Our World Tuesday: Kampot riverside
During the Chinese New Year, my husband and I drove to Kampot for a daytrip. Kampot is a sleepy town in the southern coast of Cambodia. It has the kind of sleepiness that lure a city-dweller to its small-town and chill atmosphere.
My husband and I left Phnom Penh very early in the morning and arrived in Kampot around 10am. It was cold (perhaps below 15C) early morning and it was breezy all the way through. Hagrid, our Honda motorbike, was running smoothly.
The weather was actually very pleasant and great for a motorbike ride around Kampot town and Kep. A trip to these towns wouldn’t be complete without a meal at our favourite Espresso Cafe and Kim Ly’s restaurant.
This is one of our favourite spots in Kampot – the promenade at the riverside. We chanced upon these floating in the water:
In the background you can see the outline of Phnom Bokor (Bokor Mountain) and the new bridge in the middle-ground. In the foreground are “floats” in the shape of rumdul, Cambodia’s national flower.
Read MoreSigns, signs: Inclusivity
A month ago, my husband and I visited Kampot. During this time, we had breakfast at our favourite cafe. Since it was early and there were not many customers yet, I had a chance to go up and check out the second floor (first floor, for the locals) and was really amazed at the things I found there. Above is one of the signs that decorate the interiors of Epic Arts Cafe in Kampot.
Epic Arts Cafe is a project of Epic Arts with the aim of providing opportunities for people with disabilities to work as well as a place to hang-out. The cafe also houses a little shop showcasing the many artworks of the many young disabled people in their Arts Centre. It is one of the popular spots especially for foreign visitors in Kampot and it stands proudly as a model for an inclusive working environment in the community.
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Signs, signs: Shoes off
It is considered polite and respectful to the host to take your shoes off when entering somebody’s house in Cambodia. This etiquette also extends to some local establishments. The sign above was from the Epic Arts Cafe in Kampot province. Epic Arts Cafe is run by differently-abled persons through the support of Epic Arts UK/Cambodia.
My husband and I always visit Epic Arts Cafe whenever we visit Kampot. They serve plenty delicious sandwiches, cakes and local fares and also the beverages. Great place to go and proceeds go to a great cause — supporting programs geared for those with physical and learning disabilities.
Read MoreMonday Mellow Yellows: Smiley
The photo above shows what was once the grand fireplace at the lobby of Le Palace de Bokor. More details here.
Read MoreWordless Wednesday: Abandoned church
One of the exciting things we did during the Khmer New Year holiday was go on a road trip to Kampot, to the popular Bokor Hill station. There we saw this old church that stands by the road, the image is eerie and haunting. More about this church in the following posts.
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