybe I'm better now.  I'm waiting it out for a bit to see if the antibiotics have cured me before I give in and go to the doctor.

I don't have much to share, but will show you the pictures of my house, where I have been spending LOTS of time.  It is a good sign that I'm getting bored, right?

my bedroom

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my kitchen

This is kind of cool--the view down into the outdoor kitchen of the
building next door.  All the orphanage food prep and cleanup
happens right here.  My house has an outdoor kitchen for the owners
downstairs, too.  They barbecue in tiny clay pots, then do the
washing up in a huge bowl under the faucet.  It requires lots
of squatting and stooping.

WAY too much information

The first pangs of homesickness…. I’m on my balcony past my bedtime on Sunday night listening to Toše Proeski sing “The Hardest Thing” and whining a little bit. I’m whining, not Toše. Saw lots of people this weekend and did lots of cool things, but now it’s been a quiet afternoon and I’m wistful for my porch and my cat back home. But I’m okay.

I’ve started my anti-worming medicine, which I think is a dirty little secret I’m not supposed to share with outside friends and family. I think expats here keep stories in-country so we will still get visitors. No big deal, I’ve heard. I haven’t been sick, but ever since an evil man at work (okay, my teaching partner Dave) described the process of having worms in great detail I’ve felt a little wormy. I’m always the one susceptible to the mere thought of minute creatures infesting my body. Nearly every year I’m convinced I have lice (a hazard of teaching) and itch like crazy until I’m checked and then suddenly I’m cured. Here the cure is to go ahead and take the three-day course of chewable tablets. Unless you have a partner who can examine intimate parts of your body in a process I will not describe.  Except to say it involves midnight and a flashlight.  I will let you know if the cure I'm trying is nasty.

So, I got out the camera this weekend. Had to recharge the batteries. Here are two pictures of my apartment. You'll have to wait to see the rest, so I don't lose your interest!  Cool market pictures from this weekend also on the way later.

My balcony

And the living room.  I plan to get a real couch, as this one is so not comfortable.