Waffle quest

I was on a quest for my breakfast waffle. Simon had told me that there was a little old lady making waffles near the school. I had seen her on the first day we went to school in Kampong Cham. That morning we had gone to the wrong school and she was just outside. She is one of the first attractions in the market street.

The market consists of small stalls just off the street. In the morning the street is filled with people shopping. Along with the crowds there are motorbikes, hundreds of bicycle and the occasional car trying to get through. The cars really cause a mess.

The waffle lady was sitting on the ground dressed in a hat and the typical scarf. She had on black cotton gloves with the fingers worn through. She had four small clay fire pots with a waffle griddle on each one. The grills were fired with charcoal and one tiny flame and the griddles were coal black from soot. She had three waffles in a plastic dish drainer sitting on a low box. I pointed at one of the waffles and held up one finger. She questioned that and I then held up two fingers. When I tasted my waffles later, I was very happy I had purchased two.

She opened the griddles already on the fire and checked their contents. They were done; she pulled the waffles from the griddle and put them in the dish drainer. Reaching into a box, she pulled out a small plastic bag and carefully put two waffles in the bag without touching them, and handed it to me.

Ok, I now have my waffles, how much do they cost? I do not know how to ask this. I pointed to the pile of bills she had on the ground and made a questioning motion. She held up 600 Real, which is $0.15. What a bargain. As I walked away, I tore off a small piece and ate it. WOW they are great Waffles, with coconut. I remembered that it is not considered polite to eat and walk in Cambodia. I wanted to eat the rest of the waffles but I held off until I reached school.