A Case of Crabs

Kep is indeed the sleepy seaside destination I was hoping for, and with the least traffic I've ever seen anywhere in Asia, and surprising clean beaches! Our resort backs onto National Highway No. 3, the other side of which backs onto the block nearest the sea, yet there is no intrusive traffic noise, only garden sounds- frogs, cicadas at night, and birds. Le Flamboyant faces and is enveloped on two sides by the mountains of Kep National Park, a pretty backdrop that makes for a beautiful visit and a sense of protection. It is the dry season, but every day a gentle breeze from the ocean pops up, much love the Fremantle Doctor only milder, and cools us down a little.

Last night, Chris and I headed into town by tuktuk, after negotiating a price with the driver. We stocked up on fresh tropical fruit at Kep market, which appears to serve the locals more than the tourists. The fridge is now full of dragonfruit, mangos, lychees and lady finger bananas. The driver also took us to the pier from which the ferry Koh Thonsay- Rabbit Island- leaves. That might be a viable day or half day trip, a 30 minute ride on a boat each way. A compulsory tourist pic n front o the Giant Crab inviting us in delightful "Khmenglish" to "Kep Kep clean" !!!

The chatty driver, Lim , dropped us finally at the Crab Market where seafood abounds. A slight challenge finding vegetarian food among all the prawn kebabs, but so far so good. We had a beer at Mr Mab's Bar to cool us down, only to discover that the pull tab on my can had won me the prize of a free beer! the stock standard budget beers here being 'Angkor' brand, the rip-off 'Anchor' brand, and 'Cambodia'. Angkor is to Cambodia what  'Bintang' is to Bali. We also tried something called a Cojito- a Mojito made with Malibu count rum, lime, soda etc. I'm not much of a cocktail girl, more into cocktails, but it was quite refreshing on a balmy evening. Two for the price of one at Happy Hour!

The Crab Market is easy walking distance from the hotel, so we walked back, visiting the Sailing Club en route having heard it has a reasonable range of vego dishes. Chris had developed an appetite, so we ordered a share platter of spring rolls, papaya salad, bruschetta and an interesting unadorned coleslaw made of red cabbage which was delicious. The sailing Club is right on the water and looks like some sort of weird tropical lunar landscape at night. All belated looking white timber and pale blue with the staff wearing yacht clothes in the same colour scheme. Straight out of The Hamptons!

We've been enjoying romantic moonlight dips at night before bed, with the pool completely to ourselves as the resort is quiet just now. Last night was no different. The garden area at night is lit up by high overhead lamps with cane claypot lampshades- stunningly beautiful! There was  party with a live band someone over the back fence, but the music was quite agreeable. Everywhere we go we've heard Cuban Jazz or Latin-sounding music. No objections- it  beats the crap out of nauseating Asia Pop!

I plan to write a song to two, perhaps set up in one of the cabanas by the pool. Chris and I have brought only compact instruments- flute, harmonicas and ukulele, which takes me out of my songwriting comfort zone a little, but it could be fun. There's a rather sad-looking guitar hanging on the wall in the restaurant. Initially, I was excited, but but one string proved untunable, so that was the end of that.

I'm also curious to see whether anything new pops out towards my novel. Already I've heard stories of sea creatures and, while reading Maya's Notebook by Isabelle Allende on the plane here, I became aware of one associated with Chile, a variation on the Selkie myth involving a ea Goddess of sorts, which could easily be woven into the book's occasional escapades in international waters!