Ed and Margie go to Cambodia: Bananas

The head of Diagnostic Imaging at the hospital, Vanarith, keeps extolling the virtues of Cambodian bananas. Some of his training was in Canada, and he has no good words for what he considers a bland unflavorful ersatz product compared to his home country's multiple varieties. Every day he brings up the subject of bananas, and his love for them. When his family was hiding from Pol Pot deep in the jungle, this fruit was the staple of his diet. They would dry them, cut them into rice size pellets, and use them instead of rice, as the base of soups, and all other foods they ate. I suggested that he might be sick of them after that experience, but he denied that, and maybe he associates them with survival in very difficult times. He prevailed upon my new radiology trainee, who came six hours away from Batabang Hospital for the week, just for my teaching, to buy a bunch for me and Margie. I said they were too many, but he insisted that we could each eat a few every day, and they would disappear quickly, without going bad. How could I refuse. Margie liked them so much, she had two, after our elegant dinner tonight, described below.

One of multiple local banana varieties, which does not get yellow to indicate ripeness.

Making my rounds looking for someone to help, I showed up in the department during lunch hour, to find how they spend that special time. The resident trainee on the right, Sothea who joined us for the week starting Monday, had his head down, until I startled him. He has succesfully not attended my morning presentations. I was about to ask him what the excuse was today, when he informed me that he was up all night with a kidney stone. During his training two years ago when each of the residents were practicing ultrasound technique on each other, he discovered his asymptomatic kidney stone, which took till now to manifest itself. We consulted with the Medical volunteer doctors from Oregon on the appropriate treatment, after he did a self exam of his own right kidney to find the moderate hydronephrosis that he was suffering from. A KUB and CT scan furthur documented his problem. Poor Sothea.

On our way to the Lucky supermarket, for dinner shopping, so we can eat in tonight. Typical night food street scene.

Briefly stopped by an office supply store, with a small kiosk of Chinese New Year decorations. Come this holiday all Cambodians are a little Chinese.

Who knows what time it is.

Margie reveling in the shopping experience at a western style supermaket. She is wearing her Red Sox shirt, and has never been stopped in acknowledgement. This has not dampened her enthusiasm. Go Sox.

Wine, peanuts, baguette, and a can of tuna from Thailand, passing on Bumble Bee, more expensive, round out our shopping adventure.

Returning to our hotel, where they recently posted the warning on the ouside gate.

Fine dining al fresco on our balcony, to the strains of motor bikes, horns, and smell of exhaust fumes. Margie opted for gourmet peanut butter from Cambodia, by far the cheapest.