Russian Market

Told my many that this is a must-go for everything is there under a roof. The best ice-coffee in Phnom Penh is said to be served at Stall 543.

By another traveller...
"This market has been known by its English name since 1980s, probably because there were many Russians and Russian goods alike then at this covered market. Here you'll lots of tourist buying gifts and souvenirs. There is also a large section where you can try local dishes or buy a refreshment.

There are clothes, shoes, silks (sampots) and handbags, woodcarvings, compact discs, antiques or pottery.

Unlike Bangkok, the clothes with brandnames are real ones here. They are manufactured in Cambodia, but due to some (mostly minor) mistake not good enough for export to the western countries. For a tiny amount of money you can get for example good quality Colombia zip-off pants.

Also backpacks are a good deal at this market!

Don't buy anything without bargaining! Sometimes you can bargain more than 50% off"

3rd round of confirmation

Westin Kuala Lumpur (1 night - 3rd Oct 2008) - BOOKING CONFIRMED!
http://www.starwoodhotels.com/westin/property/overview/index.html?propertyID=1443

Room Type : 02 X Deluxe city view King Bed (non-smoking room) @MYR335 ++

01 X Deluxe city view Twin Beds (non-smoking room) @MYR335 ++

Subject to 10% service charge + 5% tax per room per night

No breakfast

Guarantee : Hold all the rooms until 4PM on 03OCT08

**Please note that our check in time is at 3PM**

Smacked right in the center of town.

Loven Ramos

Random clicks landed us on this page - the House of Joyce - in his blog. This house is that of an American author who has written several books about Angkor's world heritage temples, snapped so eloquently that we thought "wow, we should go have a look".

So i exchanged mails with Loven, sadly it is not open to public viewing... but Loven offered to show us other interesting spots in Cambodia when we arrive.

I have just made my first friend in Cambodia.

Savong - Part II

When Savong replied to my mail, he posed me a few questions, to which i replied:

On Tue, Aug 19, 2008 at 12:29 PM, Lee Ming <bubbles_222@hotmail.com> wrote:

Hi Savong,

Thank you for your reply and sorry for taking so long to reply you. I'm shocked to know that you're only 27 because I am 27 too! And you have already achieved something so great, you should be very proud of your endeavors.

To answer your questions:

1.Why do you want to donate the people in my country ?

There is no specific agenda or reason for choosing to donate to the Cambodians. It is by chance that we want to do something meaningful and memorable for the place we are visiting. And research led us to your school.

2.Is it very main and useful to you in helping the people ?

I think I speak for all 8 of us when I say it is definitely rewarding to be able to help anyone in need in any possible ways. Though we are unable to help you to the extent of running your school or in any long term arrangements, we are able to offer once-off donations, to each person's discretion. We are also keen to share some knowledge, perhaps a new language? or coordinate some activities with the kids during this short visit.

3.If you already helped them after what do you need from them ?

At this point in time, we have no reservations as to the way you manage the school and we do not expect anything in return. Our gifts and time are unconditional. The only thing we expect out of these children is to be able to enjoy their time with us.

We are planning to visit your school either on the 1st or 2nd of October for half a day. Some of the questions i have for you is:

1) In what currency do you prefer donations to be in?
2) What time does school start and end, and on what days of the week?
3) Will we be spending time solely with just 1 class?
4) Are there any specific stationeries/books we can offer to you?
5) Do the children speak basic english?
6) Can you suggest some activities that you think will be appropriate for the children?
7) These children are generally of what age?

Thanks Savong!

__________________________________________________

Tonight, i received an email from him:

From:	savong svay (svaysavong@gmail.com)
Sent:	Thu 8/21/08 2:51 PM
To:	Lee Ming (bubbles_222@hotmail.com)

Dear Lee Ming,

Thank you for emailing me back and have some questions to ask me and I am happy to let you know what you want to know.

The school starts opening from 1:00 to 7:00pm and I also have teaching from 5:30am to 7:30am only one English class. And opening from Monday to Friday.

