Kratie Market Update

To be fair, Kratie Market was never the most beautiful place but it was our market and I loved it. I have found the speed to which it has been bulldozed a little unsettling. Only four days after the fire burnt it to the ground, it has been nearly completely leveled. It has taken a lot of hard work and manual labour but it seems it will now be ready for the building of a new market.

Children watch the bulldozers at work

Empty shells

These stalls survived but sadly all the wedding materials sold here are heaped on the ground in front.

So the question is, how are we coping without a market? Well, luckily for us it will take more than a fire to squash the Cambodian spirit and almost the very next day, despite huge losses, people were out building temporary stall wherever they could and are selling whatever they have left. It has been amazing to see and the feeling is one of shared experiences, with people working together to help each other through these difficult times. The market can now be found all over the town!

Outside people's houses

Along the river front

Down side streets

By the minivan station

Obviously for someone like me with a certain amount of OCD, this situation has caused some anxieties. I can't always find the people I normally buy things from which I find a bit stressful as I like consistency. However, on the plus side, I can now do my shopping from my bike as I cycle home along the river. What's better than that?