111. Dataran Pahlawan Heroes Square

Dataran Pahlawan Mega Mall is in the Bandar Hilir area, facing Jalan Merdeka (South Gate) at the front and Jalan Kota at the back (North Gate).
Dataran is the bahasa word for square and Pahlawan means heroes, therefore the name translates as Heroes Square.

It's built on the actual battle ground of the war-time days and was then turned into a field in front of the A'Famosa fort. There's an interesting "time-capsule" corner with a fountain and wall sculptures depicting Malacca's history.
I read somewhere that it's the biggest mall in Southern Malaysia.

I didn't come here to shop, it was a matter of life or death - literally. It was a race against time to find the ladies loo. Well, what do you expect, after drinking all that water. That's the only downside to keeping one's fluids up - what goes in must come out! (It's worse sitting in a tuk-tuk travelling over a bumpy road full of potholes. Believe me I know what I'm talking about)☺

 

Above: Former bullock wagon
This cute wagon was outside and to the right of where I entered Dataran Pahlawan - you can see the steps I went up to the left of the wagon.

 

Above: Mosaic steps
I was really taken with these steps. The design was great and the colours bright and cheerful. Looks like a great deal of work has gone into creating this mosaic by some very talented people. Alas, I haven't been able to find out any information about them. I'd love to know whose idea it was and who created them.

 

Above: Dataran Pahlawan - Dome and Sculpture Wall
Sculpture wall at the fountain. The Fountain Wall and Sculpture tell Malacca's history from the time of Parameswara to Tunku Abdul Rahman.

 

Above: Fountain
Relaxing at the fountain - it's a great place to cool down.

 

Above: Dome
The red section looks like an upturned Lotus flower and if you enlarge the picture, you can see the detail - it isn't just red, it has a raised pattern with little bits of black and red. Each "petal" is fluted with three wavy lines running down. Atop this are nine metal curved supports holding a light. It's quite a brilliant design.

Next I went and had lunch, but for the sake of continuity, I've put the two outdoor photos of the history wall which were taken after lunch, here.

 

Above: History wall
In this section, you can see the Melaka River (there are several boats on the river), surrounded by buildings. There is a palm to the left of the river. The lower frontispiece shows a bridge spanning the width with people crossing over.

 

Above: History wall - Independence Ceremony at Merdeka Stadium, August 31, 1957
There are nine seated and two standing gents. The other men standing are perhaps servants - they are holding large umbrellas over the heads of those seated. The seated gentleman fifth from the right is in army uniform and has a sword - the Queen’s representative, the Duke of Gloucester. The figure to his left (Or right when looking at the picture) sports a safari helmet. The other chaps are in traditional costume. The main standing figure has his right hand raised and wears glasses. I'm guessing he is Tunku Abdul Rahman. The rest of the sculpture is filled with hundreds of people watching the proceedings.

Always check your work
I wanted to make sure that what I had written was correct, so did a bit of searching on the computer and found the above history wall was depicting what I thought it was - a re-creation of Independence Day, 1957. Below is the photograph I found confirming this. As a result, I have tweaked a bit of the above. (Because I know the answers now).

 

Above: Tunku Abdul Rahmam chanted "Merdeka" (Independence) August 31,1957
As you can see, the artwork of the sculpture work is an identical likeness of the photo that bears witness.


See it on Youtube
For those who are interested - I did a search on Youtube and found a video of the actual Independence Day 1957 ceremony.

Independence Day Ceremony, 31 August 1957
It wasn't until I was writing this post - it was actually when I was writing about the sculpture wall, the one depicting Malaysia's Independence that I realised just how significant and important this was. After almost 450 years of foreign rule, to finally gain independence and have your country given back and be ruled by your own people, must have been a day of great happiness. Coming from a country such as Australia, we haven't lived this situation. I'm grateful at having the good fortune to travel because it opens your eyes to new things and I have the opportunity to learn.

