We finally got around to partake in one of the Phnom Penh’s gems: a night cruise on the Mekong along the city’s riverside. What do you get when you mix a massive boat rented for $30, cans of Anchor, karaoke, our colleagues from DDD, and deep fried tarantulas? A stunning good time:

This particular morning, I thought the street sounded a bit crazier than usual, but thought nothing of it … until we heard the sirens stop a little too close to home. Thushan called me out to the balcony to look at the smoke. Yup, way too close for comfort. We walked to the elevator to find it off. Now all signs pointed to “Do not panic. Walk quickly and safely to the nearest exit.” Then, one of the building managers came panting up the stairs to tell us that it is not our building that’s on fire. “No, look.” Right next door:

Sixteen homes and 27 motos, but thankfully zero lives, were lost in the fire.

The day ended on a much more positive note, with green beer in honor of the birthday of one Vintage Cookie (officially, it’s on the 16th but we are 12 hours ahead here so, I mixed the celebration which I think she would have preferred, anyway). I rallied a small gang of “oh yeah, it is St. Patrick’s day, isn’t it?” beer enthusiasts. Turns out none of them were *green* beer enthusiasts. Can’t win them all …

Great conversation flowed easily … good times:

Some photos from around Battambang (BTB) over the weekend. Thushan gave his first XML presentation to the locals with occasional interpreting help from Hemy. He was a fantastic teacher. The office full of super-smarties were asking all the right questions and really took the lesson to the next level, it was great. After that, we had some free time before taking more website photos, so we checked out the “Bamboo Train” (unfortunately we didn’t see the actual train, just the scary bridge tracks*).

Before we headed out on Monday, the BTB team made us lunch - yum. The beef, potato and carrot dish brought me right back to my grandma’s house in the woods at summertime dinnertime circa 1987 … very surreal.

* Special mom FYI: Thushan is not standing over a gap in the bridge. We were right in the middle and there was sturdy metal platform underneath him … I promise!

Went to Battambang last weekend. The trip there was not short.

Thushan gave a fantastic XML presentation to local management. He and I also took the last round of office photos for the new website. Battambang proved even sleepier than Vientiane, but the route to and fro was not sleepy in the least. We hit a pre-rainy season downpour, which Hemy and her trusty Corolla handled amazingly well. Once we arrived, we took a nice walk in the park across from the office, and a few pajama’d lovelies made my day.

* Unless you’re from the UK, then it rhymes with “lang” …

We had this icy, coco-nutty goodness after dinner. It had some dried and jellied fruit mixed in with the ice cream and came in a freshly hollowed out coconut, complete with the coconut water on the side. I did not include the coco water in this frame, because … well, I just couldn’t take my eyes off of the main event.

I love ice cream night.

Thushan got a much-needed shave and a haircut. And why not? It was right next door to the shop that was fixing our moped’s flat. Later that day I found out that my favorite Vintage Cookie is coming to visit in May! Then we tried to copy K’nyay, one of our local favorites, and made a mean (and ridiculously spicy) banana curry!

Being the copy-cat that I am, I went for a haircut on the way home from work the very next day. The first place I stopped only did up-do’s (it’s big business with all the weddings going on these days). They nicely pointed me across the street, where I made the scissors sign with my fingers and they responded with a positive nod. And so I got a haircut for $1. The exact amount that was to be taken off got lost in translation somehow and it wasn’t much of a cut, but Thushan was quick to point out that at that price, I could get a few more until it was the right length. Truth.

Scenes from the extra-quiet Phnom Penh during Chinese New Year celebrations (back in January). We thought it was a good time to stop walking and start biking. Two bikes for $60 (complete with baskets, locks, bells and squeaky brakes). Now, if only we could find a helmet to fit Alicia’s head … See more photos …

We also got to explore the crazy-crowded Orussey Market. The inside of the market was closed when these photos of the outside were taken, to give you an idea of what it must be like during the day. See the market here …

But it is a rental, and my mom reads this.  More from our day at a motocross rally and the hammocks outside Phnom Penh here.

After a full day of kicking myself for accidentally leaving my camera at home on Saturday (what are the chances of coming across moto-cross in Cambodia?!)*, I was determined to make good on Sunday.  Our Sunday trip to Oudong Mountain, with stupas rising from the top that elicit thoughts of Candyland, definitely did not disappoint. We made the trip to the old capital of Cambodia with some fellow expat friends.  After walking along the mountaintop paths among the stupas and taking in some of the most expansive views I’ve ever seen, there was a repeat of Saturday’s lunchtime laziness complete with hammock lounging, fish & chicken eating and icy beer drinking. On our way home, we were spotted on the road by a fellow DDDer who invited us to sit for a bit. He even fetched us fresh coconuts before we made the ~40k (25 mile) trip home. View more photos from the day here.

*I missed Cambo moto-cross, but you don’t have to.  Thushan should be following up with those photos, soon.

In an attempt to catch up in the slightest, a bit of randomness since arrival:

It’s within walking distance of Digital Divide Data, meaning it is also an easy walk from our apartment — but for some reason it took almost a month for us to visit. Thushan’s friend from home was traveling through with his girlfriend, and we decided it was a good excuse to do something “touristy”. I am glad I did not go alone; it’s impossible not to try to vocalize what you are seeing. The museum is on the site of a former high school turned now infamous Security Prison 21 (S-21) under the Khmer Rouge.

Walking through the expansive three building museum, past the almost endless pictures of the prisoners — knowing that out of almost 17,000 people imprisoned at Tuol Sleng, there were only twelve known survivors — was an emotionally draining experience. Difficult place to photograph for many reasons. Alas, here are some: