The joy of street food

When I first came to Cambodia, it was advised that you don't drink the water (true).  It was also advised that you don't buy from street vendors, I will freely call BS.  Some of the best food I've had here were from street vendors.  Here are just a few examples, fried noodles, pho', straw in a coconut, ice cream, and sandwiches.  If you walked around and got one of everything I just mentioned, you would barely spend 5 dollars, if that.  The value of a dollar is freaking amazing here!  I  will elaborate.

Fried Noodles: $1.75
Pho':$1.00
Straw in a coconut: 75 cents
ice cream: 25 cents
Sandwiches: 50 cents to $1.50

The original Language corps information stated that street food would upset your stomach.  It depends entirely on what you buy.  Some stands you can tell that you shouldn't eat whatever it is.  For instance, I've seen humbao that was brown on the outside.  It's supposed to be a white sweet bun with meat and stuff inside.  My most recent street favorite is a stand in a place called Orussy market.  This area is frankly very sketchy.  At least inside (I imagine, I've never been), but all around it, there's food!  Food everywhere!  All kinds, the smells make me ravenous.  It doesn't help that I pass through this area everyday going home.  One day I finally decided to check it out.  The place I was most fascinated with was the place that always had sausages and meats cooking.  I went there, and I got half a baby baguette with meat (I assume it's beef or pork), some vegetables (carrot, onion, cabbage, pickle), and chili sauce (this was a mixture of hot sauce and garlic).  It was ridiculously delicious and cheap.  It's messy though because they wrap it in newspaper which is soaked by the time I get home.

Stopping there is a bit of a culture shock because that whole area is very third world.  I mean really third world.  The sandwich was 2700 riel, that's about 65 cents!  The last time I went there I was ambushed by beggars!  The time before that, I saw an old woman with no legs in the middle of the street pulling herself across on a board with wheels!  It's pretty shocking and it puts reality in check.  I may not be living my cushy lifestyle at home, but I'm used to it.  If ever for one second I think that my life sucks, I should think of people that are a hell of a lot less better off than I am and be thankful for what I have.  I came to Cambodia to see what the real world looks like.  If you want a genuine glimpse of that, go to Orussy Market.
Till next time.