Mittapheap Kampong Cham

... has been holding small boat races to see who will represent the province in the festival. I was able to see the braa laam (race) here in Prey Veng on the lake, even went down to the South Eastern most province, Svay Rieng, with the other volunteers to see an even bigger braa laam on the Mekong. There were fireworks, monks came to bless the boats, paper lanterns were released into the night sky over the water, food vendors lined every part of the waterfront. Simply ...

... en ville...aaaaaaaaaaahhhh, le stress) ou en tuk-tuk, je lis l'ouvrage d'une journaliste americaine, Karen Coates, qui a passé un an au Cambodge avec son mari photographe et est tombée amoureuse du pays. Et ce ne sont que statistiques et recits effrayants : corruption (166eme place sur 180 pays dans le monde, indice de perception de la corruption, par Transparency International), pollution, absence ...

... their babies. The hospital is filthy &amp; the walls have so much mould on them. <br><br> <br>We went back to the Lazy Mekong Daze for lunch we they organised for us to hire bicycles for 3000 Riel .We followed the river road which turned into a muddy potholed dirt road through local villages &amp; children calling out " hellooooo" They are so cute! My bike got a puncture so I grabbed a moto &amp; Beau sat on it backwards holding ...

... we witnessed cars &amp; trucks heading for us &amp; only pulling over at the last minute. Our driver was overtaking everything &amp; on the horn continuosly &#8211; our van which was following us couldn't keep up with us. Beck on the other side of the aisle squealed even more than us &amp; it kept making the driver laugh!<br><br> <br>On the way the bus stopped at ...

... most of the time someone was stepping on them. Anyway, it was impossible to keep them in our sites at all times and we think someone grabbed the plastic bag from the outside pocket as it was knocked loose from all the movement. We did not think a bag of dirty clothes would be a big target! Chris was most upset about loosing 2 pairs of shorts, one he wore for running/hiking and a pair for swimming. Now he only has one pair left, that he was wearing ...

... Mekong. Just in the corner of our view is the only road traffic bridge that crosses the river. The Mekong here is lovely and blue, the people simply lovely. Our hotel is a cavernous, Stalin-esque eastern bloc style mostrosity, all huge open spaces and wide stairs. There is lots of wasted space. Perhaps its a deliberate metaphor for Cambodia. I think the Prime Minister is ...

... had a Visa, I didn't have to get one. It probably would have been cheaper to get one here, then getting it done through a travel agency in Bangkok. I wasn't sure though if they issued on the spot visas at this border crossing. So, I had to show my passport and visa, fill out an arrival card and pay $1US again. After all the formalities were done, I was directed to a bus. When I got on it was 10:00. We didn't leave until 11:00 and by ...

... nations, the developed and developing, that the former go to great and powerful lengths to look after their interests at all costs, then there may not be this 'inevitability,' about proceedings here, but such is the way of the world. I was looking forward - if not a bit nervous - of my entry into Cambodia, what with all the tales and tall stories about the nation being rampant with child thieves, to keep your valuables guardedly protected at all times, and ...

... teaching English and Nuclear Fusion for free. He has traveled to some of the most daring spots in the world, including quite a few African cities. Has been assaulted 3 times during his travels, but most were due to prostitutes and alcohol. Cycled on the highway for 20 minutes, until I reached Wat Nokor. Wat Nokor was a Theravada Buddhist pagoda built inside an 11th Century Mahayana shrine. It was a curious mix of crumbling sandstone walls and a glittering new building embedded ...

... the distance was a purple painted tower, out of place perhaps amid the vegetable gardens on the muddy banks, but a good focal point for lazy beer gazes. <br>There were almost no tourists in town when we arrived. a few white faces could be seen in the riverside bars and restaurants, but primary it was the smiling faces of the locals that met your eye ...