Bacchanalian times in Battembang

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we are in the terrain closest to being called 'mountainous' to our understanding of the feature, and have decided to stay yet another day after reading an email from internet friend Doug (who has just returned from Cambodia) suggesting we contact his Khmer friend here who may be ablel show us around the regions vinyard.

Doug and I recently kidded around about starting a wine import business from here, and if the wine is good, who knows....it may become a reality someday (just need financing and someone who knows a thing or two about wine, other than just how to drink it)!

For those unfamiliar with this philanthropic gentleman (and by all Khmer accounts, he truly earns the later part of that title), you can find videos on the delivery of his donated firetruck to Cambodia on u-tube (key words: cambodia, fire truck, banlung, sihanoukville, charity... ?), or just join his charity for Cambodia Relief (details on his Facebook site. DOUG MENDEL).

My wish would be to visit Cambodia at the same time instead of consistantly missing each other, to experience each other's world. Perhaps we have different skill sets of mutual benefit (I could do with meeting a General or two, no matter how many stars/stripes he may have ..or more importantly get to know the wife!).

This will likely spur Doug to vehement denial but I have the impression of him being a cautious thinker, who looks carefully and analyses all possible outcomes before tentatively jumping. I on the other hand tend to glance around quickly and make a split decision to either launch myself with abandon ...or not! In my defense, much is based on gut feeling mixed with two years of information observed or gathered by incessant verbalization!! Perhaps he's more careful about life because he's statistically further from death than I!
(Was that a good enough publicity plug for now Doug)?

(Subject change). Forgot to eat dinner last night as we helped a German tourist with her plans to visit Banlung and later that night, in the room, Sophat was moaning about being too hungry to sleep, complaining that I treat him like a dog. He's right, I do and yet make no apology because we animal lovers treat our pets with greater humanity than do many Khmer people between each other. Yes, Sophat is spoiled, and was fed very well at breakfast this morning.

So far we are really enjoying each other's company and rarely stop laughing. We have all the hotel staff joking and laughing with us now, often meeting together just to make fun. Sophat said he's scared because I can join in the conversations, make fun of him tooand at times correct the little tales he shares about our travels, so he speaks in a rapid slang to lose me at times. It works.

I will give my eyes and fingers a rest from the B.Berry. There are more blogs forming in my head, and they're giving me a headache, or perhaps it's my dehydrated state. Needing a break from the 'sweetwater' drops, I'll invest in the bottled variety today and make a trip to the market. Or send my dog to "go fetch" (just JOKING, alright!. Afterall, he IS asleep, and I would never think to disturb this sleeping beauty .......)!
Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile

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