Kampuchea Crossings

Bump to baby on the beaten expat track

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Kuala Lumpur: Pulao Langat Seafood Center

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“Where the heck are we going?” We were bumping along on this dirt road in the middle of a palm oil estate trying not to run down goats and the occasional child on a tricycle. Even though there was a huge sign at the start of the road stating restaurant 3km, it’s still kind of ominous. In the back seat we had two travellers from Cambodia wondering what on earth they got themselves into.

And then suddenly the road opens into a clearing where a large boat with hanging tanglongs sits in one corner and the main restaurant at another. The view was wonderful. We are somewhere where the river meets the sea. The scene is languid, relaxing with even a tranquil boat puttering in the distance. I quickly grabbed my camera to go down by the rocks to take a picture, startling a Chinese woman squatting on a rock talking rapidly into her handphone. Ah well… we are not far enough from civilisation it seems.
After a glass of fermented coconut drink (no names shall be mentioned) which is very fresh and very good, we ordered. The waiter was a young, bright eyed bushy tailed guy who enthusiastically tried to explain to us every aspect of the menu. “You must have the snapped fish (red snapper?), very fresh…

We decide to do so after he assures us that the patin fish is not as fresh today. He said he will order it steamed for us with fried garlic, scallions and superior soya sauce. “You want to try the mantis prawn? With mayonnaise and sweetcorn?” “How about some other prawns, we can cook it Mongolian style”. Whoa… steady on boy. It seems that we don’t even need to look at the menu. Leave it all in Mr. Eager-Beaver’s hands. Looking around we realise that most of the staff here are young, articulate and enthusiastic. They really go the extra mile. When we ask for fried squid he shook his head and said it’s not really that fresh either and one of the vegetable dishes we want is too wilted for his liking.

I find it quite refreshing, this extra bit attention after years of being ignored in various Chinese restaurants. Seriously in some of these places it seems like the people there are doing you a favour just to serve you nuts. Pulau Langat bends over backwards to ensure you have the freshest thing from the boat. We also ordered chilli crabs with some fried mantou buns. And to cap it all off, some fried meehoon with small clams.

The meehoon is delicious with teensy little clams that add a chewiness and tastiness to the noodles. This is a good option to get if you don’t want to get too full from rice.

The mantis prawns was a little sweet but surprisingly good. The mayonnaise gives it a certain tang and richness. Prawns are fried first in flour so that it’s crunchy. Crabs are also on the sweet side so we recommend next time to have it with kam hiong style (curry leaves) or fried with duck’s eggs. We are rubber-necking looking at what other people are eating, already noting what we will order next time we come. The good thing about ordering crabs with gravy though is that you can mop it up with the fried mantou and this is so sinfully good, you won’t care about the fact that it’s all going straight to your hips.

Best dish of the day is the super fresh snapper. Flesh is firm and melts in the mouth. This is a real treat with bits of garlic and scallions giving it texture and pungency. Yummy… After we are satisfied, it’s time to sit back, order another bottle of that coconut drink and enjoy the sunset. If you come later do get a table on the boat as they light up all the lanterns at night so you feel like you are dining by some riverside in Old China.

Pulau Langat also does cattering and we reckon you can book the whole boat for a sunset chow down with friends. They claim that they can do it for you, whatever the budget.

Pulau Langat Seafood Centre : Chinese
Address: Lot 8620, Kg. Air Hitam,
Batu 6 and a half, Jalan Langat,
41200, Klang, Selangor
Tel : 03- 3122 0089
012- 670 7796

Post is courtesy of Honey Ahmad of Fried Chillies!

… far from roads in rural Kampot

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This 18 year old mother was taking her baby to the health centre. This facility, built just last year with funds from a German NGO (can you tell it’s new?), is relatively far from the primary and secondary roads and can’t be accessed by vehicle.
This is the main transport option in rural areas. You can’t see the motorbike pulling this remorque (it’s basically a wagon that can hold up to 35 Khmer). It’s a horrible bumpy ride (I feel this way and I’m healthy, imagine a pregnant mother about to deliver riding this contraption up to 15km to get to a skilled birth attendant!).
Development efforts –ours and a host of others working in MCH (Maternal and Child Health)– sadly haven’t sufficiently implemented a continuum of care to respond to this access barrier.
Cambodia had the highest Maternal Mortality Rate (31st highest in the world) in 2000 at 450 deaths/100,000 live births. There was no progress by the Cambodian Demographic Health Survey 2005, when it peaked at 473/100,000.

