Battambang means "disappearing stick" which is a reference to an old legend about some guy with a large stick. There's a statue of him at the entrance of the city, and his stick is sizable, but I've seen bigger. This town was rated the most beautiful city in Cambodia by someone. I can't argue with that. The French colonial architecture and river walk are beautiful. It's not as busy and loud and Phnom Penh, but it has an artsy, laid back atmosphere that I like.
It's the low season now, so it's quiet, there aren't many foreigners, and the prices are cheaper. I'm staying at the Royal Hotel, my favorite in town, and it's $8 per night (instead of $10). I like this hotel because it's clean, spacious, and has appealing décor. Plus, the staff is friendly, and they don't charge you for stuff like toilet paper or soap.
It still cracks me up when I see monks with cell phones and other worldly items. They have to give up so much, so I can't really blame them if they want to get a phone with wifi to check Facebook.
I visited one of the pagodas this afternoon, and looked at the temple and statues. Suddenly, I found myself walking right past the monastery shower room with a bunch of half naked monks. Why, oh why does this always happen? I'll admit it. My eyes lingered for a second on one guy's tight ass in a wet sarong. I should burst into flame right now.
I went to the Lonely Tree Café and ordered the most delicious salad. It had actual lettuce (a rare find), mango, soft cheese, cashew nuts, tomatoes, and a tangy dressing. Yum! It's sponsored by an N.G.O. which teaches young people how to cook and serve food. All the dishes and napkin holders were unique handmade ceramics. Downstairs, there were many arts and crafts such as scarves, purses, and jewelry for sale.
As I was walking down the river, something caught my eye. There was a pile of straws in every color of the rainbow. They were new, and I have no idea how this happened, but it struck me as being oddly beautiful.
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