Sunday, December 21, 2014

Phnom Penh, Cambodia

What to expect in... Phnom Penh, Cambodia

- With help from Blake Stokes

Dog meat for sale!!

19. Big Speakers
Food or sound system? Food or sound system?
Sound system.



18. Super wildlife
Cambodia has superhero ants that can lift big sticks, banana spiders that spin webs strong enough to trap birds, and giant geckos that sound like revving engines.
Also, there's plenty of pesky rats and mosquitoes.



17. Dancercise
Almost as cool as prancersice.
Older women like to get together in public and do dance exercises.



16. The Chinese 
The Chinese in this country are rich and powerful. 
The Chinese government also has a major influence on Cambodia.



15. Apsara dancers
Traditional Cambodian dancers wear awesome hats and show off their flexibility.



14. Massages
If you have a cold, they'll scratch up your skin and rub it with Tiger Balm. The menthol is supposed to heal you.

She smiles and says, "all better!"
13. Domestic violence
Sadly, women don't have many protections.
Also, there's not a lot of PDA between spouses.

"But I just wanted to give you a back scratch!"

12. Hammocks
Hammocks are a common furniture piece. Or you can sit on the floor.


11. Flooding
The rainy season is tough, especially because of the poor infrastructure.



10. Landmines
Old landmines from previous wars still cause casualties. Tens of thousands of people in Cambodia are missing limbs because of them,


9. Eating tarantulas, crickets, pig blood, dog, big ants, rat, and snakes
Anything's game.


8. Toilet hoses
Sadly, no toilet paper.
Expect to spend some unhappy moments in the bathroom while your drenched in sweat.



7. Poor infrastructure
Expect power outages and don't always expect plumbing.
The roads are pretty bumpy too, so you're ride to Siem Reap won't be very comfortable.


6. Monks
Monks will ask you for money because they're not allowed to have a job and they're poor.
They might give you a blessing in return.


5. Friendliness
Cambodians are friendly and personable, but they don't sugarcoat their opinions.



4. Tuk tuks
If you look like a foreigner, the drivers will harass you! Every step you take there's an annoying tuk tuk driver asking to take you somewhere, especially during low tourist season.


3. Wats
Temples are all over.
The most famous place for temples in Cambodia is the incredible Angor temple complex.


2. Tummy aches
But hey, it's only a dollar!
In tourist places, it's $3 and up.



1. Buddhist shrines in houses
The main religion is Buddhism with Hindu influence, which play a bigger role here than in neighboring countries. 
Many people have indoor or outdoor shrines.






----- The End. Click on the archive to view more cities.







Friday, December 5, 2014

Orlando, FL, USA

What to expect in... Orlando


14. Publix
All the Floridians rave about this grocery store, especially about the deli.



13. Spanish Moss
This stuff grows all over the trees and makes everywhere look like a setting for a horror film.



12. Fire ants
They're not all this cute.




11. Juicy Oranges
Fresh Florida oranges make other oranges seem dry and nasty.



10. Campaign stops
All the candidates come here and spends tons of money because Florida can't make up its mind.



9. Enthusiastic Christians
They would love to save your soul.


8. College football
Passion for football is a sign that Florida's still a part of the south.



7. Boricuas
Expect to see Caribbean Latinos, especially Puerto Ricans with weird Spanish accents (most Americans are familiar with Mexican Spanish.)

           

6. Sunny days
In the summer there's 3 options - stay in the AC, go to the springs, or take a trip to the beach.


5. Springs and swamps
Central Florida has tons of beautiful springs to swim in. There's also lots of swamps with gators.



4. Honking
The surrounding counties put plenty of slow, elderly drivers on the road.



3. Lightning
Central Florida is the lightning capital of the world.
Fortunately, the hurricanes tend to avoid this part of the state.



2. A perfect mix of east and south
It's a southern state, but not too southern because there's a lot of people from the northeast.
It's the best of both worlds!
You can expect people to be pretty friendly, despite the Jerseyans and New Yorkers.



1. A tourist trap
The amusement parks in this area are among the world's top tourist destinations.






----- The End. Click on the archive to view more cities.