 

Above: Food court
By this stage I was pretty hungry and found my way to the food court. I forgot to write down the name of the place where I ate, but it was in this area here. The colours were bright and cheerful and the place was blessedly cool.

 

Above: Hainanese chicken rice
Lunch - I practically live on this dish throughout most of my time in Malaysia. Well, I did eat other foods but this was my favourite. This was one of the cheapest, it only cost 5 ringgit here. S'funny isn't it how the same meal can cost so much more depending on where you eat.

After leaving the mall, I still had two more things on my "list". I found them both quite by accident. The first was the independence monument.

 

Above: Proclamation of Independence Memorial 31st August 1957
The Proclamation of Independence Memorial is an important monument - this is where Tunku Abdul Rahman, Malaysia's first Prime Minister first declared the date for the independent of Malaysia in 1956, a year before 31 August 1957. The place where the monument stands is in a corner of Pahlawan Square.

There's a sign that reads:

"The following ceremonies were performed on this site on the 31st day of August, 1957.

(i) The handing over of the instrument of independence by the Hon'ble Resident Commissioner (Mr. H. G. Hammett, M.C.S.O. to his Excellency the Governor of Malacca (Mr. Leong Yew Koh).

(ii) The reading of the Proclamation of Independence by the Hon'ble Chief Minister, Malacca, Dato'Kurnia Jasa Osman Bin Talib.

(iii) The raising of the Malacca state flag."

 

Above: Dataran Pahlawan
The monument in front of the mall.

Next: Off to find the Cultural Museum - the Malacca Sultanate Palace.

108. Jonker Street

New Found Friends

When I was at St. Paul's I met an English lady called Joanne and she said she was travelling with two people whom she'd met. We arranged to meet in half an hour and she brought her friends, Isa who was 22 from Hong Kong and Andanna who was Spanish and 30. We all went to the night market in Jonker Street and that first night in Malacca was a night of magic, fun and friendship.

I remember we went to this bar in a street off Jonker Street (can't remember the name and my camera doesn't take good photos at night. Unless I can rest it on something like a table or carry a tripod - one of those ones that are 4 foot tall and weigh a ton - most of my night photos come out terribly blurry and very dark. Editing doesn't help - all it does is lighten it and have coloured dots/spots everywhere.)



The residential heart of Old Malacca

Is Jonker Street - once famous for its antique shops, now is filled with clothing shops, craft shops, eating places, antiques and quirky little spots. But its real charm is at night - the Jonker Street nightmarket is famous and anyone who visits Malacca, simply must come here. For at night, the street comes alive with the sound of music and a hubbub of contained excitement.

Stalls line the street - the street vendors selling their homemade goodies, Portuguese tarts - a little like the English egg custard tarts, only better. Joanne bought 6 of them and they were oh so scrumdiddlyumptious. I fell in love with them and just writing about them brings back the aroma and taste - I can almost taste them on my tongue. Mmm mmm.

 

Above: Jonker Walk
Jonker Street, or Jonker Walk - photo taken during daylight hours. Today, Jonker Street has been renamed Jalan Hang Jebat, but people still refer to it as Jonker Street. I should imagine there'd be an outcry if the government took down this (and other) famous signs.

 

Above: Local street between Jonker & Heeren Streets
You can see an old Chinese building at the end of the street (Jonker is after all in Chinatown), there's Nancy's Kitchen (I wonder who Nancy was?), Sorvana Spa (just the place for a relaxing massage), the Karabau Rock Bar, stall holders setting up their wares and there's even a satellite dish perched precariously to the red brick wall!

 

Above: D'Arts Cafe
Ah - D'Arts Cafe while I didn't go in here, I thought their sign was excellent - Save water! Drink Beer.
Eminently suitable advice if there's a drought!

