Phom Penh

So, I'm sitting in an internet cafe across the street from the Tonle Sap river. Not that I can see it through the sheeting rain. Fucking monsoon grumble grumble mumble BAH! We'll see how much riding I get in--right now it seems like I'm going to be mostly taking my bike on bus rides through Cambodia and Laos! Sucks!!

Here are the things I screwed up! I brought my nice Kryptonite lock, but the key, apparently, is still sitting on my desk in Brooklyn. So it goes. Also, that nice air pump I bought? Doesn't work with my valves. It probably wouldn't have killed me to bring three pairs of underwear (I have two). 

I  now have a $2.00 Cambodian lock and chain. Not that there's anything that I could chain my bike to. I guess I was picturing street signs and parking meters, even though I've never seen them outside the US.

 Here are some things I've experienced:
the Angkor Temples (in the rain)
the boat from Battambang to Siem Reap (in the rain)
the bat caves of Battambang  (in the rain)

Are you sensing a theme?
Also, after meaning to do so for about five years, I finally got around to getting a pedicure.

I went to the Angkor temples yesterday. Took a zillion pictures of Angkor Wat (experienced diminished by busloads of Korean tourists, no disrespect to Koreans), and ran out of battery by the time I got to the cool Lara Croft: Tomb Raider temple (Ta Prohm). Some nice Japanese tourists took pics of me (wearing cycling jersey, sweating like pig, with fanny pack [it's my handbar bag ok???!]) and said they'd send.  

Some other thoughts on the bicycle: my bike mentors thought it wise for me to bring multiple tubes, as well as a set of foldable tires. That seemed sound. However, being here makes me realize that no matter what happened to my tires, or my tubes, they could be patched up (and I'd feel like an asshole throwing away essentially new tires and tubes). So, tubes and tires getting a tour of Indochina!!

For years, I thought the worst thing I'd ever tasted was a vastedda (spleen) sandwich from Ferdinand's of Red Hook. Then, yesterday, I had some amok near one of the Angkor temples. Amok is the national dish of Cambodia. It can be lovely. This is what wikipedia has to say,  Amok trey (អាម៉ុកត្រី) - This is probably Cambodia's most well-known dish amongst visitors; there are similar dishes found in neighboring countries. Freshwater fish fillet (commonly snakehead fish, or Mekong catfish) is covered with an aromatic kroeung (pounded shallots, lemongrass, garlic, kaffir lime), roasted crushed peanuts, coconut milk, and egg and then wrapped in banana leaves and steamed until it achieves a mousse-like texture.

Sounds good, right? The amok I had yesterday was foul--it tasted only of fish sauce, and had bits of corn in it. If you've read Chuck Palanhiuk's story, "Guts,"you might remember the scene where he describes the intestines floating in the pool. That's what it looked like. I wanted to cry.

And with that, I bid you adieu. Next post will include pictures.