Hi everyone, here's what I've been doing with my insomnia lately in case anyone's interested.

Large, Colorful Painting perfect for home, spa or office - Bong Thom dot Com Classifieds

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Playing Dress-Up Khmer Style for Some Good Laughs and Great Fun

Bring out your inner "Apsara" while playing dress-up in traditional Khmer clothing. You can be queen for a day (or at least a couple hours) while an entourage of makeup artists and hair stylists apply layers, layers and more layers of makeup, including giant fake eyelashes and an artificial stick-on "eyelid crease." Next comes the fake hairpiece, and once they have deemed you picture perfect, they will help you into the colorful costume of your choice.

After adorning you with about 15 pounds of fake gold or silver jewelry including a giant tiara, you will be led into the photo studio where a photographer will pinch, prod and push you into just the right position.



This is the perfect outing if you are looking for some good laughs and over-the-top fun with your girlfriends. They have equally ridiculous options for the fellas in your posse, minus the makeup. Your glamor shots will be ready in a few days after they have digitally inserted you into a luxurious villa interior. Be prepared for a bit of a shock, as they photo-shop their subjects until almost unrecognizable. It takes twenty minutes to scrub all that awful makeup off, but the laughs and tacky-but-fun photos are worth it!

Something like this will set you back up to $15 for a nice place with quite a few photos, or just a couple of bucks at smaller joint for one or two photos. This is one of the greatest memory makers you can do with a group of friends, or a great alternative for your next family photo Christmas card!

Shopping for Cane, Wicker and Rattan Furniture in Phnom Penh

I’ve had quite a few people here ask me over this past year where to buy cane furniture and what the “going rate” of certain items are, so I thought I’d go ahead and share my own experience. I bought all my stuff around May of 2008 and a few things since then, so prices may have gone up or down a bit since.
The place I went, which I am told has the best prices and the most options by far, is called “Cham Kar Mon” and consists of about 15 shops all lined up in a row on Mao Tse Tung St. right after it crosses Norodom Blvd, immediately after crossing, on the right hand side.

You can find all sorts of cool stuff here, including the great big round “Papa San” chairs, mini round chairs, rocking chairs, any other sort of chair, living room sets, desks, wardrobes, bed frames, dining table sets, drawers and shelves, shoe racks, room dividers, lamps, magazine racks, floor mats, patio furniture, tons of other fun stuff, and have any design of yours custom ordered for about the same price as something comparable on offer.

I purchased a cute living room set (a couch, two chairs, and a coffee table) which included the cushions, for $120. I picked up a few room screens at $30 each, if I remember right (the big, 4 panel ones). My small round patio table for 2 persons cost about $25, and each chair for it was $9. My wardrobe, which has a full length mirror, and is the biggest one I could find, cost about $65, and a dining room hutch with a pretty arched top and some good storage was also $65. A small, basic desk with one drawer and one storage compartment cost $25, not including the chair. A tall bookshelf was…if I remember right…$10 or $15. My magazine rack, the second from the tallest one (or maybe it was the tallest one?) which is a tiered style with scrolled iron detail, was $15. The two mini round chairs were $8 each, I’m pretty sure (not including the cushions). The low table was $9. My dining table was $65, not including chairs…chairs range from $6 to $20 and up, depending on style. I had a custom made piece to fit a very weird spot in my kitchen to hold my mini electric oven and baking stuff, for $25. A very small chest of drawers that could double up as a nightstand will cost you less than $10. A water filter stand was around $5.
Like I said, these prices may or may not still be accurate, since this was all around May of 2008 but it shouldn’t be too far off.

A note about the dining table selection process…make sure you try before you buy! I spotted mine under a pile of other tables, and behind a pile of tables…it made it impossible to try sitting at it to check the practicality of the design, and since I am accustomed to living in America and not needing to worry about such things, I just pointed and said “that one.” I got it home and realized that the pretty lattice arch piece attached to the legs, bumps into everyone’s knees and makes it impossible to pull a chair fully under it. A complete waste of money, unless I take off the arch lattice pieces which is the only reason I bought it to begin with.

