By the time I arrived in Kratie I was just ready to eat and call it a night. I walked down the road following the river looking for a place to stay and noticed alot odd but more on that later. Found a guesthouse on the river with some of the best value rooms in cambodia. Hot shower, cable tv, wifi and spotless rooms for $6/$7. Dropped off my things headed, ate, and then tried to use the wifi and but pretty slow. Was going to just call it a night but then I ran into someone I'd seen in Don Khon who said she was meeting a friend later for dinner and asked if I'd join and said what the hell. 

     We headed out a bit later and wondered around eventually settling on the towns western restaurant. While the food was great, spagetti, burgers etc it was the owner that was by far the nights highlight. He went on and on about girlfriends of his and his methods... Quite the interesting local conversation. Went back to the room afterwards and watched a movie ( cant remember last time I did that ) on the luxury of cable before heading to bed.

                    *** Long Post Warning *** - *** Your Welcome ***

      The next morning I slept in until noon and then got ready for a day of walking around and taking in the town on foot. Ate at the same place as last night but didn't hang around as I really wanted to check out everything. As I noticed getting off the bus yesterday everything had changed since I was here last. The streets were covered with tented market stalls making the sidewalks by the river rather awful looking. It turns out the market where they where supposed to be burnt down months ago and while there was a new one being built for now hundreds of vendors have taken to the streets overtaking the boardwalk.

      The construction project a few blocks back from the river was in full swing and an interesting way to watch some locals at work. For me it was just a new phase for the city but when I talked to other travelers they seemed to really dislike the place. It was in chaos now if I guess if you hadn't seen it before you really can't see the towns beauty underneath all the mayhem.

     Headed over to the river after and sat down watching the river but also everyone going about there day to day lives. Riding around in style on the homemade tractor, saw a giant ice block with a saw for your cooler goods, or just hanging out waiting for someone to buy something under the shade. Kratie is just an amazing place to just watch life go by and not be intrusive.

      Following the river further down I passed a small road with a building that really doesn't stand out but makes you smile if you read the sign. The "Department of Kratie Tourism" building. You see buildings like this in towns all over cambodia however in kratie it just seemed odd as tourism really hasn't hit here yet. It did however spark an adventure for the day. 

     All over cambodia you see government buildings that look rather lavish compared to the poor surroundings but you don't pay them any attenion. In kratie its such a small town they all seemed rather easy to find and I decided to have a little scavenger hunt and find everyone I could. Not far down the river was the "Provincial Department of Agriculture" with its nice villa style house in a small garden. Not a bad place to sit around all day.

      Not far down the road I found the "Provincial Planning Department", a nice house with a single person inside doing nothing. Government jobs here are obviously the way to go lol.

     Next up along the river was the nicest of all and not surprisingly was for the politicians. The kratie headquarters of the Cambodian Peoples Party was a large french style villa surrounded by a large garden and driveways full of Lexus SUV's. Out front was the guard who I assumed might not like pictures hence why there all at angles. Took them just outside his view. I know we have govenors mansions and the like back home but in Cambodia things have to be judged on a different level. The poverty surrounding these buildings in horrible and money could obviously be better used. Worse yet this is the third one of these buildings with construction going on meaning there getting bigger!

     The "Provincial Police Commissariat Of Kraite", the police station, was no different. Huge, lavish, and far too many rooms for a bunch of cops to sit around in all day. But just as I was going to fully pass off the place I noticed a board outside with two sides. One showing wanted and caught criminals and the other showing police with kids and all the various good deeds they'd done recently. The setup was very simple in old photo paper and not setup to be propaganda. It genuinely seemed like a public display of goodwill. 

      Now well into my little hunt I saw down a small road off the river a red cross sign which I assumed meant the hospital and sure enough it was where I stayed 2 years ago. To no surprise though its a very simple building and having seen the inside its not any better in than out. Still I was glad it was there when I needed it. Shabby public services are still public services and far better than not having any at all.

     Back on the river I found a branch office of the hospital for aids research/patients in poor condition. It was interesting to note the difference between public works buildings and political offices. One got money, the other leftovers. And its like that many places, its just here in cambodia all the official buildings have english signs which makes this hunt as simple as wondering the streets.

     Having finished my patrol of the river I headed a block back away from the river to a small rotary where I found the "Posts Office Of Kraite" and directly across the street "Kratie Water Works". Public works so nothing extrodinary here but at least they get a nice rotary full of life the center of town. 

     Turned down a semi paved road to the right of the rotary and found a road dotted with more places to scratch of my non existent list. I have no idea whether it was the small size of the town or luck but every road I chose was the right one. First on this one was the "Department Of Enviorment". If you could see the other side of the riverbank wall with its piles of trash bags and sanctioned trash dumping you'd see the humor in this place

     Not far away was "Electricity Of Kratie" which actually looked the way it probably should. Very industrial like property well away from town. I was craving water at this point and right on cue in the middle of nowhere sits a lady in a hammock with a cooler selling overpriced water and cola. Perfect.

      This next one at the end of the dead end road was hilarious to me. The "Kratie Meteorological Station"... or not. The sign was there but all that remained was some rubble and a rusty old tower. It would have remianed alot funnier if I hadn't turned around and saw the new building across the street. But then it came back when I read the sign "Provincial Department Of Water Recources and Meteorology, Kratie". Nice combo. I walked away laughing once again at the fact that I though that patch of rubble really could have been a working meteorology station.

     Last up on my tour of a citys goverment buildings was the tax offices. The "Customs and Excise Branch Of Kratie Province" and the "Kratie Tax Branch" respectively. This was great. Off all the buildings it would the tax collectors that get the poshest space. Surrounded by poor stilted houses sits the giant multi storey tax office in shiny blue glass. Seriously? lol

     On the way back I decided to try my luck and take the narrow dirt back roads back which proved alot of fun. Got chased by peoples dogs down every road as they tried to protect there property from the weird looking white guy. Local barber and hair saloons where going strong styling folks with the latest cuts for a dollar. Even got to see the backyard of a school with kids playing soccer and young girls on the balcony watching and talking amungst themselves. I was lucky enough to find my way back down these dirt roads and back in the room I was amazingly happy with my day. It was simple and yet I felt like I accomplished a mission and played a game all day. I made something out of nothing because really I had no other plans for the day. Heading into the afternoon quite happy to have finished the day without spending any money minus food.

     No idea what the night holds but probably nothing but dinner and then some TV. Well see. Can't help but wonder what official buildings I may have missed... Perhaps the Provincial Office Of Bribery? Nah, too far from the border.