 

Above: Jonker Street night market

Here is where the fun begins - Joanne, Isa, Andanna and I worked our way through the crowds, stopping here to look at this, and there to look at that. And ay look - over there, those cute little thingies; so many things to see, so much to experience. We finished off the Portuguese tarts and decided to go for a drink. Remember that bar I spoke of? Yes, well we turned up a street on the left hand side and found this rather cute place. I remember I had sour plum and lime juice (3.50MYR) and coffee (disgusting) 4.00MYR. There was ice in the drink Andanna ordered the same sans ice (we swapped). Asked for an ashtray - it came with ice in it. We all laughed our heads off. We just couldn't get over an ashtray "with ice"!!!

OH we did have fun - we sat and talked about our adventures, where we'd been, where we were going next. Alas my friends were leaving the next day. Andanna told me here was flying to Australia (Perth the capital city of WA) and he had no money, no WHV (working holiday visa) because he couldn't get one, but intended to work "cash in hand."


The moon is made of green cheese

 

Above: Smile!
See that little round green ball in the sky? Well - that's the moon. The saying "The moon is made of green cheese" comes to mind. (The Proverbs of John Heywood 1546)


Jonker Street and the Red Lanterns

 

Above: Red Lanterns
During the day, Jonker Street is open to cars and vehicles. But come Friday night as the sun goes down and weekends - the place is transformed. The street is closed to traffic, red lanters light up the road and people throng the place looking at the many stalls and objects for sale. Saturday night especially is most busy - sometimes you can hardly move for the number of people milling around looking, stopping at one of the trinket stalls or the place selling whizz bang toys. The place is crowded with people - locals and tourists alike. Young lovers hold hands walking slowly as they gaze into each other's eyes, old uncles amble along on a night out, quietly puffing away, parents try to keep their energetic children in tow to cries of, "Please mum, can I have this?" and everywhere is a happy place.

And the food! The glorious food stalls! The famous rice balls are truly delicious, so many foods, so many tantalising aromas as they waft through the air filling your nostrils with the delicious smells of home cooking. Your mouth is salivating, your tongue moves, you lick your lips and only a plate of those noodles or bag of tarts will do the trick. You stop, you buy, and then you eat. It is a most heady feeling and rewarding experience - a veritable feast, a gastronomic delight. I was in Melaka for three nights and every night I went to Jonker Street.

 On the Saturday I found this place - a rather small, ordinary looking shop of undistinguished appearance and went in and asked for Hainanese Chicken Rice. Behind the cooking was this little old Grandmother with iron grey hair, her skinny arms stirring a large pot with a big ladle, the daughter or granddaughter doing something with green vegetables and furious activity going on. I went and sat down. The tables were round with Chinese stools. I lit a cigarette and looked around and noticed everyone there was looking at me. Is there something wrong? Do I have dirt on my nose? Why are they all staring at me? Then it dawned on me - I was the only "European" there, the place was filled with locals. I felt a bit self-conscious and it was sort of like ehm. Remember, this was my first time in Asia - I was a complete novice! Since then I've been back to SEA more than once and were I back there in that shop, there would be no feeling of self-consciousness, I'd look at them and smile and say hello and have a chat.

 

Above: Puppy photo
Anyway, back to the Friday night with my mates - we spotted these puppies. Aren't they cute? They look like little balls of fluff. None of us had our photo taken with them, instead we took photos of them. Not because we were too stingy to spend 2 ringgit but because what the heck can you do with a fluff ball so small?

 

Above: Help! Clowning around

I came back just after midnight. The others walked me "home". Got there at 12.15AM. Had a great time and a wonderful night. Joanne flies to Oz on Sunday, Andanna goes to Perth for work, but has no WHV. Isa told me of her travels and parent problems.

Here are my friends. Andy is falling into the river being "saved" by the two girls.

