The week in pictures...

I didn't take too many photographs on this trip but here are a few to accompany the posts below... I'm now back in England with a few Cambodian projects in the pipeline here. Just 10 days in the humidity and I had already forgotten how cold it is back here... brrrrrrrr!

• First stop, Phnom Penh - view from Blue Lime hotel over to the Royal Palace - Its still the rainy season in PP hence the threatening sky and the flooded roads....
  

Next Kep Lodge in Kep - seaside town with 4 of the CCH photo journalists

• Relaxing in the evening in the bar...I must say they were lethal darts players and even started training the owners 2 year old baby. Ahh I love Cambodian health and safety.
  
  
  
• The crab market - one of the best places to eat in Cambodia. Rick Stein(of TV chef fame) recently visited Kep. He went to try lok lak at the poshest place in town. This was a mistake this street has the best food in town. Seafood straight out of the sea and served with Kampot pepper. My favourite is Kimly which can be found at the end of the row.
  
  
  
  
  
• A walk around the town and a trip to the King's old holiday villa....The family "guarding"/squatting in the deserted and crumbling building now demand $2 per person to get a look. I've been inside before they got the idea of charging the Barangs an entrance fee. The child below demanding the charge did appear to be doing some gardening (before he decided to escort us off the premises and down the road with this 2 dogs that is)

• Contemplating the sea view from the crab market

• A long relaxing walk to the beach on the seafront rounded off with a snack of a off coconut/rice/fruit mix wrapped in leaves and then cooked [read: burnt]
  
• Monkey watching....
  

• Rain...

• Jasmine (I think)....
  
  

  

• Next stop Kampot.......
  
  
  

  
  

• A cycle ride around the countryside and cattle.... Cham boys in a village on the outskirts of Kampot...
  

• Kampot river

• Back to the city and shopping - God forbid that you ever enter O'Russei market and dare to go upstairs. Sweating, disorientated, loaded with goods...will you ever find your way out again? I always get lost here. Fantastic market though - Might be my favourite.... The fabric on the east side of the market is amazing and as for the bling Khmer dresses on the first floor....!

• The school at the children's centre has opened (the primary children used to go to public school but now the centre has opened their own). Observing a day of lessons....
  The girls - S and S - who now seem to be good friends in Second grade. On the right is the beautiful girl I sponsor who is progressing very well.
  
• Second grade classroom
  
  
• A fun afternoon for 5 of the children from the centre at the water park (OK, Ok I liked the slide too...).
  
  
  
  
• Waiting for the hot dog party to begin - the water park 5 - some modelling clothes donated by my (UK) work friends - present and past.
  
• Let the dancing at the leaving party commence..........
  
  

Daaaahling...

Its a good job that here "Daaaahling"is not a term of affection otherwise over fifty moto men could have been the subject of my attention today! Daahl-ing in khmer means walking or walking for fun/strolling. Cambodian's tend to do this in parks when they have them - (even then the "park" really resembles more of a central reservation (like you get in the middle of large roads in the UK)). The the Daahl-ing is usually done just before dawn or sunset. Today I Daahl-ing-ed from about 9 to midday and not in a park but right across Phnom Penh visiting many of my favourite shops and cafes. A few new haunts had cropped up too over the last six months. I am exhausted from the heat, dust and lack of pavements!

I also Daah-ling-ed to our old house and bumped into a couple of our old moto taxi men who were still hanging about in that area for fares. One of them speaks quite good English so I had a nice chat with him and it was good to see a few familiar faces. Apparently business is not so good because people (expats) in our old flat have their own cars and business has been tough. Quite a crowd of moto men used to gather at the front of our house probably because I took long trips out to the orphanage and paid a good price - resulting in quite a high income for a moto driver. Its a bit sad that they are not being used now but so many expats use the big 4WDs that are paid for by their charity to go from A to B in the city. I would say this is really not needed and the money could be better used a) for the charitable purposes of the organisation and b) using local means of transport provides an income for local people who might otherwise be struggling... I am a big fan of the moto taxi!

This afternoon I am going to the waterpark - I have written about this on my blog before... A health and safety risk/disaster waiting to happen on the edge of town... with 5 children from the children's centre and later a farewell visit with hot dogs at the centre itself.

The visit has gone all too quickly but we will be back soon for more...

Ahhh you got so fat!

I forgot the weariness of the old Cambodian favourite compliment "ahh you got sooo fat. Do you have baby?" - I now just admit it that yes, "I ate too much..." - It is like saying, in the western world, "daaahrrrrling you've lost so much weight". Basically, in Cambodia, if you are fat (anything over a UK size 8) , you must have money to eat so you are therefore rich. This is a good thing and therefore a compliment!! Funny it doesn't feel that way when they are poking at your beer belly...

Anyway, the last 4 days were spent at Kep seaside town with the 4 children from the children's centre and then 2 days at Kampot, a delightful colonial old town (subject to the comments below that is...)

The trip with the children was good. Mainly the visit revolved around walking around the seaside town and eating all kinds of seafood with the famous Kampot pepper. My favourite place to eat on the seafront in Kep is a restaurant called Kimly. Its right at the end of a row of shed like buildings offering various delicious seafood. Kimly is by far the best and the size of the prawns is amazing!

In Kampot, I was looking forward to staying at Rikitikitavi guesthouse as in the past it had always been fully booked....On arrival they didn't have the booking! Not ideal, but a room was at least available for one night. Cycling around Kampot is great and so with the aid of a bike that only had one gear (the one for cycling up really big hills...and Kampot is flat) a day was spent getting sun burnt and going back to a Cham (Muslim) village near to Kampot where I had been before. This time opposite the mosque in a tiny local cafe I entertained 4 amused village children had a drink of coffee for less than 5p! The teacher of the local school looked on as the English speaker of the village did some impressive translation.

Kampot is my favourite town in Cambodia - It is relaxed and charming. However, it has been somewhat ruined by the Governor of the town allowing a Russian businessman permission to turn a riverfront building into a hideous Khmer club. Imagine a peaceful town with a beautiful river front... an amazing fiery red sunset... the sound of the birds - and then the thump thump of the bad Khmer karaoke/dance track. It is completely out of character for the area. In fact it doesn't seem to be doing anything for the people of Kampot. Tourism along the riverfront is down for the guesthouses there (the noise drives the guests away) and the people who tend to go to the bar are Cambodian children of the age that really shouldn't be drinking and hanging out in bars/clubs. A bad idea in all ways - However, money talks and clearly the Russian has more money to gift to the Governor than the other bar/guesthouse owners....

A place of recommendation along the river front is Jasmine. A wonderful small restaurant run by a Khmer woman and her expat husband (but she is very much in control). Not only is the food delicious she is a wealth of information and opinions on Khmer culture and attitudes. Pop in!!

Now back in Phnom Penh...Its raining hard... I have been gifted a delightful green rain cape (thanks David!) so now I look like a "traditional" motorbike taxi man but at least I am dry. Lovely.