Cambodian Cooking School

This was a very mixed experience, from the exquisitely uncomfortable to the oddly poingant. This town seems not to have recovered from the destruction of the rein of the Khmer Rouge (1975 - 1979). The roads, sidewalks, and building are mostly in a shambles, with more traffic chaos than I have ever experienced. Meanwhile, we (10 passengers) were in a comfortable air conditioned bus (it is uncomfortably hot and humid here) with a very energetic and informative Cambdian guide (whose is a third grade school teacher - school is on break for a few weeks for a national holiday (Khmer New Year).

There were two recurring themes in her commentary on life in Cambodia: too many chinese people are emigrating (and taking over properties), and the genocide perpetrated by Pol Pot and the Kmer Rouge is very much alive in the minds of all the Cambdians who survived (25% of the population ended up in the killing fields). The war and HIV have left hundreds of thousands of orphans many of whom are now entering their 20s.

While there is a lot of construction in process, all of it that we passed is clearly either stalled or proceeding at a snails pace with no evidence of construction equipment - just small groups of thin, shirtless men using hand tools. This is the dry season, so the dust and exhaust from the trucks, buses, and hundereds of scooters was thick and dirty.

We were driven to the Don Bosco Hotel and cooking school which was established in 2007 to provide an opportunity for “‘disadvantaged” Cambodian children to learn cooking skills and spend time (6 years) in a supportive environment. The complex has not seen the care of a groundskeeper or gardener for some time, and the facilities are worn and old. There was no air conditioning except in the room where the class was held. The hotel was unappealing.

The students were earnest and obviously excited to host us, but the class was poorly organized and very hard to follow. Clearly a lot of work had gone into preparing for the class, and the dishes we cooked were good - though the recipes that we were given (rolled up with a ribbon and bow at each place along with a chef’s hat and apron) were not followed AT ALL.

The drive back to the ship was worse than the drive in because a power outage has shut down the few traffic lights.

Photos to follow.