Here’s another form of transport, but only if there’s no rush!

Go to Hanoi for the food and Halong Bay

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I swear everyone is an entrepreneur in Vietnam. There’s a palpable sizzle of business-orientation in the air. If you want to get a vibe of the Asian economy in real-time and see what the emerging markets buzz is all about, come spend some weeks in Vietnam!

That said on the individuals level, overall Hanoi wasn’t as interesting as I expected (granted, I was there for a workshop, and spent just a few days exploring the city). It’s most definitely progressing at a rapid clip, but it remains unapologetically provincial. Old temples and historic sites seem either non-existent or not yet identified, restored and put on the map. It gave the impression of an architecturally simple, culturally uncomplicated and unpretentious city– despite the high energy– almost as if it’s settling for claim as a Halong Bay stopover, totally disinterested in tourists. The North is completely different from the rest of the country, and is completely ok with that.

Give the food trail a shot, it’s worth the effort.

We’re big foodies, and we try as much local fare as is possible whenever we visit a new locale. In Hanoi, the cuisine is more simple and isn’t as spicy (chili hot or tasty good) as the royal cuisine of Central Vietnam or the fusion-ed fares of South Vietnam, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t good in its own right! We found a huge variety of offerings, that we just couldn’t fit enough meals in a day. Actually we had to settle for sampling numerous meals without finishing any one, both of us sharing just one dish! (thank goodness food was cheap!) In the evenings it was a feast: all sorts of food shops open in the tightest of quarters, squeezing as many customers into every crack of open space on the sidewalk.

This is a very popular seafood grill corner. Stacked to the ceiling in one corner are many small plastic seats (like for children) and tables as is possibly needed. The a la carte dining choices are spread out over a large bed of ice. Customers point at the raw seafood preparations and they’re brought to your small plastic table grilled.
This is one of the seafood food shops in the Old Quarter. The food sits on beds of ice all day waiting for customers. One particularly amazing preparation is the oyster. These oysters were at average 8inX6in HUGE. They’re brushed with a special hot vinegar sauce, put on the grill, an egg broken over it, and served with hot sauce and dried garlic and onions. It’s mouthwateringly, amazingly good. In May 2007 one of these was $1.50. We cleaned her out every time we walked by!
Bun-cha is a must-have for any visitor to Hanoi. This very large spread of a meal has such varied textures (soft noodles, crunchy fried spring rolls, tender meats, chopped vegetables..) and flavors (sweet, hot, herbal, vinegary, bitter) tossed together in a curious combination. One of the major bun-cha food shops is listed in the Lonely Plant. It is a Hanoi staple and only available at lunchtimes due to the labor-intensive preparations.
The Vietnamese like their meats– anything that moves is game. Civets, field rats, snakes, bats, they all make it onto the famous grills. No one eats alone. If you’re sitting by yourself, a group will invariably join you. These guys offered a taste of their meals to Keith, who looked on in curiosity as their orders were brought. They were happy to share, and by the time the various attempts at communications arrived at a semblance of understanding, he found out he’d just eaten dog meat.
It is a healthy eating culture. Everyone eats a lot of raw foods– fruits and vegetables. There are fresh vendors everywhere you turn. Sellers who rent a space at markets sell at a higher price than sellers who plant themselves on the sidewalk and spread out their items on the ground. And sellers such as this one, who walk around with a pole and baskets of fruits hanging from each end, often sell for even less.
Markets are one of the first places I love to check out when I’m new to an area. The environment and wares and goods are so telling of a people. Here are some grains sold at the market near Old Quarter, and prepared foods just outside a pagoda near the hotel.