 

Above: Friends
The last photo of me with my friends (Joanne took the photo)

 

Above: Melaka River at night
After my friends left and went back to their hostel, I strolled along here just looking at the river flowing quietly, thinking on all that had happened that day. I arrived in Malacca, met three wonderful people who took me under their wing and extended the hand of friendship, ate and drank with them and had the most fantastic night. The memory of that night will stay with me even when I'm old and grey.

And the river? Well, the river will go on forever long after we have gone.

83. Gurney Drive & Gurney Plaza

After leaving the Botanic Gardens, we made our way to Gurney Drive and Gurney Plaza. The orchid show was on when I was in Penang and I was told it was at the Plaza, but try as I might, I couldn't find it. No matter, Gurney Plaza was a delightful place and I had a wonderful time looking around.

Above: Majlis Perbandaran
As we made our way along Gurney Drive the above artwork is in front of the local council building.

Above: Facing the bay
This is the view standing outside Gurney Place facing the bay.

Gurney Plaza
Gurney Plaza, a 7 level shopping complex is Penang’s premier shopping and entertainment destination and overlooks Gurney Drive, noted for its food selections. It combines elegance and style and has over 400 brands, a fitness center and a 12-hall cinema complex.

Above: Gurney Plaza
I loved the bright colours and clean lines of the escalators. Everything looked so fresh.

Bridal Fair
There was an exhibition, or show of the most beautiful bridal gowns on display and the designers of the creations were there as well. One thing that I thought was very well done were dolls in matching bridal gowns.

Above: Bridal exhibition

Above: Wedding Exposition
If you enlarge the picture, you will see the dolls in matching outfits.

Above: The designers
Another view taken from the other side. The wrought iron arch was decorated with variegated ivy leaves and and large fluffy 'balls' in a yellow/green combination.

Above: Gurney Plaza Escalators
Another view of the lovely escalators in the middle of the complex.

Lunch
I had just enough time left to grab a bite to eat and decided to eat outside and enjoy the view. There are several very nice restaurants and eateries with a very nice price tag. So I did something I don't do at home - I went to McDonalds. The last time I had McDonalds was many years ago. I must say, the fare in Penang tasted much better than the usual rubbish available. (As you have probably have guessed, I'm not a Maccas fan.)

Above: Lunch
I sat at this table and had the company of two delightful little boys. The photo on the right shows a row of outdoor table and chairs at Gurney Place facing Gurney Drive.

Above: Gurney Place
All too soon, it was time to meet my driver and head back to my hotel. He had arranged to pick me up just outside this sign. This is my last view of an incredible place.

75. Hard Rock Hotel at Batu Ferringhi

The Hard Rock Hotel
Out the front in large letters are the words, "Welcome back my friends, the show that never ends..." ELP
I had always wanted to go to a Hard Rock Hotel and now I was able to ~ and I wasn't disappointed, it was a great place.

Above: Hard Rock Hotel Penang
There are only three Hard Rock Hotels in Asia - Penang, Bali and Pattaya. The first Hard Rock Hotel in Malaysia, opened its doors on 19 September, 2009 at Batu Ferringhi, Penang and features a modern structural design with a rockin’ edge and memorabilia from rock stars around the world.

Above: Giant Hard Rock Guitar
This magnificent 18-foot guitar, a signature icon that can be found in most Hard Rocks around the world is located right in front of the lobby entrance. The giant guitar is what defines Hard Rock.
In addition to this predominant guitar feature, both the Hotel and Cafe are filled with over 500 pieces of rock memorabilia from all over the world, from contemporary to classic, as seen in all the Hard Rocks around the world.

The General Manager for Hard Rock Hotel Penang, Mr John Primmer said, “The Hard Rock culture is about being irreverent and living for the moment, so you can expect Hard Rock Hotel Penang to offer an experience that abounds with limitless energy, unparalleled creativity and quality service … very different from the typical sun, sand and sea vacation.”