We have teaching two languages is: English and Japanese .And I have 6 teachers and 377 students .You can teach from 1:00pm to 7:00pm if you want.And when you are teaching I have teachers to accompany you .Main things are : I need comic books short and long for the library .Anyway,if you have any friends who can help out me computers for the school It will be good for the students because there are too many students want to study computers .

The students can speak basic Englisht some of students.If you want to offer stationaries to children I think that it is not enough because I have many students .and if you can offer comic books for the library it will be useful very much because the comic books are always in the library all the time and it is possible for each teacher if they want to read books.

The students are 9-25 years old .

Finally I have a thing to do for the school .Could you help out me to connect internet at the school .In connectiong will pay $300 in arrangement first and when internet company already connected it I will must pay $45 monthly.so I need you to help out me this .It is very main for me.Anyway,It will be better if we have internet at the school and the students can use it .

And how do you think about my idea ? please you let me know if you have any questions .

I hope that you will can help out me and the school here.

Hoping to get an email from you soon.

Kindest regards

Savong

_________________________________________________

What do we feel about giving them access to a priceless bank of knowledge, and a heap pile of rubbish out there in the cyber world . . . .

Golden Muscle Wine

Said to be one of the most advertised drink on bus rides. It's made from deer antlers and assorted herbs and usually can only be found at local joints. Some say it's like wine though packs 20% alcohol.

Others said it taste better by adding tonic water or cola. Sold at "$2 for a 350 ml flask of the original and a budget-busting $3 for the "X.O." version".

Alot of people got a kick from the billboards that shows a Cambodian man holding his Golden Muscle Liqour glass and 5 attractive Cambodian women crowded around him. Maybe it's trying to create an impression that after drinking this you'll magnet alot of chicks. Huahuahua...

Wanna bet KungfuBoy and Uncle Mental will try this and even bring it back to Brunei!? $5 bucks on the table!!

Happiness Served!

on a pizza... *still in disbelief* at HAPPY HERB PIZZA, Cambodia's 1st franchise restaurant.

http://happyherbpizza.com

Before you start wondering what is so special about this pizza and start digging through it's menu, you will not find its secret recipe written anywhere on it's website nor it's menu.

The happiness that is served by the slice is sprinkles of marijuana/cannabis (a traditional Khmer spice). *GASP* And it comes in dosages of "happy", "very happy" or "ecstatic".

Comments were "it's tastier than with oregano". Despite it's claim of making one happy, some say it has made the local cops very unhappy... so it's unsure if they're still serving "happy" pizzas.

"Waitharrrr... can you make me a happy woman?"

I think we should check it out, purely for the pizza.. just because it's said they are very generous on the cheese. And i l.o.v.e cheese. *snort*

Update 10/09/2008: Read that Happy Pizza is banned, since April 2008. Oh well...

Butterflies Garden

Butterflies Garden Restaurant features 1,500 tropical butterflies and a koi pond in a romantic, private garden. Creative tropical cuisine, including unique Khmer specialties, is served at breakfast, lunch and dinner. An array of fresh juices, shakes, beer, wine and cocktails is also available. Butterflies Garden Restaurant specializes in group events of all kinds from corporate retreats to children's birthday parties.

This came highly recommended by travellers, i'm not a big big fan of butterflies but i had sparkly eyes when i read that:

1. They celebrate Butterfly Happy Hour at 4-6pm when the butterflies start to sleep; and..... it comes with complementary aromatherapy foot baths. Sipping ice cold beer while soaking your feet in a hot bath, omg... i wonder what that would do to me.

2. 11am on Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, the kids providing the butterflies to Butterflies Garden will release hundreds of them into the garden, which some has said is a magical sight.

I think i'm more for 1. TeeeeHeeeeee...

From the Old Market, cross the Siem Reap River. Take a hard left and continue north along the river until you reach the next bridge. Turn right and continue 50 meters to Butterflies Garden Restaurant. Look for our signs.