Sunday, December 15, 2019 | Phnom Penh, Cambodia | Language: Khmer, French and English widely spoken | Population: 1,501,725 | Currency: Cambodian Riel

Phnom Penh, Cambodia’s capital, captured all our senses. Motorbikes whiz through (what they consider) streets without a thought for pedestrians; markets exude pungent scents, while the sounds of life reverberate through the streets. This is all part of the allure.

After a marathon 15-hour nap for all, we were ready to explore our first stop in Phnom Penh, a Khmer Cooking Class. We arrive by tuk-tuk to a storefront off the main street.

Before we begin preparing the feast, our chef accompanies us to the Boeung Keng Kang morning market. It is a typical Cambodian market where you can find fresh vegetables, meat, household supplies, clothes and beauty parlors. We were meant to discover the Cambodian fruits, vegetables, fish and multi-color spices and herbs for our meal. We were not prepared to see fish jumping out of bowls of water, poultry being skinned and meat being butchered, oftentimes by children, without a hint of sanitary regulations observed. The FDA is clearly not covering Cambodia.

Thankfully we only looked, and did not buy, the food for cooking class. Most likely the chef came beforehand to purchase our ingredients, but we didn’t want to think about that. Haley did find the lipstick she created being sold. Kudos to Haley for making her product halfway around the world to be knocked off sold at a local market.

We return to the cooking school where we prepare a three course Khmer meal, guided (and occasionally helped) by our skilled chef and helper. First Bob needs to cleanse the thought of the market out of his head with soap and a good sponge.

We chopped, we minced, we peeled, we smashed, we shredded, we steamed and we tasted lemon grass, fish sauce, salt, shallots, dried shrimp, basil, chili, palm sugar, peanuts and coconut milk. And after all was complete, we sat down to a delicious meal of green mango salad, steam curried fish or chicken wrapped in banana leaves with mango sticky rice for dessert.

A wonderful start to our adventures in Cambodia.