* Saturday and Sunday
I woke up quite early on Saturday as I'd been asleep by 7pm the night before. I felt a lot better after a 12 hour sleep and eager for breakfast after missing dinner. My peace didn't last long though, as shortly everyone started ambling down one by one. It's getting too hot to sleep in long past 8am, no matter how late you went to bed the night before. I was mainly up early to make sure I saw Sarah after missing her leaving do the night before. She was due to leave at 11.30 but we decided to have a morning trip to the old market for her to get a few last bits and pieces. That was really nice; it meant she didn't have to just sit around waiting to leave and I got to spend some time with her. Then back at the guest house her tuk tuk was ready and waiting and we all gathered to wave her off.
After that Aaron offered to make us some pasta salad for lunch (he was craving eating something home cooked and simple) and so I stuck around to have some of that and just chatted, caught up on emails and looked at photos from the party the day before. It was nice having familiar, simple food and Moy and her mum joined us (it was nice to see someone cook for her for once as shes always running around after us). After lunch I decided to fit in a quick pool session while Rob stayed put and carried on sitting in the same seat he'd been in since breakfast.
Once I'd returned from the pool I managed to rouse him and we headed into town to make skype calls to Dad and to Rob's parents. We went to Cafe De La Paix as it is cool and quiet and has happy hour drinks and wireless. Unfortunately happy hour was off, the room was full of kids, the internet connection was almost at a standstill and it was so dark they couldn't really see us on the video. Nonetheless we had lovely chats and a good catch up and felt really positive afterwards.
We then hot footed down to Warehouse bar where we were meeting the others to watch the puppet parade that apparently happens every year and kids from the schools and orphanages take part in. We bumped into Charlotte there who was collecting money for the cause. (This was slightly embarrassing that I'd texted her to invite her earlier and then it turns out she was helping run it, but nevermind, we had a laugh about that). I was really impressed by the puppets; they were huge, beautifully designed and glowed. The kids looked like they were having a wonderful time too.
As they paraded though town we went off to find dinner. Aaron and Claire decided to try a French restaurant that is a bit out of town but as it was a bit pricey for our budget we stayed in town and had our first dinner just the two of us in the whole month we've been here! We also chose somewhere that turned out to be a little more expensive (but we're talking $5US mains instead of $3US) and it was really worth it, I even had a couple of glasses of wine and ice cream for dessert.
After dinner Rob was knackered and ready to head home but escorted me back to the Warehouse to meet Aaron and Claire, then when they arrived he stayed for one drink to be polite, and then when Robin, Steve, Wully, Bill, Chris and Grant turned up too he accepted that he was going to stay out as the evening had a fun feel to it. Also we realised it would be our last Saturday night out on the tiles in Siem Reap as the next couple of weekends we are going to be out of town. It turned out to be the bar's four year anniversary and so were doing promotional drinks on the roof where it was lovely and cool.
Eventually everyone headed downstairs for the obligatory pool tournament but also lots of rowdy drunken chats. At some point some of the guys headed off to watch a rugby game as the sports bar but needless to say that wasn't our idea of fun so we stayed on playing pool and then later headed off the X-Bar for a final visit. The place was deserted because the DJ was awful but we stayed long enough for a couple of drinks and for Aaron to just beat me in a close fuse ball match. We suddenly noticed it was 2am and scurried off to bed leaving Claire and Aaron to their usual very late drinking session that we are no match for. Especially as we had booked our Khmer cookery course for 1pm Sunday and I wanted a final visit to the pool in the morning first (our month pass runs out today).
So we were up at 9.30, quick brek and down to the pool to soak up the last of it. I love it there as it is peaceful and always makes me feel calm and refreshed, and its been so fun over the last month being there with Sarah, Aaron and Claire and even Sadie and Bruce - plus I saved a drowning Japanese guy there one afternoon! So lots of happy memories. As usual I pushed it slightly and wouldn't get out of the pool and we got a little late to get back, get change and head into town to have a quick drink with Aaron and Claire before our course and before Claire hopped back on the bus to Phnom Penh. Its never goodbye though, we're likely to see Claire in a couple of weeks as we pass through Phnom Penh to Kampot.
We turned up at Paper Tiger restaurant for our course not knowing what to expect, were handed a menu and told we could each choose both a starter and main course to learn to cook today. We chose fresh spring rolls (as opposed to deep fried) and green mango salad for our starters and for our mains; amok (the main traditional dish) and chicken and cashew nuts (good to learn the secrets behind a simple dish). One of the cooks from the restaurant then took us around the market and taught us about traditional Khmer ingredients. Although it was quite a brief trip it was more interesting than I expected as she pointed out lots of things we would never have seen if on our own and with her we felt we could take our time and look at things without feeling hassled.