Above: Entrance sign
The hotel boasts 249 rooms and suites with views of the hill and sea. There are five food and beverage outlets, including the famous Hard Rock Cafe which serves authentic American food, Starz Diner, an all-day dining restaurant featuring Asian and International Cuisine and the Pizzeria by the poolside.

Above: Gold disco lights
As I entered the hotel, I was fascinated with the ever-changing colour of this luminous beading.

 

Above: Disco lights collage
I tried to snap some photos of the different colours, sometimes they changed so quickly it was hard to hold the camera steady.

Above: The Fab Four ~ The Beatles
As you enter the trendy Hard Rock Hotel, you're greeted by music (loud and energetic) and four busts made of bronze, representing the Beatles.

Above: John, Paul, George and Ringo

 

Above: John Entwistle's guitar
This limited edition "Tommy" fender precision bass guitar is one of six designed by John Entwistle. He played this bass during many stage performances while on tour with The Who.

John Entwistle was the bass guitarist for the rock band The Who and has been described as "the greatest bassist in the history of rock". Born on the 9th October 1944 in Chiswick, a London suburb, he died on 27th June 2002 in room 658 at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.


Rock Shop
The Rock Shop at the Hard Rock has an assortment of souvenirs ~ city-specific merchandise ~ caps, t-shirts, keychains and pins. Tee shirts and collectible pins are hot commodities at the Rock Shop. One of a kind Rock T Shirts designed by artists like Jon Bon Jovi, Green Day and Shakira make Hard Rock tee shirts top shelf items. I would love to have bought a t-shirt with the words "Hard Rock Hotel Penang" emblazoned on the front, but alas, they don't come in my size.

 

Above: Souvenirs
I was considering purchasing a cap, but settled for a jewellery pin instead. Costing 45MYR and of a red guitar, I was pleased with my purchase. That said, I regret not buying a cap as well even though they were a bit pricey. However, I'll be in Thailand in four months, so I'll whizz down to Pattaya for a day trip and visit the Hard Rock Hotel there and buy me a hat.

74. Batu Ferringhi Night Markets

Batu Ferringhi
One of the places I really, really wanted to go to was the Batu Ferringhi night market - I'd heard, and read so much about it, it was one of the things I didn't want to miss. I noticed a tour desk in my hotel and when I went to enquire about doing a couple of day tours I asked about the price of taxis. Being by myself, I didn't much fancy travelling by myself at night on a bus, especially as I was unfamiliar with the area. (I wouldn't travle on public transport at night at home either). Winnie, the tour operator, said the hotel offered its guest a mini bus which takes them to the bus stop and collects guests at a designated time.

When I went to get picked up, there were only two other guests that night so the driver said he'd drive us there. He dropped us off at the start of the market and arranged to pick us up at the Hard Rock Hotel which is at the far end around 11.00pm.

Nightlife at Batu Ferringhi
The nightlife in Batu Ferringhi is centered on its 'Pasar Malam' or night market. Open from dusk until late, often past midnight, the night market is a sidewalk bazaar of makeshift stalls operated by local traders, selling an assortment of goods ranging from souvenirs to fake goods, toys, gifts - these even ice-cream stalls.


Long Beach food court
My  companions from the Bayview were Margaret and Ivor (think that was her husband's name, I can't read my own writing from my travel journal), an English couple who live six months of the year in England and the other six at Langkawi where they have a property. Margaret said you can't buy bacon on Langkawi, but you can from Penang, so they pop over every now and then for a few days of shopping, markets, tours and of course, bacon.  She said they usually eat at the food court when coming to the night market here.

The Long Beach is on the 'strip' west of the Lone Pine resort. About two thirds of the customers are tourists and a third are locals although that can vary, especially during Chinese New Year when you'll find there are a lot more locals. It's very popular with the expats who live in the area, and the tourists staying not only in the local hotels here, but those staying in Georgetown. If you're on a tight budget, this is the place to come for the food's good, it's cheap, and so is the beer.

