Kep sunset

Monday 21 December 2015

A couple of days ago we went for a early evening beer at our favourite Crab Market bar (they sell Beer Lao in big bottles at a good price! Mind you, it's still 3 times the Luang Prabang price!).

As we sat there, overlooking the sea, a reasonably pretty sunset developed near the horizon. There are various islands dotted along the coast here and the sun dips down behind them, making for a lovely view. Then as we sat there, all of a sudden the scene went wild! Vivid oranges, yellows, reds and turquoise blues spread over the whole sky. Amazing! It was like that scene in "Local Hero" when Mac sees the Northern lights for the first time! And out of this a single fishing boat chugged towards us to deliver its catch, looking just like a pirate ship in silhouette.

Wow, there is plenty of beauty in Kep.

 

Captain Sparrow I presume?

This may look fairly unimpressive - a couple of shops - but they are emblematic of slow but steady development in Kep. When we were here 2 years ago there were no shops selling local handicrafts, clothes, artworks etc. for the tourists. I felt it was a shame. And now these two have opened. People still tend to say there's nothng to *do* in Kep, but I think there are glimmers of an emerging sustainable, ethical tourist industry based on more than just the Crab Market.

Trevann, looking lovely amid the bourgainvilleas. 

Our bungalow is surrounded by shrubs and trees, so the birds (mainly sunbirds and whiskered bulbuls) come really close to the balcony to feed on the overhanging fruit and flowers.

A sunbird - I think.

The beach at Kep (with sand imported from Otres!)

Many of Kep's iconic 1950s ruins are still there among the undergrowth.

Although more and more are getting the restoration treatment. I'm not sure whether this one is in fact a mammoth new build.