Local Brews

On Tuesday night my flatmate returned from Australia, handing me a couple of newspapers and some glossy inflight magazines. (Seriously great gifts!)

Yesterday I read the reviews on a dozen Australian beers and tried to prioritise which ones I should try when I go back early next year. The Matilda Bay Bohemian Pilsner sounds good. (“… this golden brew balances sweet malt with faintly floral hop characters tied together with delicate complexity, a generous bitterness and a dry, crisp finish.”) Despite the unusual name, the Feral White Beer also sounds divine. (“… flavoured with coriander seed and dried orange peel… The palate juggles citrus and spice characters, with a crisp, tart finish and minimal hop bitterness.”) Then there’s the Moo Brew Pale Ale, Mountain Goat Hightail Ale and Murray’s Sassy Blonde. I’ll need to pace myself…

Closer to home, the first November Phnom Penh Post ran an article on the local rice-wine varieties. It focused less on questions such as whether the palate could be defined as spritzy or complex and more about the perceived health benefits of different shots. In response, Moeun Chhean Narriddh wrote to the editor with some cautionary warnings-

"One sort of wine people should avoid is the so-called Srar Changkeus or Chopstick Wine.
To make money, some roadside vendors in town are said to have produced Srar Changkeus by putting a chopstick soaked with insecticide like Andrin into a big jar of wine mixed with water. People can get very sick or die from drinking such wine.

Srar Kaun Kchei or wine for a mother with a newly born baby is believed to help the mother regain her energy. However, usually the much thirstier father often empties the jar before the mother does.

Srar Bai Barn is believed to arouse a drinker’s appetite. The problem is that the drinker is always drunk before he is full.

Star Reaksar Sophors helps people maintain their beauty. But, be careful. If you are beautiful, you will remain beautiful. If you are ugly, you will remain ugly. So, ugly people are advised to avoid this wine."

Classic! OK- so I won’t be sampling any of these local brews in a hurry. But it did strike me that when it comes to selling alcohol (in any country) a little strategic advertising and a lot of product market differentiation goes a long way. (Just don’t believe the billboard next to the Japanese bridge that promises the handsome boy, sexy girl and “deep conversation”.)

Almost Christmas

It is almost Christmas. Since it isn’t a national holiday here I feel freer to tell people that across the globe people will gather on or around December 25 to celebrate and remember the birth of Jesus. This isn’t the festive season. It isn’t a snowy, mid-winter holiday. It is Christmas.

This December I have seen more fake snow, bright lights and scrawny plastic trees decorated “like Santa threw up on them” than in any previous year in Cambodia. (Someone told me the other day that one of the international hotels in PPenh has a special promo reindeer buffet on the 25th? Weird?!? What else? Santa on a spit roast? Santa’s little helpers dipped in chocolate for afters?)

Not surprisingly, many locals still have no idea what Christmas is about. I’m happy to try to explain the purpose of the celebrations to people like the random waiter who thought we are preparing for “Bon Jol Chnam Chrisma Americ” i.e. “the Festival of American New Year, Christmas.” Whether they get it or just think I’m a strange deer-eating American who is hoping for some super cold weather remains to be seen….

I'm a runner!

My first experience of competitive running was the under 9’s 100 metres sprint. I was in third grade. I lined up with the other runts, ran as fast as I could and crossed the line in second-last place. It was miserable.

When necessary I have run for a bus or a ferry. I’ve run in from the rain when I’ve forgotten my umbrella. But since childhood I’ve never been “a runner”. For no real reason, I decided a few months ago that I’d try a 10km run. Something to do in the cool season in Cambodia. One fitness goal to work towards. Anything other than a 100 metre sprint.

In early October I met my training buddy Gretchen, who has been running for about a year. Gretchen convinced me to fill in the registration and we started running together a few times per week. After weeks of “running away from home” and other sessions at the gym, last Sunday was race day. We traveled over 600km return by bus for a 10km run in Siem Reap. It was totally worth it!

We started at the front of the famous Angkor Wat, running past stone temples and under ancient archways. Our feet trod the same path that soldiers and servants, kings and commoners have worn over centuries. I ran and gave high 5-s to little kids, shouted my appreciation to the police who blocked off the road for us and generally made silly comments to whoever would listen. During the second half I paced myself by following “the tall guy in the pink singlet”. He was seriously about 7 feet tall and every time he took a step I had to take two! I also ran for a few km’s with a Cambodian man whose left arm had been amputated. He was strong and determined.

Our goal for our first 10km was to finish in under and hour. I ran a 49:50 and Gretchen came in just over a minute later. The added bonus was that we were the fourth and fifth fastest women in our race. Woo hoo! (The take away? If you want to run like a champ- come to Cambodia! There’s really not that much competition!)

Now that the 10k is over I’m looking at doing some 21k half-marathons next year. Anyone who sucked at school sports is especially welcome to join me : )