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| This large gecko is called a tuk kai. We have several living around the hotel. They make long calls in the evenings which is how they get their name. "Tuk kai, tuk kai, tuk kai, tuk kai, tuk kai." By counting off the call by saying "Old, young, old, young, old, young", you can find out whether you will marry an old person or a young person. |
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| When the weather gets humid, wet, or when we hose down the downstairs tiles in the evenings our little frog friends come out to visit. Frogs or kong kype are a popular seasonal food in Cambodia. They are wok fried whole in batter, or fried with ginger and spices. Chnyang na! Delicious! This little frog is not on the menu. |
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| While not seen on the walls of the hotel the same way as the geckos are, if you look around the garden you might find one of these handsome lizards. Known locally as bong kaui, this one was photographed sunning himself next to the Stung Sen river. |
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| Heard this ugly toad before I saw him, rustling around under the leaves in the dry season at the staff house. Ging kou(t) is apparantly more delicious than frog but great care is needed in preparing them as they can cause food poisoning if not treated correctly. |
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| This cute little creature is called an Asian palm civet. A soldier found her in the forest in Preah Vihear Province and took her to the family home of one of our receptionists. They are widespread across SE Asia and are used to make a special type of coffee called Kopi Luwak. This poor creature sadly met her end after an encounter with a dog. She is missed by staff at the hotel. |
