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Read: The Playground by Terrence McCoy

Posted on October 28, 2012 by Lina Goldberg

Don’t let its light-hearted name confuse you, The Playground by Terrence McCoy covers the the outrageous and shocking land grabs in Cambodia, where the country is being bought piece by piece with Chinese money. One of the most compelling pieces of literary journalism about Cambodia to come out recently, The Playground was released in April as a Kindle Single, a new line of short stories, journalism and novellas released by Amazon.

The narrative manages to quickly convey the horror of hundreds of thousands of Cambodians who have lost their homes to make way for foreign developments and one woman, Vanny Tep, who is fighting back.

“The Chinese are the second coming of Pol Pot,” said Chea Pheap after losing his home after a Chinese company evicted an entire Cambodian fishing village. And after reading The Playground, it’s impossible to not question the influx of Chinese money pouring into the least developed Southeast Asian countries and the influence and natural resources that it is able to buy.

But it’s not only the Chinese who are to blame. McCoy writes that “over the last two decades, between one-fourth and one-third of Cambodia’s land has come under control of 1 percent of the population, reported USAID and Lidadho, a Phnom Penh organization. During that time, 10 percent of Phnom Penh residents and 5 percent of greater Cambodia residents –roughly 700,000 people — have suffered violent displacement.”

As staggering as these figures are, they are driven home the personalized accounts McCoy gives of the women of the Boeung Kak lake neighborhood and the portrait he paints of the Cambodian elite run amok — with no rules and no limits, they are willing to do just about anything to amass more wealth. (Cambodia is their playground, hence the name of this story.)

McCoy lived in Cambodia for two years as part of the American Peace Corps program, during which time he became fluent in Khmer. His narrative, The Playground, shows a sensitivity for the Khmer people not often seen in journalism that often has writers parachuting into the country to cover a story and leaving immediately.

The Playground is a short read but well worth the $1.99 cover price. You can get it direct from Amazon to read on your Kindle or computer. Buy The Playground on Amazon or Amazon UK.

Review: Naga House…a tropical retreat in Kampot

Posted on October 24, 2012 by Lina Goldberg

Like more than a few urban expats, I fled the city over Pchum Ben and headed towards Kampot, a sleepy town in Southern Cambodia. Luckily, I ended up with a reservation at Naga House, a laid-back guesthouse with a collection of simple wood and thatch bungalows on the banks of the Kampot River that’s become known for its live music and laid-back party vibe.

Laid back Naga House is a lovely place to enjoy Kampot.

The best way to describe Naga House would be to say that the place is as chilled out as its owners, a Brit-Aussie and two Cambodians who seem happy enough to enjoy drinks at the bar with guests and make a point to learn every customer’s name, even those who are only staying a night or two.

They’ve got a dorm that goes for $3 a night and bungalows that for for $12 in high season, and a little less in low season. The less expensive bungalows are on the ground floor, the one I stayed in was tiled and had a fan, so it was cool and comfortable. All of the bungalows have had lush tropical greenery recently planted around them, which when it grows will make the place even lovelier and provide some added privacy.

The more expensive bungalows are “treehouses” and are up a flight of stairs with a few hammocks hanging below (see above). The upstairs bungalows are quite open, allowing guests to enjoy the night breeze. Everyone I spoke to who stayed in the treehouses had very positive reviews. As with all natural bungalows, visitors should bring a pair of earplugs and an eye mask if they want to sleep past 6am.

A ground floor bungalow is waiting for you at Naga House in Kampot.

And if Pchum Ben weekend was any indicator, a morning lie-in wouldn’t be a bad thing, because the bar stayed open quite late. Naga House had a couple of local bands playing in the evening and people staying at the nearby guesthouses all came over for a Kampot-style party. The next day Naga House organized a boat trip which is easy enough, because their huge deck overlooks the river and you can jump right in if you’re so inclined.

As if that wasn’t enough, the food was surprisingly good. I say surprisingly because I don’t usually expect much from an inexpensive guesthouse, but the meals we ate at Naga House, both Western and Asian, were tastier than at the far more expensive restaurant we tried in town. Two thumbs up for the huevos rancheros, a dish that is ridiculously delicious but easily butchered. I ended up eating it every day that I was there, a testament to the culinary team at Naga House.

Booking in advance is recommended.

→ Check prices and book a room at on Booking.com now.

Booking.com

Naga House
Tuek Chou Road, Kampot
T: 012 289 916
facebook.com/nagahousekampot

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Central School of Ballet Phnom Penh

Posted on October 22, 2012 by Lina Goldberg

In recent years Cambodia’s economic growth has fueled the rejuvenation of its arts scene; the latest sign of this is the opening of Cambodia’s first dedicated ballet school in Phnom Penh.

A group of dancers warms up at Central School of Ballet Phnom Penh

Barre none: Cambodia’s first dance studio dedicated to ballet.