Then it was back to the restaurant and upstairs to a separate kitchen on the fourth floor that was really open and airey and so nice and cool and peaceful. It was just the two of us doing the course and it totally exceeded our expectations. Nara was so sweet and patient and funny and we learned lots (plus took photos and notes). She was so professional and the same age as us. It was funny because when we told her our ages she laughed at Rob because she said he was fat like the English so looked over 30 but then he smiled like a boy! Rob hunted for a compliment in all that but in the absence of one, her sweetness made it OK.
So for the next couple of hours we peeled and grated and chopped and ground and fried and mixed and rolled - and it was brilliant. The starters were completed first as they are cold. I loved making the spring rolls and definitely want to make them at home as they are so fresh and fragrant and yummy and not unhealthy. I loved rolling them up and was very smug when Nara told me that they were so beautiful she would be happy to sell them in her restaurant (I'm sure she says that to all the girls, but still I was very proud of them).
Once those and Rob's green mango salad (yum) were complete we got going on the mains. We got everything chopped and prepared in advance so that when it came to cooking it was all ready and waiting (as if we were on tv). Rob took charge of making the amok as he was particularly interested to learn what is in the amok spice paste. For those of you who are interested, it is made of finger root (a lighter for floral version of ginger or galangal), fresh turmeric, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, garlic and shallots.
He did a grand job of grinding these together.
Then he was tasked with making the banana leaf bowl which wasn't his finest moment but still it held together and presented his amok beautifully. In fact all four of the dishes looked amazing and we did it all (except for the pretty pieces of carrot). We also made a dessert of banana tapioca which was sweet and coconutty and delicious and a bonus as we hadn't expected to make that too.
We were starving by this point as we'd just had fruit before coming and it was now after 3pm so we headed downstairs to the restaurant, ordered a beer and started eating our way through it all. It was the best food we've had, not that we're biased, and we ate until we very very full. We did bring some of the spring rolls home though and the rest of the dessert. Nonetheless Rob still felt the need for a lie down so we headed back to the guest house and had an hour or so rest before meeting Aaron and the other guys to head into town for his and Lauren's last supper. Rob and I couldn't eat dinner so just had a starter each which was a shame as the menu was very nice (we'll go back there). Then we went for some cheap drinks and then onto Funky Munky for a classic pool session (it seems to be all we do here). We left at 11pm which was late enough for a work night but some of the others stayed until 3am! It was a lovely end to a really nice Siem Reap weekend.
I woke up quite early on Saturday as I'd been asleep by 7pm the night before. I felt a lot better after a 12 hour sleep and eager for breakfast after missing dinner. My peace didn't last long though, as shortly everyone started ambling down one by one. It's getting too hot to sleep in long past 8am, no matter how late you went to bed the night before. I was mainly up early to make sure I saw Sarah after missing her leaving do the night before. She was due to leave at 11.30 but we decided to have a morning trip to the old market for her to get a few last bits and pieces. That was really nice; it meant she didn't have to just sit around waiting to leave and I got to spend some time with her. Then back at the guest house her tuk tuk was ready and waiting and we all gathered to wave her off.
After that Aaron offered to make us some pasta salad for lunch (he was craving eating something home cooked and simple) and so I stuck around to have some of that and just chatted, caught up on emails and looked at photos from the party the day before. It was nice having familiar, simple food and Moy and her mum joined us (it was nice to see someone cook for her for once as shes always running around after us). After lunch I decided to fit in a quick pool session while Rob stayed put and carried on sitting in the same seat he'd been in since breakfast.
Once I'd returned from the pool I managed to rouse him and we headed into town to make skype calls to Dad and to Rob's parents. We went to Cafe De La Paix as it is cool and quiet and has happy hour drinks and wireless. Unfortunately happy hour was off, the room was full of kids, the internet connection was almost at a standstill and it was so dark they couldn't really see us on the video. Nonetheless we had lovely chats and a good catch up and felt really positive afterwards.
We then hot footed down to Warehouse bar where we were meeting the others to watch the puppet parade that apparently happens every year and kids from the schools and orphanages take part in. We bumped into Charlotte there who was collecting money for the cause. (This was slightly embarrassing that I'd texted her to invite her earlier and then it turns out she was helping run it, but nevermind, we had a laugh about that). I was really impressed by the puppets; they were huge, beautifully designed and glowed. The kids looked like they were having a wonderful time too.
As they paraded though town we went off to find dinner. Aaron and Claire decided to try a French restaurant that is a bit out of town but as it was a bit pricey for our budget we stayed in town and had our first dinner just the two of us in the whole month we've been here! We also chose somewhere that turned out to be a little more expensive (but we're talking $5US mains instead of $3US) and it was really worth it, I even had a couple of glasses of wine and ice cream for dessert.
