Kampuchea Crossings

Bump to baby on the beaten expat track

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!

Is it ok to tell people I’m an American now???

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That was hands-down the most amazing party I have ever helped organise! The entire wing of the Foreign Correspondents’ Club (FCC-Phnom Penh) was packed with expatriates, with best guesstimates of around 400 by 9am!
Just as they declared a winner my friend hollered into the microphone: “AMERICAAANS!!! RAISE YOUR HANDS!!!”

…and that’s when the dam broke. Fists shot up through a rain of confetti and the roar of cheers. Expats from various western backgrounds turned, tears of relief flowing, to hug strangers next to them. All the world had reason to celebrate, not just Americans, and to celebrate on several levels.

The greatest part was the turnout of so many Americans! We don’t normally congregate outside of rare embassy events since that’s asking for trouble. Those hands signaled change already occurring, since no expatriate could in his right mind volunteer that s/he’s American for the hostility it invites, no matter how proud to be an American s/he is and no matter how festive an event in a safe environment. Until now.

Remember when people actually looked to us in friendship, with admiration, in our travels? Instead now we’ve had to avoid looking conspicuously American. We honed instincts for keeping a low profile and watching our backs: no talking loudly, no sneakers, no baseball caps, handle the blue passport discreetly, dodge the “where are you from” question and thank you lucky stars I can pass for a non-American.

As Americans living abroad far off the tourist tracks, we rely on a rational approach to global relations. We are the frontlines for the wrath caused by our government’s ill-informed unilateral activities that have intensified threats to America and its expatriates. In meetings, even when my capacity is to represent not USAID but another bilateral, I am targeted for the ire about my government’s policies that I don’t even agree with. Even Keith— who rarely raises his voice or argues— has on occasion had to defend himself against a barrage of assaults and needed his friends’ physical interventions, for the simple fact that his all-American looks makes him a target. We’re reduced to apologists, defending ourselves for being American, alone with no one taking our side, especially in this post-9/11 world where our government squandered the outpouring of goodwill towards us by wanton engagement in war while options still existed, all the while hypocritically preaching “Christian values”.

And we aren’t all tree-hugging development wonks out to rescind the Gag Rule (Mexico City Policy) on abortion either. Our guests included Americans both based here and passing through from different walks of life– businessmen, developers and investors, corporate attorneys for Microsoft and entrepreneurs from Silicon Valley, regional officials from WHO and the UN system including the World Bank, foreign diplomats, pastors, even our US Ambassador to Cambodia joined.

And today, when we woke up, that tender of global goodwill was somehow back. America as an ideal, and America as a country, has defeated a campaign and reign built on cultivating hatred, fear and ignorance. Internet blogs, editorials, and opinion pages from all over the world are swelling with positive energy that includes us now. Strangers stopped to congratulate me and Keith on the streets and in the store when they heard our American accents. Khmer colleagues eagerly debated their rudimentary understanding of US democracy with me. Against all odds, they told me, it happened in America and maybe one day it can happen in our country.

No matter your political inclinations, this event was a triumph of the grassroots that is the foundation of a democracy. Amazingly, the complete and utter absence of southern conservative anti-intellectualism in Obama’s winning formula is a statement that marginalises the under-educated, impoverished, whiter South and bible belt’s centrality to national politics. Even if nothing gets accomplished in the next four years I applaud the hope this outcome has inspired all over the world. And I am glad that now, once again, logic and reason will take its rightful place in governance, even if only for the next four years.

Wow civic participation… Yes America…. YES WE CAN!!!

frequent flier? how to not shrivel up dry in that cabin

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Life is a journey, especially for expatriates. Keep the destinations coming, but traveling takes its toll with dull lifeless hair, skin and nails, after being trapped in a tiny seat with a cabinful of people literally breathing down your neck in recirculated air (especially on our 15++ hours annual leaves, uggh!). Give yourself some TLC in-flight and look glam at the arrivals gate with these quick tips for gals on the go:

DO PRE-FLIGHT
• start / keep a list of must-bring items– in purse, carry-on and checked luggage. save these lists so you don’t leave important things at your destination. it’s also a good record that can help with last-minute shopping when luggage got lost
• ask for and save samples of your fave products for travel
• take vit E or cod-liver / fish oil tablets regularly before flight for skin
• take vit C / supplements for boosting your immunity
• do a hot-oil treatment (eg warm olive oil with essential oils for your hair type) and/or use a leave-in conditioner before your flight to prevent dry hair and breakage
• a hydrating facial day before the flight (not a deep cleansing facial);
• intensify your moisturising routine
• buy foldable boxes (like the IKEA Komplement) for storing / transporting your items neatly (eg between bathroom and bed) when you get to your destination
• toiletries packed inside clear ziplocs or see-through cases have less chance of getting rifled through by security screeners (yuck)

DON’T
• wear nail polish, it chips easy then looks bad; get a buff manicure instead
• drink caffeine, alcohol, soda as they’re dehydrating
• pre-board or get on the boarding line– everyone especially in asia rushes to wait in line. let ’em all on first to minimise both your wait and cabin time.

BRING ONBOARD
For organising your things:
• a hanging toiletries bag for carry-on pampering you tote along and hang in the bathroom, and another for your entertainment (ipod, headset plug converter, notepad, pen, magazine), because there’s never enough storage space but you can always hang something– stow away if not needed

For hydration:
• water, water, water
• your favorite fragrant herbal tea blend; green and black teas are especially high in anti-oxidants and good for fighting those evil free radicals that contribute to ageing and illness!

For pampering / depuffing tired red eyes:
• eye pillows with grains inside for acupressure benefits
• eye gel or pre-moistened eye pads–ask for a glass of ice to cool it before using!
• moisturising eye drops

For keeping nails, skin, scalp and hair moisturised:
• wetwipes for oil-blotting, to moisturise, to clean dirt and make-up, as single-use masks for an in-flight facial
• hydrating mist (water-glycerin mix, hydrosol, aloe juice etc) in a spray bottle with an atomiser top, spray your face often and your hair occasionally
• rich moisturiser such as a chunk of shea or cocoa butter, mild enough for the face but for use on all skin areas prone to dryness
• vitamin E capsules, prick and use on dry lips
• to hydrate nasal passages, line with a bit of vaseline, or a nasal spray also relieves congestion
• ask the flight attendant for plain yogurt (hydrating, natural exfoliant, gentle cleanser) and/or honey (humectant, anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory) and give yourself a facial in the bathroom
• those toilet-seat covers in the bathroom? excellent for blotting oil from face (unused ones)
• essential oils are indispensable (eg lavender, peppermint, rosemary): place a few drops on a tissue and breathe it in to soothe, aid in sleeping, relieve congestion and combat stale air
• aromatherapeutic oil blend gentle enough for the face– treat yourself to a hand massage after washing hands, a facial acupressure session ( on a clean face!), and afterwards as a leave-in conditioner run hands through your hair and lightly massage the scalp; essential oils of lavender, neroli, frankincense, myrrh in a camellia base oil have the added benefit of anti-ageing
• dry shampoo if you tend to get oily hair and scalp, do a dry cleanse before landing
• a good boar bristle brush to keep oils distributed down the hair shaft

(to be published in AsiaLIFE Phnom Penh in Nov 2008)
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… 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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