Above: Price List
Prices are written in both Malay and English and are easy to read as the writing is quite large. You can see the red decorations hanging from the ceiling - it was the tail end of Chinese New Year when I was here.

Above: The Diners
This being my first time here, I was unsure of the procedure, but Margaret said you find a table, flag down the drink servers, give them your order (alcoholic or soft drinks etc) pay them for your drinks and your drinks will be along soon. Sometimes you may have to wait some time when it is especially busy. You take a note of your table number, go to a food stall and order your food, tell them your table number. You pay when they deliver it. Simple! My food came before my drink did.

I had Chinese for tea - cost was 5MYR, spring roll for 3MYR and a glass of wine which was 11MYR. The wine was like lolly water. I heard that the owner of the food court makes his money on the drinks and I can well believe it too. The drinks flowed like a river!

Friendly Conversation
When I was walking back to our table after having ordered my dinner, I heard someone greet me by name and looked around but didn't know who had spoken. A good-looking young Malaysian chap spoke to me and asked, "You don't recognise me do you?" I must confess I didn't - he was dressed in white t-shirt and jeans. He said, "From the Bayview". It was Daniel, who had spoken to me in the lounge lobby. I thought that was so nice of him, I clearly hadn't seen him (let alone recognised him), but he had seen me and came and chatted with me. How many hotels have staff who speak to you away from their place of work?

It is true what is said at the Bayview ~ "Where guests become friends."

 

Above: Food court scene
The food stalls run along all sides of the food court with the tables and chairs in the center. It starts getting really busy by 8.00pm, when the weather has cooled down a bit. During Chinese New Year, you need to come even earlier as it gets very busy then.

Batu Ferringhi Shopping
When people mention Batu Ferringhi, two things come to mind: beach & night market. The Batu Ferringhi night market, otherwise known as the sidewalk bazaar, is one of the area’s major attractions.

Stretching along Jalan Batu Ferringhi from Shangri-La’s Rasa Sayang Resort & Spa all the way to Shangri-La’s Golden Sands Resort, the place comes alive every night as vendors set up hundreds of stalls all along the road after dusk. Offering everything from fake designer bags to dirt-cheap pirated DVDs and home deco items to souvenirs, Batu Ferringhi’s night market is Batu Ferringhi’s main tourist attraction - something not to be missed when visiting Penang. Best of all, you can still bargain for the best prices.

Above: Footwear
Thongs and sandals of every colour and style imaginable.

Above: Bags and Gifts
There are just so many things on offer here - plates, artwork, wall-hangings, jewellery and the inevitable genuine, fake designer label handbags! I swear I had never seen so many hand bags in my life. This is just a very small section - there was row upon row upon row. I couldn't even count the number of stalls there were so many of them.

 

Above: Trishaw
One of the most popular things with tourists is having a ride in a trishaw. The three-wheeled trishaw used to be a common sight on the island, but modern times have nearly phased them out. Today, they exist as a novelty for tourists to enjoy.


Restaurants
Restaurants, or Restorans as they are called, are dotted all along the Batu Ferringhi strip. Below are some that I liked.

 

Above: The Ship
I just loved this and thought it was a fantastic design. Serving so its tagline proudly proclaims – “The Best Steaks in Town”, The Ship’s eye-catching exterior and interior are a great attraction. It is shaped like a large wooden vessel, and serves a wide range of Western food and features a maritime theme complete with captains and crews in charming uniforms.

 

Above: Eden Seafood Village
Another one that caught my eye was the Eden Seafood Village which is marked by sharp, pointed roofs reminiscent of traditional Malay houses over a reddish-brown wooden exterior. They serve seafood of every imaginable variety straight from the tanks, from fish to crustaceans, and have an extensive a la carte menu with a variety of cooking styles. There’s also a stage for cultural shows to accompany your dinner. The place is usually packed to the rafters with hoards of tourists.