See more photos at Keith Kelly‘s flickr page.
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Vietnam: Halong Bay and Cat Ba Island in three days

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Halong Bay on the Gulf of Tonkin, as with other popular destinations, isn’t without the attendant scams and traps awaiting travelers. Getting the most out of any trip is a matter of arriving with an open mind. Expect to haggle and stay flexible; you’d be surprised how far patience and good humour goes. I normally avoid package tours but it’s unavoidable here, unless you have the luxury of time and nettle to dicker your way onto a private boat with the locals (it’s legally not allowed).

As of May 2007: 2day-1night boat trips ranged the gamut of $30 for a small junk to $180+ for an Emeraude cruise. Know your traveling style and philosophy, as there are benefits to all options. For example, the bare-bones trips offer a glimpse into local life that luxury cruises do a very good job of sheltering patrons from. Being no-frills, guests are allowed to haggle with vendors who float by, towing anything from Oreos to locally-caught seafood from boat to boat. They even have the equipment necessary to make a very tasty local meal for you. Guests can ask for an informal cooking lesson in the galley, request a special itinerary or stops not advertised by the booking agent. This interaction with locals and flexibility is limited with the higher-end cruises. Because they have more offerings, guests are charged for bringing purchases on-board, and the advertised schedule is strictly adhered to. But they also offer more comfort, have better amenities and an array of entertainment options. It’s really quite up to the traveler’s comfort needs.

It was the start of the rainy season in May, but the downpours were predictable and short.

That said, words can’t capture the beauty of Halong Bay.

Interesting activities at dawn…. dynamite fishing. It’s illegal, as it doesn’t just kill fish. The sudden underwater shock indiscriminately pulverises the underlying habitat and destroys the surrounding ecosystem.
Typical of a longer itinerary is a stay overnight at Cat Ba Island. No white sand and surf here, and no entertainment– there’s a floating village, some swimming and short hikes. Getting invited to a meal is great and isn’t hard to do, as locals are all very friendly and eager to meet visitors–as well as earn some extra cash! Otherwise hit up one of the floating restaurants for a seafood treat that isn’t so hard on the wallet.
Birders might find this is a good stop as the fish farms and constant churning of the water from the junks offer easy meals. There were a dozen black kites and red-whiskered bulbuls, some of them in aerial combat over territory. It’s always interesting to watch fierce smaller birds chase off birds of prey ten or more times larger than they are.

These amazing boats look like they’re barely skimming the top of the water, they’re so buoyant. This woman is cutting some bamboo to strips to repair another boat. Doesn’t it look like the boats are floating just right on the surface of the water?

To see more Halong Bay photos see Keith Kelly‘s Flickr page.
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beyond Phnom Penh.. in Kampong Cham

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Photos courtesy of K Kelly

We just wanted to go for a walk to get some air, after two whole days indoors through several ceremonies. We attended a Buddhist ceremony in Kampong Cham for a friend’s grandmother who passed away 10 years ago. This is the province with the beautiful women, according to many Khmer men in Phnom Penh. It might somewhat be validated by the recent legislative crackdown on weddings to foreigners, to prevent trafficking of women. Apparently Korean men looking for a nice obedient wife tend to look for one to buy/marry in this province, until several miraculously escaped abusive relationships in S Korea and reported it upon return.

But I digress. This couple were guests at the event, and we inadvertently followed them home. When we indicated through various gesturing and mimings that we wanted to walk around the village a bit, they wouldn’t have that– “dangerous”, they said. “Come with us to our house.”


There they served us up some tea and cashew fruits. The lands to and around Kampong Cham are dedicated to farming cashews and rubber plantations. The soil is particularly good for growing very high quality cashews, but they are mostly grown for export to Vietnam and Thailand. The Khmer in turn imports Vietnam’s sub-par cashews to sell to its own people. Rubber is exported to China. It fetches high prices, but not high enough to compensate for the damage it renders the soil after a few years of high yield. The agriculture policy is still not effectively implemented, and besides, there’s very little regulatory capacity not to mention intense corruption when it comes to land and land use. Small farmers are pretty much left to their own devices and vulnerable to the demands of neighbors and subsequent market imbalances.

They eat the flesh of the cashew fruit here, not just the nut. The older folks especially love it (maybe cuz it’s soft?) dipped into a sauce of palm sugar and water.


We walked back to my friend’s house in the sunset..