Regarding bargaining here, it's not the same as, say, Psar Toul Tum Pong...as in, you can bargain down by about 10% or 20% but that's about it(vs. Toul Tum Pong, where $50 can become $20 or less, depending on how savvy you are). Their prices are pretty set. Sometimes they won't go down at all, but you can likely find it in the next shop over if that's the case.

To get your stuff home, just have the shop owner call a moto with a trailer if you can’t find a tuk tuk nearby...it usually cost me right around $5 to pile a tuk tuk full of stuff and an extra dollar or two to get him to carry it up the 3 flights of stairs for me. I live at the other end of Mao Tse Tung behind the Intercontinental Hotel, so you can determine how much you should pay a tuk tuk depending on whether your drive is longer or shorter than that.

You can have cushions made in either the fabric the shop has on hand, or fabric you purchase yourself. I had the second to last shop (I think it was) make me six big square cushions to sit on, six thin square throw pillows for my couch, and two small round cushions for my small round chairs…it put me out about $65, not including the fabric I purchased for $1/meter at Orrussy market. Those cushions are a lifesaver, I tell you.

Well, that sums up all the cane furniture shopping tips I have…please post any additional tips here!

Dealing with Oily Skin and Acne in Hot, Humid, Sweaty, Sticky, Dirty Cambodia

It didn’t take me long after landing in Cambodia to figure out that my oily, acne prone skin doesn’t mesh well with the climate here…and things went from bad to worse in a hurry. I have gone through a very long process of trial and error to discover what works. And lucky for you, I am willing to share this glorious revelation with all of you. I have been using my current method for over two months now, and have been enjoying near-perfect skin the whole time. I hope it works for you as well as it did for me!

Basically, my skin has dual personalities. It gets oily and shiny, but if I use a cleanser meant for oily skin, my face feels like it shrunk three sizes and can no longer smile. It gets flaky, dry spots and totally freaks out if I use anything too harsh. I now use a gentle cleanser meant for normal to oily skin by Oil of Olay and an anti-aging moisturizer.

The trick to dealing with the acne here is to constantly be exfoliating away the layer of dead skin on top. Otherwise, all the sweat and humidity and dust and smog and oil that build up on our skin throughout an average day in Phnom Penh gets buried underneath that top layer. For some reason, my face doesn’t like to shed the dead skin cells for some reason…so I have to manually force it. I have stumbled upon two secret weapons that have brought victory to the acne battle: the first is Tretinoin cream (otherwise known as Retin A or Renova, which is prescription-only and very expensive in the States) and microdermabrasion cream (which you can make yourself at home for cheap, otherwise will cost you an arm and a leg at the store).

I have good news about the tretinoin cream…I was shopping at a local pharmacy the other day, and stumbled across a whole shelf of it. It is the brand that comes from Singapore called “Stieva” and comes in a variety of potency…and the best part is, it’s only a little more than $7 bucks a tube. Hurray! I don’t remember the name of the pharmacy, sorry. But I’m sure they sell it in most.

You can read my article about how to make microdermabrasion cream at home here, and the article about how to use both products here. (Sorry, but I don’t feel like typing the whole thing twice.)
Just be sure to wear a sunscreen when following this method, otherwise some nasty burns are in store…since you are, in essence, peeling off the entire top layer of your skin.

Please let me know how it goes, if you decide to give this a try.

Authentic Khmer Recipes...A True Taste of Cambodia!

Ihave taken a significant amount of time over the past year collecting Khmer recipes from various friends and sources, and have compiled them into a cookbook, which you can download from this post. Part of the reason for this endeavor was because I thoroughly enjoy Khmer food, but don't enjoy the lack of sanitation where it's usually prepared. It's nice to be able to cook it yourself knowing that it's clean and won't put you in the bathroom for three days straight!I have organized this cookbook by various sections so you can pick and choose which ones you want.

The ironic thing about this is that I never cook at home anymore. So please, if you do happen to try any of these recipes out yourself, by all means post a comment and let us all know how it went.