In Cambodia the term “ballet” has traditionally be used to refer exclusively to the hypnotizing Khmer apsara dance that originated in the royal courts. And while the country has its own history with classical ballet — Prince Norodom Sihamoni, was studying classical ballet in Prague while the Khmer Rouge took Phnom Penh, and later, formed his own corps in Paris before returning to Cambodia to become King, and Sy Sar, a teenage folk dancer whose journey to become a ballet dancer in America was the subject of the inspiring 2010 documentary Dancing Across Borders — Cambodians had little opportunity to study the art until now.

The Central School of Ballet Phnom Penh opened their doors earlier this year, offering international-level instruction by Stephen Bimson, a graduate of the Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance in the United Kingdom. Co-founder Devi Vanhon, daughter of a Swiss mother and a Khmer diplomat (and the granddaughter of Princess Norodom Thiek), was raised in Switzerland but has been living in Cambodia for the last 8 years. Vanhon believes that the time is right for a re-emergence of the arts in Cambodia.

During the reign of the Khmer Rouge 80% of the dancers in the country were killed, and in the period’s aftermath, people had little time for the arts. “There has been a positive shift over the past couple of years. People are showing an increased interest in performing arts,” the school’s co-founder said. “Now people have their basic needs covered and are looking for more. Khmers who have show the most interest in our classes are all slightly more educated than average–they want their children to have a well-rounded education that include the arts.”

The school offers classical ballet classes for children as well as contemporary dance, adult ballet and dance conditioning in Phnom Penh.

10 Street 183 (entrance on Street 406/475), Phnom Penh
centralschoolofballet.com

King Father Norodom Sihanouk returns home

Posted on October 17, 2012 by Lina Goldberg

Phnom Penh residents dressed in white (the Cambodian color of mourning) gather at the Royal Palace on Wednesday to grieve and see the body of their King Father, Norodom Sihanouk, return from Beijing. Here are some photographs from the crowd.

A young boy waits for hours to see King Father Norodom Sihanouk’s casket return to Phnom Penh.

A Cambodian woman carrying a photo of Norodom Sihanouk

Many in the crowd carried framed photographs of the King Father and others wore homemade Norodom Sihanouk shirts.

A young Cambodian girl holds a framed photograph of Norodom Sihanouk.

After the casket was transported into the palace, a young Cambodian girl holds a framed photograph of King Father Norodom Sihanouk outside.

A row of flags, candles and joss sticks to commemorate King Father Norodom Sihanouk

An impromptu memorial as Cambodians plant flags, candles and joss sticks in the park outside the Royal Palace.

At dusk the lights on the Royal Palace went on and the air was heavy with incense.

The Royal Palace lit up with lights to honor Norodom Sihanouk.

As night falls and prayers finish up, the crowd starts to head home.

You can see the rest of the photo series here.

Cambodia in mourning

Posted on October 17, 2012 by Lina Goldberg

Phnom Penh's Royal Palace lit up to commemorate king-father Norodom Sihanouk

Phnom Penh’s Royal Palace lit up and bunting being added to a photograph of king-father Norodom Sihanouk.

The country of Cambodia is in mourning for the loss of its king-father, Norodom Sihanouk who died on Monday. Crowned king in 1941, Norodom Sihanouk oversaw the country for more than 60 years. Credited with achieving independence from France and ushering in Cambodia’s golden age in the 1960s, and later, for supporting the Khmer Rouge. Much loved by Khmers, he abdicated the throne in 2004 and became known as the king-father. A week of official mourning starts on Wednesday, but on Tuesday evening hundreds of Cambodians gathered in front of Phnom Penh’s Royal Palace to remember their former king.

A Cambodian woman taking a photograph of the Royal Palace.

A young woman photographs the proceedings at Phnom Penh’s Royal Palace.

Cambodians gathered outside the Royal Palace to pay their respects.

Girl posing in front of memorial photo of king-father Norodom Sihanouk.

The impromptu gathering was attended by hundreds of Khmers.

A woman prays next to hundreds of lit candles for king-father Norodom Sihanouk.

Lighting candles and joss sticks, Cambodians pay their respects.

Cambodians young and old turned up to light candles and mourn the loss of their king-father.

Weekend break in Koh Kong

Posted on October 14, 2012 by Lina Goldberg

Koh Kong, a sleepy riverside town offers expats an excellent weekend break.

Koh Kong is a seriously underrated place for a weekend break in Cambodia. It used to be the Wild East of the country — a border town that was known as a hotspot for smuggling, prostitution and illegal logging. Until 1998, the area was also one of the last holdouts for the Khmer Rouge.

Ten years ago the Koh Kong Bridge was built and the town had a legitimate link with Thailand and things started to calm down. These days, it’s a relaxed riverside town that offers access to some of the most beautiful spots in Cambodia and has many thriving ecotourism businesses.

Koh Kong’s riverside is dotted with tiny stands selling fresh seafood in the evenings.

For such a small town they’ve got a lot of tourist-oriented businesses that mainly cater to expats from Thailand who are on visa runs and backpackers and other visiting the Cardamom mountains and looking for other sorts of sustainable tourism. And to be sure, there are lots of lots of jungle trekking opportunities just outside of town and in beautiful Tatai just down the road.