55. From Temples To Breakfast

In The Middle Of The Morning

After witnessing the glorious sunrise at Angkor Wat and spending some time around the area, I walked back, found my driver and said I was ready for breakfast. He seemed surprised that I wanted to go back to the guesthouse. Maybe others usually just continue on with the temple visiting and eating breakky along the way. Anyway, I hopped back in and as we made our way back to Siem Reap, enjoyed the wonderful sights on the way.


Building Design and Architecture

 

Above: Architectural Styles
a) Top left is the Angkor National Museum which I thought looked striking. The minaret type domes and the pillars at the arched entrance combine to add a certain flair.

b) If it weren't for the fancy gold detail and Siva with Nandi on the front gable, and the Malaysian flag, you could be forgiven for thinking this building on the right was photographed back home in Australia, or indeed any number of countries.

c) The BBQ buffet and Picnic Station is just before the Museum and had I had time, I'd have gone there for a meal.

d) D'mouj is a handcraft and carpet gallery which specialises in hand-made South Asian crafts and objects d'art. The building reminded me of similar ones down on the Mornington Peninsula at Sorrento. (A seaside holiday place in Victoria)

What I found fascinating was such a diverse style of architecture in Siem Reap which is really quite a small place. It all adds to the atmosphere - modern, architectural brilliance alongside humble, timber sheds and market stalls with corrugated iron awnings and colourful umbrellas and canvas verandah shades.


Food, Glorious Food!
I loved the colourful shops and road stalls with their colourful umbrellas and striped awnings - they seem so full of life and have that special something which is sometimes lacking from western countries. It's Joie de vivre come to life.

 

Above: Local Shops and Vegie Stalls

a) The lass in the top left photo is washing some green vegetables, and no, I couldn't quite see what they were,

b) Next door are what appear to be pineapple, Svay prum`saen, a type of tropical mango and Svay Kchei (baby mango) which is used for snacks and pickles and Lahong Kchei (green papaya).

c) Here we have cigarette machines - two of them, and an assortment of dried and packaged goods along with the inevitable bottles of water. Just about all food type shops sell water. The stall keeper has removed her lilac crocs and is resting her feet while she takes a break.

d) An assortment of different goods are on offer from fresh fruit to cooking pots and baskets.


Have Wheels Will Travel
It was such fun seeing all the modes of transport. You may recall I mentioned in an earlier post that bicycles and motor bikes are the main method of travel here in Siem Reap.

a) Below is my (second) tuk tuk driver - Mr. Zolar. On his tuk tuk are written the words "Zolar Power" (solar power) which is across from where I was sitting. Like my other driver, Zolar was also pretty nifty at passing slow coaches along the way. "Slow coach" is slang for someone who is moving at a snail's pace - in other words, going too slow! In this photo we had just arrived back at Two Dragons.

 

Above: Local Transport
b) The photo on the right (top row) is one of my favourite - it shows the marvellous street scenes that are to be found here. A dad taking his daughter to school - no helmet of course, (most passengers don't wear them), in her school uniform and pretty pink and red backpack. A man on his bicycle with an assortment of goods for sale - brooms, bamboo rods, feather dusters and cleaning products, and the inevitible tuk tuk, this one with bright red upholstery. If you look closely, you will see a lady in the far right wearing a hat and scarf around her face, her feet enclosed in gumboots. She is one of the numerous people employed to keep the streets clean.

c) And here we have - The Local Coppers! Yes, it's a Police truck in a brillant shade of red. I thought it was a fire truck at first (all the fire trucks in Australia are red) and was delighted to see this Police vehicle. Police vehicles in Australia are white with blue stripes.

d) Easy Rider - bikes, bikes, bikes. If you take a closer look at this photo - see the blue sign in the rear of the photo on the right? Well, that's where my guesthouse is located - you turn left up that street and it's on the right hand side just a few doors down. I came to recognise the blue sign you see, so if I had had the time to stroll around town, I wouldn't (hopefully) have become lost. Just look for the blue sign. It's an ATM sign btw and just up from here is a local supermarket. (I didn't know about the supermarket at the time because, as I said, I didn't have enough time for walking in town. I only realised there's a supermarket here after looking at my photos!)

