VUTHASURF

Is it delicious? fried squid with pepper is the kind of seafood, I took it while i went to visit Kampot province at small restaurant sitting on the sea.

Popularity: 9% [?]

Woman, over 40 years, pulling wooden cart into the courtyard of resident in Kompong Trach district, Kampot province is a Vietnamese scrap metal dealer. While I was standing near her, I heard that she could not speak Khmer, but Vietnamese language. She have illegally been living in Cambodia but doing petty small business in Cambodian soil without the threat of local authorities.

Illegal immigration was the main topic for political parties to conduct 2008 election campaign. In the wake of preliminary election result by NEC, opposition parties filed complaints with National Election Committee against the commune and village chiefs offering Identification Cards to illegal immigrant living illegally in Cambodia.

Talking about illegal immigrants are focusing on Vietnamese national. While walking around Phnom Penh you will meet Vietnamese living and doing freely business in Cambodia from petty business to main business.

Vietnamese woman is pulling wooden cart from place to place in order to buy unulsed cans, plastic, scrap metal.

Popularity: 7% [?]

Packing soft-drinks, beers in purse or pocket and collecting wedding meals left from wedding celebration are rarely seen in Phnom Penh and provincial towns but these always have sometimes happened in the countryside or remote rural areas in provinces. I always spotted some guests take a can of beer and soft-drink at wedding party to home.

Last week, I joined my friend’s wedding party in village of the rural area in Kampot province. It was odd I have never seen before. I and four other friends of mine seated together with five other guests who are living in this village.

After finishing eating wedding meals, and there were the remaining food on plates, beers, soft-drink. And then I saw these women collecting soft-drink, beer, sweets to squeeze into their purses. Suddenly, one of women pulled out plastic bag from her purse and then collected all food left into her bag by asking me that “are you finished? And I immediately responded that “Yes.”

All of meals, beer and soft-drink were taken, but the last one on the table was a bottle of red wine that my friend- bridegroom- gave me to drink with other friends. I did not open it yet because I had not a bottle-opening. Therefore, I placed it in front of me in order to wait and drink together with bridegroom.

Unfortunately, we did not drink the red wine. Why? When the bottle of wine was standing in front of me. And then one of women moved it near her. I thought in my mind that she would probably take it. But I did not move it back. Oh my goodness, while she said good bye to me and my friends and then she carried all wrapped meals in plastic bags and a bottle of unopened red wine. There was only one bottle on my table.

Before leaving wedding party, my friend-bridegroom- walked toward me and my friends, and then we did not tell him about the red wine took away because we did not want him to be upset about this. In the fact, he saw the woman holding a bottle of red wine and foods toward her home. And he told me that “That is the habit of people here, if there are something left on the table, they will collect it.” So that, I just know it is the habit of people here. Things made me feel clear for what is going on.

You will see photo of woman collecting meals into her bag and a red wine in front of her.

Popularity: 6% [?]

Last weekend, I went to attend my friend’s wedding in Kampot province and stayed over there 3 nights with my friends. And then I went around province with them. The first time I went to watch the salt fields which are the big supply of salt in Cambodia and export to foreign countries. The salt fields are located along road 33 far from the provincial town about 10 km. The areas of salt fields will not be allowed to sell to be as development site by the government. The other big source of salt is in Sre Ambel in Koh Kong province. If we said of salt we are reminded of Kampot province.

At present time, the land value in this province is increasing dramatically because Kampot is the potential site in the near future for domestic and international tourists such as Bok Kor Mountain. In the last decade, Kampot was the silent province without development.

These are the salt fields in Kampot province along the road 33 leading to Kep municipality. (more…)

Popularity: 6% [?]