The first morning in a strange place, even with inadequate sleep, always seems brighter and easier than the night before. And so it did.

Breakfast in the ‘garden’ at the Seven Candles Guesthouse was always a pleasure even though my often protesting stomach sometimes didn’t allow me to take full advantage of it. Muesli with fresh tropical fruit and yogurt; baguette, croissant and homemade mango jam; French toast with maple syrup; freshly squeezed orange juice; French crepes with bananas or the more local style Cambodian crepes; all were delicious and cheap.

                                                                  The Guesthouse is the home of the Ly family and has been for many years. Four generations of the family live and work here. Despite being forced out of their home and city during the regime of the Khmer Rouge, Ponheary Ly and her remaining family members managed to return during the Vietnamese occupation. In order to be able to provide for their families, some of the family members subsequently learnt several languages and qualified as tour guides once Cambodia opened up again to Westerners in 1998.

In more recent years they converted their home into a guesthouse and, judging by the posts on Trip Advisor, very popular it is. Most people comment on the friendly, family atmosphere where your tuktuk driver, the receptionist, the breakfast waitress, the Rooftop Lounge café cook, a Field Officer who works in the office and the six children who run around the place from time to time are all related.