Video #1 - View from the Foreign Correspondents Club, Phnom Penh
Video #2 - Watching a video about King Sihanouk,
at the home of Chhonn and La, Phnom Penh
Video #3 - Inside the Central Market, Phnom Penh
Video #4 - Outside the Central Market, Phnom Penh
Video #5 - Tuk-tuk ride from the Central Market
to Riverside, Phnom Penh
Video #6 - Exercising with music, Riverside, Phnom Penh
Video #7 - With Dorn Khat at Hen Hen Restaurant,
a popular barbecue place, Phnom Penh
Chanrika, the daughter of La and Chhonn, Phnom Penh
Yiey (La's mother) with Chanrika, Phnom Penh
Yiey (La's mother), Chhonn, Chanrika in La's arms, Phnom Penh
Chhonn explaining Cambodian culture and politics, Phnom Penh
Near the Central Market, Phnom Penh
Shadows at the Foreign Correspondents Club, Phnom Penh
French Belle Epoque ghost, Phnom Penh
Derelict carriages in a railyard, Phnom Penh
Phreh Sisowath Quay, Riverside, Phnom Penh
THE PACE WAS SLOWING as i coasted through the last days in Phnom Penh. Apart from a few errands i was able to stroll in the Riverside area, linger for hours in the Java Café and revisit some of the markets too. On some evenings i enjoyed a good chamber music concert at Meta House (German Cambodian Cultural Center) or caught a movie at the Flicks Cinema House.
The Cambodian leg of the trip could not end without mentioning my friend Chhonn and his wife La. I first met the couple in 2012, through the sister of a Vancouver friend of mine. On this second trip, i was in my their home a few times again. In the meantime two family members had arrived since the visits the year before. Chhonn and La became parents in October with the birth of their daughter Chanrika. Because of the baby, La's mother Yiey came to live with them as well. Chhonn and i met in town a few times too. We saw the funeral of King Sihanouk, payed a visit to the iconic White Building, snuck like kids into some derelict railyards or just hung out in the Riverside (Downtown) area. We even saw the bloody Tarentino movie "Django Unchained" (which Chhonn enjoyed and this blogger didn't). My friend often held my interest with his insights into current Cambodian politics. He even had an activist streak in him. Chhonn's knowledge and critical thinking gave me extra insight into life here in Cambodia. When we weren't engaged in long conversations, then we were whizzing around Phnom Penh either on his bike or by tuk-tuk. Given the pressures of having a young child and dealing with the stresses of his NGO job, i was very lucky he had any time at all.
After over five weeks of steady travelling my zeal was slowly wearing thin. Thankfully there had been scarcely any problems. All that remained were a few days in Bangkok and then the long flight home to Vancouver.
Foreign Correspondents Club, Phnom Penh | Happy hour on the Mekong
Public exercise at Phreh Sisowath Quay, Riverside, Phnom Penh
Public gym and public exercise in Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Actually two local art house cinemas and bars, Phnom Penh
The Flicks Community Movie Houses — screening the latest blockbusters, documentaries and classics on the big screen in Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Java Cafe was a favourite place for the expat and NGO crowd, Phnom Penh
Java Café & Gallery | where food and art meet
Meta House is arguably the best place in town for viewing contemporary Cambodian art, seeing documentary movies about the region or hearing good western music (from chamber to DJ), Phnom Penh
META HOUSE PHNOM PENH : German Cambodian Cultural Center
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