That said, there are, perhaps, more tourist-oriented business than the town can handle, and as a result, you’ll find some of the best value-for-money accommodation in Cambodia in Koh Kong. And although there aren’t a lot of huge tourist attractions, per se, the local tuk tuk drivers and motodops can create a tour that will take at least a day or two, shuttling you from waterfall to Safari World to pagoda to sunset drinks…there’s even a giant casino at the border if your fancy yourself a gambler.

Ecotourism is one of Koh Kong’s main draws.

The town is also known for its enormous mangrove forests, located seven or eight kilometers outside of town. The forest is well-preserved, and non-Cambodians can visit for 5,000 riel (locals are charged 3,000 riel). The project aims to provide the villagers an alternative to ecologically-damaging businesses, an admirable goal.

There are still a handful of crusty expats in town willing to tell you about the old days, if that’s your sort of thing (and if it is, stop by the The Ice Cream Shop aka Bob’s).

Cambodia island getaways

Posted on October 7, 2012 by Lina Goldberg

If you’re dreaming of a Cambodian island getaway, it’s not too early to start planning!

Reminding Thailand of the good old days on Koh Rong.

There are a number of islands that are an easy trip from Phnom Penh via Sihanoukville — here are my top choices:

Koh Rong

This island is one of the most beautiful in Cambodia, or the Gulf of Thailand. On Koh Rong placid turquoise waters lap against sparkling white sand beaches. The island is remarkably undeveloped and there’s not a lot to do — you’ll have to be content with jungle hikes, diving, snorkeling and sitting on the beach drinking Cambodia beer. For food there’s a Thai chef offering her native fare and not one, but two Italian chefs who’ve made the island home and dishing up pasta and pizzas out of a wood-fired oven for visitors. You can also get inexpensive seafood dinners for very little. Check out the best places to stay on Koh Rong.

Waiting for something to happen on Koh Russei.

Koh Russei

Also known as Bamboo Island, Koh Russei is only an hour by boat from Sihanoukville, which makes it one of the easiest islands to get to from Phnom Penh. Accommodations are very basic and all bungalows have shared toilets. But if you’re looking for a crowd and a party, this old favorite is the place to go.

Be sure to bring sunblock to Lazy Beach on Koh Rong Sanloem.

Koh Rong Sanloem

My two favourite places to stay are on opposite sides of Koh Rong Sanloem and offer two very different experiences. Lazy Beach is where embassy employees go to get away — the bungalows are large, clean and well-maintained and even picky types will have a hard time finding fault with their setup. They’ve also got a badminton net, volleyball setup, lots of board games and table tennis. The bungalows at M’pay Bay are more rustic and less relaxing — you stay just next to a fishing village and will almost definitely get woken up by roosters crowing. But that’s the appeal of the place, getting to see a rural Cambodia village up close without being on some weirdly invasive danger trip.

The best Mexican food in Phnom Penh

Posted on October 1, 2012 by Lina Goldberg

A table covered with the makings for roll-em-yourself tacos at La Cita, in Phnom Penh.

Everything you need for delicious tacos and burritos at La Cita in Phnom Penh.

In case you’re worried that you’ll be giving up the simple pleasures of the Western world when you move to Cambodia, let me be the first to assure you: yes, we do have tacos.

There’s a plethora of California and Texas-style Mexican food in Phnom Penh, which is perhaps one of the greatest advantages to the surprising number of American expats there are in town.

Many Phnom Penh bars offer a Mexican food menu; Garage is at the top of my list — the owner, Jeff, hails from Southern California and cares deeply about the authenticity of his offerings. You won’t find lettuce on his tacos, just heaps and heaps of carnitas and al pastor marinated in pineapple juice, cilantro and onions. At just $3.50 for two, they’re great value.

My favorite Mexican joint in town is La Cita. It used to go by the name La Cita Rendez-vous, which was good for chuckle, but they’ve recently changed the name to La Cita Urban Mex, probably because everyone thought it was a brothel before. The owner, Richard, is from Chile and he’s constantly tinkering with the menu and the marketing of the place. His style is not that of a California taco truck, but it’s delicious. His tacos may be made with flour tortillas but they’ve got the best fillings in town — try the carnitas — and the burritos are even better. Priced at $7.49 for a small (and a small is BIG) the place even satisfies picky Californians who think they know more about Mexican food than you do. They also serve a few Chilean specialities.

Dark horse in town is Viva! I say dark horse not because it’s little-known, quite the opposite. Originally from Siem Reap, Viva! opened a branch in Phnom Penh last year to much ho-humming. The place was known for being boring and bland, and most expats went there for one thing and one thing only: $1.50 frozen margaritas. But I’ve caved in and ordered the wet burrito a few times and it’s actually pretty damn good and only $5.50 (be sure to ask for sour cream on the side for an extra $0.50). They also have $1 tacos which aren’t the best tacos in the world but are quite large and make a good-value snack after a few margaritas.

Garage, 9 Street 110; T: 012 754 763
Viva!, 11Eo Sisowath Quay: T: 093 678 888
La Cita Rendez-vous, 13 Street 282; T: 092 388 123

Edit 10/31/2013: Since this post was written, I have a new favorite, Alma Cafe. Check out the Move to Cambodia review here.

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