Phnom Penh

Today we are having a tuktuk ride around Phnom Penh

this large Independence monument is near the city centre

I can't remember who this statue was 

a group of monks passed us

a shop we passed by

statues for sale

views from the tuktuk

fellow tourists

on the way back to the boat we stopped to  have a look at ...Wat Phnom, or temple on the hill

there were many Buddhas inside

in many different sizes

loved this big gold one

the eldest stupa containing monks ashes I think.

a little Buddhist shrine on the way out

large clock at the bottom of the hill, a city landmark we were told.

Back on the boat we had lunch while travelling up the river to Koh Chen village

we visited a silversmith and copper making shop

had a wander through the village

along the dirt road

looking at the places people live

past the temple

to a school.

We visited this class, they sang Old McDonald had a farm in Cambodian for us as a greeting

then we sang Waltzing Matilda much to their amusement! Little cheek one was down the back off the class!! They asked us a few questions about where we came from, they knew kangaroo from Australia but mixed up goat and sheep when one Kiwi made a sheep sound!! 

More later.

Phnom Penh

Today we are In the big busy city of Phnom Penh. This mornings visit was a sad one as we went to the Killing Fields and the genocide Museum

this lovely shrine was in the grounds

this is a Buddhist shrine to the people who were killed here

one of the burial places, there are still bones coming to the surface from time to time

very old Chinese graves

back to the Shrine, it has many skulls in it. I stopped taking photos after these few, it was just a sad place and taking photos seemed disrespectful

Views from the bus window as we were driving to the genocide Museum

meat delivery

Rambutans on the move.

I didn't take any photos in the museum apart from this one with this gentleman

he was captured by the Pol Pot regime and his wife and 6 children killed, he was being tortured when a man came into the room and asked if he could fix a typewriter, he was a sewing machine repair man, so had a look, fixed it and that saved his life.....he remarried when he was let out of prison to a woman who had lost her entire family and now has another 6 children. He gets no pension from the government despite working all his life, so he has published this book, which he sells for $10 US to the tourists, partly to support him self and his family but mostly to make sure the story of what happened to many many people is told and spread around the world. He is another person who exudes peacefulness and calm.

Tan Chau

Today we are visiting a silk weaving workshop and a mat weaving workshop

we rode in on rickshaws, the photo is a bit blurry as my camera was fogged from going from the air con on the boat to the heat of the outside

silk weaving machines, old ones from the UK, the pattern mats have been moved to the top of the machine so when the floods come, the pattern mats do not get wet.

re threading the bobbin

the pattern mats

part of the main factory, there are 68 machines here, only two were working when we visited and the noise was amazing..no ear plugs being worn here!!

part of the shop filled with beautiful colour and goodies!!

off on the rickshaws to our next place to visit

fruit shop on the  way

and vendor

this lady said I could take a photo and then held out her hand for cash...sadly I didn't have any on me to give her.

mat weaving with reeds

a young lady sewing the binding on.

the track walking back to the boat

our next stop was to an island village, not a conventional landing place!!

river side living

we were invited into the house of an elderly gentleman and were told about his life, these are his beautiful grandchildren. He was one of three brothers,  the eldest was killed in the French wars in Vietnam, the middle brother was killed in the Vietnam war, so this man went off and joined the Viet Cong against his parents wishes. He survived and these days has tourists into his home looking for Vietnam vets as he wants to say that all is forgiven and he doesn't want the Vets to think of Vietnam as a bad place, he wants the Vets to come and see the place in peace time and he wants to extend the hands of friendship. He gave off a very strong feeling of peace and calmness.

In the afternoon the chefs gave a cooking demo

we were going to make fresh spring rolls, here are some of the ingredients

and here is my effort, the sauce was a bit spicy for me but otherwise it was yummy!

Ron, expat Kiwi, was the first to get up and make his roll.

Then the chef demonstrated fruit carving

a bunny

two tomatoes make a rose

and a water melon flower!

Now to get ready for dinner!