Daily Life in Cambodia – Page 63 – Welcome to Cambodia, and…..

Birds+Nests=Soup

It’s not uncommon to see buildings like the one above dotting the Cambodian landscape….

They are distinctive for two things: first while they may have some vents, like the one above, they have no windows. And second, they have an opening like the one on the left end of the building (right photo) and birds are flying in and out.

You have heard of birdnest soup. This is where they get the birdnests. The birds nest in these rooms and create nests held together with their saliva, and then later the nests are harvested and soaked and made into soup.

Lunch Time

Heaven or Hell?

This man is selling durian, the Asian fruit that famously “tastes like heaven, smells like hell.” Because of its strong odor, it is forbidden to carry durian onboard airplanes, buses, and other conveyances, but many, many people love its taste. The large sign indicates 10,000 riel ($2.50) probably per kilogram. The red paint on some of the durians indicates a better grade of quality.

Staying alive

This is a mother selling some kind of confection outside the Boeung Keng Kang Market. Neighbors with more money rent a stall inside and pile it with clothes or shoes or backpacks or tools or…. This woman, with less money, gets up early, cooks deep-fried goodies, and sits OUTSIDE the market for free and makes a couple dollars a day for the family.

What Poor Looks Like

I’m always amazed here in Cambodia how many people make a living from trash. A man like this rents the bike and empty bags and then collects cans and cardboard and whatever he can sell to the recycling centers. On a good day he may make $3 to $5.

Motorcycle Loads #271

“See, I told you we didn’t need the truck!”

Telephoto Lenses Are Wonderful!

Much of the construction in Phnom Penh has ground to a halt because of all the difficulties created by COVID-19, and although it’s a Sunday afternoon, these men are still installing glass panels on the 19th floor of new building three blocks away from the Maryknoll office.

Topics: Traffic Rules

Minimum age for driving?

There doesn’t seem to be a minimum age for driving in Cambodia, or if there is one, it’s not observed. Click here to see photos of some of Phnom Penh’s younger drivers.

What’s in a name?

Early this morning, on the way to mass, I passed a new store preparing to open in the Tuol Kork area. Visually, it looks like it may be a more western-oriented store. But from the name….I don’t know.

If the shoe fits,….

I’m not sure what I’m seeing here. This man has set up a little stand on the sidewalk beside the wall of a wat and it looks like he’s selling used sport shoes. But what are the black oblong things stacked up? Are they new soles that he can glue or stitch to a pair of shoes? They look awfully long, but then maybe he cuts them down to the shoe size. I’ll have to go by there again and see if he is still there and what he has on his stand.