A trip around the local Markets in Cambodia.

Initially the Local Markets in Cambodia can be quite off putting. However tourists flock to them for shopping and quite possibly, shock factor photos. Even after six years somtimes you find yourself holding your breath as you walk through certain sections. It's certainly not the place you want to find yourself after a big night on the town!

Freshly caught river fish flop around in large shallow metal bowls. Surrounded by baskets of squid, prawns and crab, all of which are very small. There is also fish hanging to dry and A local delicacy called Prahok Source has a pungent oder and is sold by several sellers in every market.

Prahok is a crushed, salted and fermented fish paste that is used in Cambodian cuisine as a seasoning or a condiment. It originated as a way of preserving fish during the months when fresh fish was not available in abundant supply.

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And as you can see from the pictures, the meat maybe freshly slaughtered each morning, but it sits Un-refrigerated amassing more flies as the tropical climate spreads the smell of drying meat through the dense humid air.

Piles of freshly plucked chickens lay a heap with their head and feet still attached. They almost look emancipated after becoming accustomed to hormone infested chickens in the western world.
Here the chicken wings are more expensive than the breast meat "The wings have more flavour" apparently.

All parts of both cows and pigs, from porkchops to pig skin or even the whole pigs head... Or you can buy just about anything from the inside of the animals.

Over the years some of the sellers have realised the benefits of keeping the meat cool, but not many, and the ones that have keep their coolers tucked away. Almost as if it's their little secret, or their edge over the sellers surrounding them. They know that little extra expense will attract the higher paying westerners.

Good old white man's tax lol

On rare occasions we have even stumbled upon skinned dogs heads. But even our khmer friends say that this is not often. While some Khmers(Cambodians) do eat dog. It is mainly consumed by the Vietnamese. At the border into Vietnam, you will often see trucks overloaded with live dogs piled ontop of one another crossing the border headed for markets and restaurants in Vietnam.

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The fruit and vegetable section however is a vegans haven. With a variety of tropical fruits and vegetables so cheap you feel guilty thinking of burgers Well I should, but I don't lol. Bananas for $1 a bunch, Mangos $1.25 a kg and watermelons only 50c each! Admittedly they are only the size of a rugby ball, but when you compare that to the $160 square watermelons they have just over in Japan, seems like a bargain.

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Dragon fruit, Jackfruit and Durian are all popular Asian fruits. Durian is actually banned from lots of establishments due to its aroma, it tends to linger long after the fruit has been consumed also. My children love the taste of it, but the smell alone has prevented me from even trying this expensive fruit.

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Source Moringa grows in abundance, and Cambodia is home to the world renowned Kampot Pepper Source

Cultivation has a long history and was first described in the 13th century, during the Angkorian Era. Pepper is an increasingly popular crop in Cambodia, not just in Kampot Province. In 2016, at the end of May, Cambodia had produced a total of 11,819 tonnes of black pepper

Away from the hustle and bustle and the oder of the food section is an array of hand crafted wooden statues and ornaments(as pictured below), along with paintings and leather they use to make shadow puppets.

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There is an abundance of knock off dvds, computer software, watches, high end branded audio equipment...

When you consider the difference in price, the quality you get from a $20 Breitling watch, or a $30 wireless JBL speaker that floats in the pool, you can literally replace the item 10 times over... Or so I've been told.😉

The clothing outlets that are duplicated throughout the market. Every second store stocking the backpacker staples.

• Elephant pants
• Angkor Beer singlets
• Friendship bracelets
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Alot, even go on to rent scooters with no knowledge of driving a bike, especially on Asian streets. Getting a muffler burn is so common we call it a "Cambodian Tattoo" I've even got one from my early days.

All in all, the Cambodian Markets are an amazing and at times overwhelming experience. On my mother's first trip to Cambodia she was so disgusted she sat me down and asked how we could bring our kids up here and vowing to never return... She's been back, and each time she comes, she enjoys herself more. There are a few western style supermarkets, and over the years their variety of imported foods increased, while their selection of locally sourced products has also become alot more selective. But when it comes to price, the good old local market is second to none.

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