Veggies and Tofu


Soups


Meat Dishes


Fish and Seafood


Sauces and Curries


Desserts

How Many Chickens Can YOU Fit on a Moto? (And Yes, Energy Drinks ARE an Appropriate Wedding Gift)

I spent fourth of July out at Kraing Tnong Province, finishing up a mural and attending the first engagement party I've ever been too...I have to say, the traditional fruit walk was quite the experience. A huge group was gathered at the groom's house, and each guest was given a big, tacky fake silver platter piled high with various gifts for the bride's family...mostly fruit but also tons of energy drinks wrapped up in a pretty ribbon (does anyone else find this odd?). I saw toddlers running around later with an energy drink in their hand. No comment necessary. So, we all get into processional form and begin the slow, prestigious walk through the village as the parade leader banged on a gong. It was quite the event...all of the villagers came out of their huts to observe the occasion.

Once we arrived, we handed off the "treasures" to the bride's parents and then was seated under the typical Cambodian "party tent." I've been to a number of weddings in Phnom Penh, but it's a whole different can of worms out in the province. Certainly an experience not to be missed...unless you place any value on your ear drums. They figured since they had paid the money to rent a sound system, it would be silly not to blast it for all it's worth. Of course, they had tables seated right next to the speakers, where I was lucky enough to be seated. My favorite sound: maxxed out, crackly speakers and nasaly high pitched Khmer singing all mixed together. It was shaking the table and glasses, it was so loud.

For the meal, I chose to pass on the fish after I saw the pond that it came from, and was a double party pooper when I passed on the liver soup, and opted for the veggie stir fry. I became disenchanted with "going local" long ago...all you noobs reading this, get your nose out of the air since it'll happen soon enough to you! True to Cambodian fine dining style, everyone threw there trash on the ground and under the table. I hope by the time I return home I haven't picked up some "new" manners along the way.

After the meal, I snapped a few pics of the lucky bride to be and then ducked out to get my stuff I left in the car a ways back. Later that evening I finished up the last few details of a mural I've been working on, and watched the girls prepare the traditional "cow climbing the mountain" dish...I can't remember the Khmer name. It was yummy! I stayed the night and had a surprisingly good sleep considering how hot it was, and this morning was very much looking forward to the tuk tuk drive back into Phnom Penh all by myself (I had a headache and was feeling the need for a "buffer"...anyone who's been living here awhile knows exactly what I mean.) Alas, somehow the memo got out that a tuk tuk was headed for Phnom Penh, and I was rushed to leave 45 minutes early (7:45 am, too early on a weekend for this barang)and found it bursting at the seams with six people waiting inside for me...backpacks and all. They were gracious enough to scoot over and give me a whole 6 inches of the seat.

The drive back was interesting, considering my earlier anticipation of a leisurely drive home all by myself. The girl sitting on the floor right in front of me was facing me directly. Whenever she got a phone call, she would scream into the phone apparently not finding it odd that this was taking place a few inches from someone's face. The girl on the other side, diagonal from me, kept leaning over everyone and patting me on the arm as I was trying to take in the pretty countryside...pat pat..."excuse me, sister, I want to practice my English with you...you have boyfriend? How old are you? You not married yet? Why you not married?" and an entourage of the usual personally invasive questions that are on the top of their list to ask. Of course, the whole time she is speaking, she has a mouthful of some unidentified orange food in her mouth, and I can't help but notice she's been chewing on the same bit for five minutes yet hasn't managed to swallow. I think after each chew, she opens her mouth wider.

About halfway into town, the girl on the floor's knee begins crushing my foot and I realize that the chair is broken, a metal prong is jabbing into my backside over bumpy potholed roads. The girl who still hasn't swallowed her food is now asking me if we are friends and if she can have my phone number (translates: will you please be my very own free private English tutor who doesn't mind getting 15 calls a day).

If it weren't for my headache and weird mood, I would have found this series of events humorous and even fun...but today it just wasn't. However, it was all worth it when a moto full of live chickens happened to drive by us slow enough for me to whip out the ol' camera and snap a few shots. I just can't believe how many chickens they have piled on there...I have to say, getting these photos justified the trials of my day. I have posted them here for your viewing pleasure. KFC, anyone?

