Overdue Oudong

I manged to get this photo of Panmai without a spoonful of rice at her lips. Her appetite was voracious

I didn't have time to post anything of note yesterday, as I was on the road for most of the day, taking a long-overdue return trip to Oudong, one of Cambodia's former capitals, which I last visited a decade ago, and haven't been back since. And boy, did I notice a difference. More of my trip over the next few days, in the meantime, suffice to say that it was hot work climbing the hills of Oudong and stopping at various locations en route to see what I could find in various pagodas along the way. At the base of Oudong mountain, the plethora of eating huts beckoned a late lunch of roast chicken, which I shared with three youngsters and an elderly lady. There was simply too much for me to eat so sharing seemed the best option. Panmai, pictured above, tucked in without reservation and her two friends, Phirum and Sophea weren't far behind. Both of the boys acted as my guides for my stupa-visiting on the mountaintop, whilst Panmai sensibly stayed in the shade, selling her colourful bracelets. Smart girl.

LtoR: My teenage Oudong mountain guides, Phirum and Sophea - nice kids

On Saturday morning, I accompanied a group of my Hanuman work colleagues to a couple of hotel inspections. The Imperial Gardens Hotel and Villas, next to the Goldiana Hotel, was our first port of call. Next was the Khmeroyal, formerly Star Royal, on Sisowath Quay. Suffice to say they didn't come anywhere near the salubrious accommodation provided by Le Meridien , where I stayed last weekend in Siem Reap. However, I did spot something of note in the Khmeroyal and it was probably the worst painting I've ever seen of a group of Apsara dancers with Angkor Wat as the backdrop. Admittedly some of the art on offer in Cambodia can be a bit dicey but this picture was quite simply, crap.

The Apsara painting that caught my eye for all the wrong reasons at Khmeroyal Hotel