Chanticleer
Back at my guest house, there is a food stall just opposite which has chickens hanging up outside and the aroma of cooked chicken was nostril-twitching.

 

Above: Dinner!
This black rooster was running around outside that chicken place acrosse the road from the Two Dragons, and this was the only shot of him I was able to get. He may think he's cock of the coop, but I feel sure he will one day end up on someone's dinner plate!
Coq au vin, anyone?

Breakfast In Cambodia - Please Sir, I Want Some More
I loved the local food and was determined not to eat western food while I was in Asia, but I couldn't quite come at eating rice, noodles or pancakes for breakky. (Breakky is a slang Aussie word for breakfast.) The breakfasts on offer at Two Dragons had bacon and eggs on the menu and this I decided I could not do without. (I just love a good breakky of bacon and egg)

 

Above: Breakfast
On the breakfast menu was "Two Dragons Breakfast" which from memory included a few eggs, four rashers of bacon, several sausages, mushrooms (I think) and several pieces of toast.
Then there was "Mini Two Dragons Breakfast" - two eggs, two (Or was it four) rashers of bacon - a smaller version of the first one.

Lastly we had "Small Two Dragons Breakfast" - this was the one I ordered. (I forgot to take a photo, so have used this one instead). I thought two eggs, two rashers of bacon and two toasts would be all that I'd be able to eat. Cost was $2.95 and when it came, I saw that the bacon was over-cooked and dry looking and all shrivelled up. I thought Oh, how disappointing. I was so disappointed, but, of course I couldn't complain - that would have been rude.
But...let me tell you - that bacon was the most beautiful bacon I have ever eaten. The taste was wonderful I have never had bacon as delicious as that bacon I ate at Two Dragons, and I've eaten bacon many times in many places. I loved the taste, the texture so much, I very badly wanted to say to the girls, "Please, could I have some more?" I was reminded of Oliver in Charles Dicken's tale Oliver Twist saying at the parish workhouse, "Please Sir, I want some more."!

I can almost taste that bacon now and I find my mouth salivating at even the thought of it. When I go back to Siem Reap, I will definitley be eating bacon - and next time, I'll ask for a plateful of it. Yum.


What's With All The Tea Leaves?
After my delicious breakfast, I decided to try some Chinese tea. I had had Chinese tea at the Chinese Garden of Friendship when I was up in Sydney last year and really liked it. When the girl brought it to me, I sat looking at it. There was this lovely china "thing" with no handle and a lid. I lifted up the lid and saw - stacks of tea leaves. I sat looking at it, wondering how the heck I was supposed to drink it without getting a mouthful of tea leaves. This was a major problem. A mouthful of tea leaves wasn't my idea of a nice hot cup of tea.

So - I sat. And looked. And thought. And looked. As if by looking inspiration would suddenly dawn.☺ I didn't want to ask (I thought they'd think I was a bit of a dill if I did that). The girl came over and asked if everything was alright? Yes, thank you I'm just having a bit of a rest.

Finally, I re-lifted up the lid and gingerly tried to move the tea leaves to one side, it was then that the idea of maybe, just maybe, the tea leaves lifted out somehow. It did. What a dill I was - the whole thing came out, as you can see below.

 

Above: Chinese Tea
The tea holder (on the right) lifts out of the cup. I was so glad I hadn't asked or said anything - I'd have felt a right Royal fool. I did in fact feel like a right Royal fool anyway. I'm laughing as I write this - as if you'd be served tea and be expected to swallow the leaves. Well, we live and learn eh? So - should you ever find yourself presented with an unfamiliar tea cup, just lift the caddy thing out.