Everyone morning my teammate Liz and I go to the market down the road to buy breakfast for our team. We are given around $4 of team money, and sent off to find some good deals.
First stop: the sweet bread lady
She is so sweet and gentle, just like her bread. Every morning as we walk up to her corner spot, we see her crouched down by her little circle fire, stirring the batter. She greets us with a smile and a bow. The bread lady hands us a free sample on a stick, and then we decide what size to get. Small muffins, medium loaf, or large loaf. little muffins it is! 2500 riel. "Akoon" is exchanged. (thank you), sometimes a side hug is thrown in which I love!
Second Stop: The watermelon ladies.
They now know us personally. Everyday as she sees us coming, the knife is pulled out and she knocks on each melon, finding us the best one. You see, the first day we went there, we asked for it to be cut into 6 pieces (one for each teammate). This was a language barrier. We laughed a ton, and finally got it! 3500 riel (.80) for one melon, cut. By far the best melon I have ever had.
Third stop: Pinapple.
This is an adventure. Everday the price changes on us foreiners. The locals say 1000 riel is a good price. We've gotten it once, and never again. We normally get the price 2000. I try to push for 1000, but they are stubborn, as am I. We end up walking away in hopes that they'd change their minds. It never happens. We end up going back gravelling for 2000/pinapple. Locals win… this time.
Fourth and final stop: the mofia bread store (as we call it)
It's two blocks down from our hostel, and inside a building. We smell the fresh baking bread blocks away as we approach. Liz and I creap in, always feeling like we are not welcome. Men continue to work, pulling trays of fresh bread out of the oven, women are laoding up their baskets they wear on their head to sell. Trays upon trays are layed out on the floor. We are ignored. "That one," we point to the owner, a chubby cambodian man who never smiles." He picks it up, puts in a bag. "How much?" We ask. "1500, he says anooyed. "2." He goes back to ignoring us. We continue to look. "What is on that one?" "Cinnamon." "How much?" 1500. "2." He picks them up, puts them in a clear bag, and we're off. No words exchanged, just quick to leave, but I always wave to the baby sitting in her crib right outside of the bake shop, and she always waves back. Hope for that family.
Breakfast, is by far my favorite meal in Cambodia.
Lunch and dinner are a completely different story...