Rabbit Island (Koh Tonsay), Kep...Skip Sihanoukville and Visit Paradise for a Weekend

Most Tourists and even expats that I know head for Sihanoukville (Kampong Som) when they want to get away to the beach for the weekend. However, I find it too crowded, too noisy, and too full of obnoxious tourists fresh out the bar and looking to "chat it up" on what was supposed to be my relaxing weekend getaway. Not to mention how disgusting the beach is the day after Khmer New Year, literally lined with trash. There is a much better alternative if having seclusion, peace and quiet on a picture perfect beach are what you are after...Rabbit Island, or "Koh Tonsay" in Khmer, is where you need to be.

This tiny island is only 2 square kilometers in size, and just a 25 minute boat ride from the beach in Kep. There are about 7 or 8 local families who actually live on the Island, making their living from fishing and growing coconut trees. These families also make a little extra by renting out the thatched huts along the beach to any visitors that happen to stop by. At any given time, you are not likely to have more than 15 or 20 people to share the entire island with.

There are two beaches on this island, one of which you must hike to access (but is well worth the hike, not only for the gorgeous beach but also for the hike itself). The main beach is just as pretty as any postcard, with coconut palms lining the white sand, with lush jungle covered hills in the background. There is no electricity except on a generator from 6-10 pm, no motorized vehicles, no karaoke bars, no litter along the beach, just picture perfect, peaceful isolation.

The huts are fantastic if you like "roughing it" a little bit...when we got to ours, we found nothing inside but a mattress on a rustic bedframe and a mosquito net. The bathrooms are about a minute's walk behind the huts, and the "shower" is not much farther. The huts are up on stilts, and the whole thing is constructed of bamboo strips which filters in the light beautifully. These huts all cost $5-10 per night for a double "room."

The food is amazing, being fresh crab or prawns fried with famous Kampot pepper. The average cost is $5 per plate, which isn't cheap by Phnom Penh standards, so bring over an ice chest with your own food if you're on a budget.

The swimming is ideal, since the water is warm but not too hot, gentle waves and the entire beach on a gradual slope which means you can walk out very far and still only have it at your knees. Careful though, I stepped on a Sea Urchin (the non-poisonous kind) and if it hadn't been on my last day, would have ruined the trip! I suggest wearing some water shoes. Also, I am told that there are tons and tons of beautifully colorful fish around the rocky areas, which makes for great snorkeling...I wish I knew it when I was there! I will be sure to bring some snorkeling gear next time!

The hiking is an absolute must...we even lost the trail and got ourselves lost for a good hour or more, but we got to see some of the best scenery I'd ever encountered. You will encounter a mandrake grove growing in a "bog" (claylike mud that is almost impossible to walk through...I say "almost" because we walked through it. I don't recommend it.) There are local fisherman and kids hanging around this area fishing/farming seaweed and I highly recommend that you get one of them to paddle you to where the trail starts back up again. A little knowledge of Khmer here would help, but I'm sure holding up a few dollars and using hand motions while pointing to the boat will do the trick. Don't forget your camera, this hike is incredibly beautiful. You can also see some of the local people busy at their daily work, and their homes...great photo opp's.

Not much else to do in the day except lounge in the hammocks and read, nap or just enjoy the view...this isn't the place to come if you're after some wild nightlife :). At night, you can get a fire going right on the beach and do a traditional Khmer BBQ over the little coal stove, if you want. The sunsets I saw here were some of the best I've ever seen.

To get to Rabbit Island, just take a bus to Kep (actually, you have to take a bus Kampot, and whichever closest village the bus stops at, then take a tuk tuk over to Kep. Easy enough to arrange.) I would love to interject some commentary here on all of the cool things to see in Kep, but I'll save that for another post). It was the ultimate getaway of the French Colonists in the 50's, and the decaying villas lend an intriguing and eerie presence to the town. Anyways...back to the point. Once you get to Kep, you can arrange with any of the guesthouses along the beach for a boat ride there and back for around $10-20 return trip (per boat, not per person.) Or, if you speak enough Khmer, go to the Pier and try to arrange directly with the boat operator.

You can choose to go out just for the day and return to Kep for the evening, but it would be a shame to miss the beautiful sunset and the lovely dusk views of the island. Just don't forget your snorkeling gear!

Hurry and visit before development hits and this becomes the next Sihanoukville.