Good Morning Phnom Penh

I was sitting at breakfast on the roof terrace of my hotel in Phnom Penh, biting into a fresh baguette spread with butter and jam, when a woman and a girl appeared on the balcony across the street. While the mother was engrossed in a phone conversation, her daughter seemed to be imitating her. At least she was striking a similar pose, perhaps playing a game to relieve her boredom. I imagined the same action taking place every morning when the wife was on the phone with her husband at work. The scene did not give rise to a special story, nor did it stimulate me to deep thought. Yet it produced a special moment in my trip, not only because it entertained me over breakfast, but more importantly, it stimulated my imagination and gave me a hint of how people seemed to live in the city. Curiosity was piqued for my first foray into Cambodia’s metropolis.

Phnom Penh (Cambodia), December 2013