After dinner Rob was knackered and ready to head home but escorted me back to the Warehouse to meet Aaron and Claire, then when they arrived he stayed for one drink to be polite, and then when Robin, Steve, Wully, Bill, Chris and Grant turned up too he accepted that he was going to stay out as the evening had a fun feel to it. Also we realised it would be our last Saturday night out on the tiles in Siem Reap as the next couple of weekends we are going to be out of town. It turned out to be the bar's four year anniversary and so were doing promotional drinks on the roof where it was lovely and cool.
Eventually everyone headed downstairs for the obligatory pool tournament but also lots of rowdy drunken chats. At some point some of the guys headed off to watch a rugby game as the sports bar but needless to say that wasn't our idea of fun so we stayed on playing pool and then later headed off the X-Bar for a final visit. The place was deserted because the DJ was awful but we stayed long enough for a couple of drinks and for Aaron to just beat me in a close fuse ball match. We suddenly noticed it was 2am and scurried off to bed leaving Claire and Aaron to their usual very late drinking session that we are no match for. Especially as we had booked our Khmer cookery course for 1pm Sunday and I wanted a final visit to the pool in the morning first (our month pass runs out today).
So we were up at 9.30, quick brek and down to the pool to soak up the last of it. I love it there as it is peaceful and always makes me feel calm and refreshed, and its been so fun over the last month being there with Sarah, Aaron and Claire and even Sadie and Bruce - plus I saved a drowning Japanese guy there one afternoon! So lots of happy memories. As usual I pushed it slightly and wouldn't get out of the pool and we got a little late to get back, get change and head into town to have a quick drink with Aaron and Claire before our course and before Claire hopped back on the bus to Phnom Penh. Its never goodbye though, we're likely to see Claire in a couple of weeks as we pass through Phnom Penh to Kampot.
We turned up at Paper Tiger restaurant for our course not knowing what to expect, were handed a menu and told we could each choose both a starter and main course to learn to cook today. We chose fresh spring rolls (as opposed to deep fried) and green mango salad for our starters and for our mains; amok (the main traditional dish) and chicken and cashew nuts (good to learn the secrets behind a simple dish). One of the cooks from the restaurant then took us around the market and taught us about traditional Khmer ingredients. Although it was quite a brief trip it was more interesting than I expected as she pointed out lots of things we would never have seen if on our own and with her we felt we could take our time and look at things without feeling hassled.
Then it was back to the restaurant and upstairs to a separate kitchen on the fourth floor that was really open and airey and so nice and cool and peaceful. It was just the two of us doing the course and it totally exceeded our expectations. Nara was so sweet and patient and funny and we learned lots (plus took photos and notes). She was so professional and the same age as us. It was funny because when we told her our ages she laughed at Rob because she said he was fat like the English so looked over 30 but then he smiled like a boy! Rob hunted for a compliment in all that but in the absence of one, her sweetness made it OK.
So for the next couple of hours we peeled and grated and chopped and ground and fried and mixed and rolled - and it was brilliant. The starters were completed first as they are cold. I loved making the spring rolls and definitely want to make them at home as they are so fresh and fragrant and yummy and not unhealthy. I loved rolling them up and was very smug when Nara told me that they were so beautiful she would be happy to sell them in her restaurant (I'm sure she says that to all the girls, but still I was very proud of them).
Once those and Rob's green mango salad (yum) were complete we got going on the mains. We got everything chopped and prepared in advance so that when it came to cooking it was all ready and waiting (as if we were on tv). Rob took charge of making the amok as he was particularly interested to learn what is in the amok spice paste. For those of you who are interested, it is made of finger root (a lighter for floral version of ginger or galangal), fresh turmeric, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, garlic and shallots.
He did a grand job of grinding these together.
Then he was tasked with making the banana leaf bowl which wasn't his finest moment but still it held together and presented his amok beautifully. In fact all four of the dishes looked amazing and we did it all (except for the pretty pieces of carrot). We also made a dessert of banana tapioca which was sweet and coconutty and delicious and a bonus as we hadn't expected to make that too.
We were starving by this point as we'd just had fruit before coming and it was now after 3pm so we headed downstairs to the restaurant, ordered a beer and started eating our way through it all. It was the best food we've had, not that we're biased, and we ate until we very very full. We did bring some of the spring rolls home though and the rest of the dessert. Nonetheless Rob still felt the need for a lie down so we headed back to the guest house and had an hour or so rest before meeting Aaron and the other guys to head into town for his and Lauren's last supper. Rob and I couldn't eat dinner so just had a starter each which was a shame as the menu was very nice (we'll go back there). Then we went for some cheap drinks and then onto Funky Munky for a classic pool session (it seems to be all we do here). We left at 11pm which was late enough for a work night but some of the others stayed until 3am! It was a lovely end to a really nice Siem Reap weekend.
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