Addicted to Meme

Back when I used to work with IDRC’s iREACH Project, I regularly visited one of our project sites in Prey Veng Province. To go there, I took a local taxi – usually an old Toyota camry – and takes about three hours or so. Halfway-point is Neak Loung, separated by only a 15minute ferry ride across the Mekong river to the main land of Prey Veng.

Every day, hundreds of taxis and buses arrive at Neak Loung, and they are always greeted by a swarm of vendors, old and young alike. They sell canned sodas, packed lunches, BBQed pork/chicken, candies, bottled water, boiled eggs, and a host of others.

Most girls (the age of the girl above) are not in school because they are tasked of helping their parents earn additional income for the family. The boys, however, are given priority in education simply due to cultural values, while the girls are kept at  home to help in the housework, looking after siblings, or, in this case, earn money for the family. Most parents here think that girls are going to get married and leave home anyway.

Sad, but true. This happens everywhere in the world, especially in third world countries.

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The fishing boat (foreground),  the population 01 island (middle, I nicknamed it myself *proud*), the Vietnamese island of Phu Quoc (background), the showy clouds, and the waves of the Gulf of Thailand, as viewed from the coast of Kep. Imagine what I’ve been missing for a long time!

This picture taken in one of our previous trips there. I can still remember the salty smell of the breeze as my husband and I waited for our dinner to be served. We watched the most spectacular sunset – arguably the best sunset in all of Cambodia, if I may say so – while feasting on Kep’s fresh seafood. It was a beautiful, balmy night. In the company of a shy moon, a squad of fireflies, and an orchestra of crickets and other nocturnal insects, my husband and I walked back to our hotel, hand in hand.

More sky photos at Skywatch Friday. 

Saw this sign at the entrance gate of a boutique hotel where I met friends for a swim not long ago. Here’s a closer view of the sign at the bottom:

I hope the message is heard loud and clear!

Massive efforts are being done to combat this global issue and in Cambodia, with the collaboration between the government, international organisations and the different sectors in the community, anti-trafficking projects are implemented in all levels. We are optimistic that this will be eliminated if every one is vigilant and cooperative. It is my fervent hope that I will not see signs like this anymore in the near future.

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Above are the round and raised lotus blossoms but my Khmer friends call them seed “heads”. *Pods would have been the right word* The lotus seeds are inside and, yes, they are edible.

Lotus flowers not only adorn the altars of Khmer temples and shrines, they are also served in dishes at dinner tables. Lotus flowers are beautiful and trigger feelings of happiness and calm and they are also prized ingredients in Khmer cuisine. As a matter of fact, most of the lotus parts are edible, including the roots. They are often served as salads or an ingredient in Khmer soups and stir-fry dishes. Some adventurous cooks have incorporated lotus seeds in other dishes and baked products nowadays.

But today, it’s all about the seeds.

An average blossom has about 20-30 lotus seeds, above. They are green (when unripe) and rubbery, about the size of peanuts, edible and eaten like nuts. You can easily dig the seeds with your fingers when they are ripe.

Cambodians love to eat them fresh as snack when they are ripe. They pop it into their mouths like pop corns!

This is to show you what’s inside the seed. I sampled the fresh seeds and I couldn’t say I like or dislike it. It tasted like raw peanuts though, in case you want to know.

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It’s summertime and the best way to beat the summer heat is to head down to the coastal town of Kep in southern Cambodia. It’s been a while since we last visited, and I’m missing Kep big time. It’s a sleepy town, with lush mountains and facing the Gulf of Thailand. The beaches are not as pristine as the beaches back home in the Philippines, but nevertheless, it reminds me of home. What am I missing? Let me count thee… Fresh seafood caught and cook the same day, sweet and refreshing coconut juice, and the breeze and the sound of the waves that whisper in my ears till I fall asleep. It’s heaven!

My feet are itching, but the timing is not right yet. Oh, I just couldn’t wait.