This guy is simply one of the nicest cambodian people I've met. He runs a coffee stall in the market that has a sign proudly displaying "The best iced coffee in Phnom Penh". You know, I've tried a few, and I'm not inclined to disagree with him.
George and I stopped off for a coffee there after consuming various artery clogging deep fried rice products (you can take the scotsman out of scotland....?). The coffee dude (who's actual name is Mr Ay Onbounnnareth - it's less damage my "n" key if I just call him the coffee dude) and I fell to talking in my broken Khmer and his broken english (see? such a boring language, doesn't even deserve a capital..).
It transpires that he's 50 years old and pretty open about his time during the Khmer Rouge era. He and his family were forced out of Phnom Penh and fled up to the border with Thailand (a journey of several hundred kilometers). I mentioned that we were going to Thailand next week and his eyes clouded with genuine concern. "Please, please, please don't go to the south" he said. "It is still full of mines, and muslims fighting the government". I've seriously never had a more passionate plea from a (relative) stranger. Such a nice guy. Anyway, I signed his notebook, said I would frequent the stall more often. He promised to find a scottish flag to put up in the collectino above the stall - however, given that his working hours are 4 am to 9 pm, I'll forgive him if this doesn't happen for quite some time. Coffee dude, I salute you.
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