More for 13 Oct 2007

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We lost our internet connection las night so I'm adding another posting for October 13th, besides, back in Utah it's only 5:30PM on the 13th, so I'm not really cheating!

Renee and I will probably be taking turns doing the daily postings. She did the official post for the 13th, other than my side note, I'm on for tonight.

One thing not mentioned in yesterday's post was the kind nature and inherent friendliness of all the Cambodian people we have met so far. We are not staying at a big resort to start with, so we aren't surrounded by a bevy of support people who are vying for tips. We met the most delightful old woman tending a Buddhist shrine at the Boat Wat yesterday. Before Kendal came up to interpret it was obvious she was inviting us to the shrine, even though we couldn't understand each other. Kendal came up to her and they started conversing in Khmer, and like all the other women he talks to, just seem to be so fascinated that this young tall foreigner could easy talk to her in her language. (Side note - the younger Khmer women around our Hotel, one of whom is a member of the LDS Church, turn all bashful and giggle like crazy when Kendal talks to them....)

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Photos

Tour Boat
Tour Boat on the Tonle Sap River.

Mekong River-north
A view up the Mekong fron the confluence of the Mekong and Tonle Sap Rivers.

Cameron & Kurt
Cam and I in a Tuk-Tuk (pronounced Took-Took). Familiar with a fifth-wheel mobile home rig? Well substitute a 125cc motorcycle for the pickup and a merry-go-round 4 person seat for the trailer, and viola, a Tuk-Tuk!

Sihanouk Blvd
The moto (motorcycle) is the primary vehicle in Phnom Penh (there are gazillions of them!!) used as personal vehicles, taxi's, and tow trucks. On the right in this picture is a man towing railroad ties on a two wheel trailer with his moto.

Killing field site
This is a killing Field site close to Phnom Penh where the prisoners from S.R.21 were taken to be executed. The Stupa (or shrine) here is filled with the skulls of the victims. I choose not to get a more deaitled photo but if you enlarge the photo.... The grounds behind are covered with the holes of the excavated mass graves. At the end of the walk you notice cloth coming out of the ground on the trail. Then you notice the bones mixed in with the cloth........

Boat Wat
This is a beautiful Buddhist Shrine in the shap of a boat, representing, so we were told, the boat that carries one to the afterlife. (Seemed like a cross between Buddhism & Greek Mythology to me, but what do I know?)

Boat Wat Shrine
This is the shrine inside the boat. Not knowing if I would be offending anyong, especially the old woman barely visible behind the gate on the right, I took this from a distance. The Shrine contained the large Buddha in the middle and a vitual forest of little Buddha's.

Cam, cow, & kids
We walked from the Boat Wat a short way through an empty field to the bank of the Tnle Sap River across from Phnom Penh. The field have several Brahmin cattle, so Cameron walked up to one who seemed mildly interested in him. Out of nowhere these kids appeared, I guess to see what Cameron was going to do with thier cow. One of the kids was buck naked, but hidden (I hope) behind one of the other children when I took this.

Phnom Penh
View of Phom Penh area (around the vicinity of the Royal Compound) from the opposite bank of the Tonle Sap River.

Houseboat
No, not the big one, but the little ones. As we walked along the riverwalk on the Tonle Sap we came up to a number of these smaller boats. Entire families live on them.

Dinner with the Lymans
Our tour guides for most of the 13th were the Lymans from Arizona. They were patient and very generous, even treating us to dinner at the Kiwi Restaraunt that evening. Notice how dark it is behind us, the picture was taken at 6:30 PM. We are so near the equator that days and nights are almost equally 12 hours.

Comments

[Gail]

Looks like you are having a great time! The pictures and commentary are wonderful.

[Mom]

Photo's
Thoroughly enjoyed the pic's of your adventure. Look forward to seeing more. The blog was a great idea. Mom and Tom

[Nancy]

HeeHaw!!
Kendall, it is so great to see you! You haven't changed one bit!! Love the pictures. I think there are some that didn't come through on the sight, the ones of the reunion. I know I don't have 30 + pictures on my computer (more like 20+). You all look great, maybe a bit tired! Keep on truckin, can't wait to hear all about it!! Nancy

[Karla]

Wow
What an awesome trip you are having. Take it in and enjoy every minute. Great pictures. Keep up the daily posting. Have a great time. K