Last Photos

The connection is a little iffy; I'll try to post some photos here. Adding photos has been quirky and now appears to have taken a real dislike to me. You'll have to wait for images of Emma and Warren's workshops as well as other adventures at the Mohaosrop.

Back in Phnom Penh

Five and 1/2 hours on a bus and we/re back in Phnom Penh. Our last full day here begins at 9 with an appointment at the US Embassy. we'll return to the tintrument maker in what is left of the Squatter Community here. Then a little more shopping and attempts to pack for our ride back to the States. We will see you soon.

It's Monday in SE Asia - What are you doing?

Wedding in Battambang

Its not my fault I'm from Connecticut

when the sick four finished you know - being sick- we headed on our way to battam bang. Our trip was only 3 and a half hours while the four who had left the day before spent 7 hours on a boat, suckers. It was really nice to see everyone. We all acted extra giddy and went out for western food to celebrate.
Then we went to Mohaosrop where we met up with Man Mens class and 270 something other kids. Riege got blessed, and Charlie nodded off while praying- it was longer then expected. After that there was the one of the best circus ever with a lot of traditional dancing mixed into the acrobatics. All and all it was a great first day.
This morning was a little longer...
its cold here
emma grace
p.s. rieges a goof- and cant spell

Seaprated in Siem Reap

We were all up early yesterday (Wednesday) for a 5:30 van ride to the boat scheduled to take us to Battambang. With three and a half down with gastro-intestinal distress, four of us made the trip along with Arn, Srey Ma, So-Pa, Charley and Sara. Apparently the boat was a local – taking on passengers at floating villages on route, the initial twenty-seven passengers swelled to almost forty, along with a propane tank and other goods to be delivered along the way; 8 and 1/2 hours later we arrived in Battambang as the monsoon rains began a little weary and, for those westerners (baraang) riding on top, a little too much sun. There is a zen to this local travel that, with time, we would learn to savor.

Battambang, closer to the Thai border, is very different, and pleasantly so, from Siem Reap. Not tourist focused, the markets cater to locals so we see bolts of fabric for making karmas rather than individual karmas for sale. We’ve found a few local restaurants that have good inexpensive food for both dinner and breakfast - $8.85 for dinner at the Smoking Pot last night and $12.00 for breakfast at the Sunrise Coffeehouse (very good coffee). The four of us plan to rent bicycles and do a little exploring today (Thursday).

The others will arrive by cab around 2 this afternoon. We are eager to see them and begin the Mahasrop together.

BALLOONS!

We love your comments! Please keep them coming! It reminds us that people at home actually remember who we are....

Today is Sunday and the internet lines seem a little faster. So we are going to take advantage. Jake and Charlie are making this post... finally. We know you've been waiting.

So last night we went to this concert. We encourage you to Google Beatocello. He's a swiss classical cello player/doctor who endorses hospitals in Cambodia that work with children. Every Saturday night he holds a free concert to promote awareness on TB, Denghai Fever and other diseases in the concert.

Afterwords, a few of us went to a carnival down the road. There we could pop balloons to win SWEET prizes like fish sauce and ginger wine!!! =) Charlie won three candy bars! He didn't pop enough for the sauce. Emma and Jake rode a ride... it was very safe. Johnny, Charlie and Gabe spent that time convincing the locals that they were street boxers from France. This led to our invitation to a kick boxing match across the lot, Cambodia VS. Thailand. We stayed for two rounds.

Today we ate lots of Crepes! After that we went to the market to find presents for Mon Men's class. It was sort of like Supermarket Sweep but harder because we weren't in a Stop N Shop or a Toys R Us.
Obstacles included:
-Children clinging to our legs
-Overwhelming stench of fish
-Language Barrier
In spite of all these we ended victoriously! We mounted our bicycles with 17 backpacks, 17 notebooks, 37 pencils and 17 pencil sharpeners and 17 pens!!!

yayyyyyyyy!
-JakeandCharlie
kisses
xoxoxoxoxoxooxox

101 Uses for a Krama

Up before dawn again today for sunrise near the Terrace of the Elephants, a high spot Gabe and Warren discovered several days ago. It is remarkable to be alone at the temples as the sun rises and the jungle comes alive around us. We arrive in starlight, amazed at another clear morning; despite being here in the middle of the rainy season, there has been no precipitation for the past three days. In fact, there has been more sunshine than cloud cover, so we have begun to use our sunscreen.

We had a wild tuk tuk ride to the Land Mine Museum yesterday, located between the town of Siem Reap and the Angkor temples. It is run by a young - 30ish - Cambodian man who clears mines all over the country by himself and houses young victims of mines who have no place to go. He feeds them and gets them to some schooling in town. It was a sobering experience made more so because of our country's opposition to the International Convention to Ban Landmines.

Last night we attended a free concert of classical music at a local hospital. We expected a small orchestra and instead were treated to virtuoso cello pieces by Dr. Beat Richner who interspersed his performance with talk about the state of children’s health in Cambodia since the “secret” bombing during the late 60s and early 70s. A Frenchman, he has been in Cambodia since the early 1970s. An impressive voice speaking truth to power in a public forum. He does this every week. I am sure you will hear more from your kids when we return. It is part of the story about the developing world that I hope we bring back.

On our tuk tuk ride back to the guest house at 9 this morning, after a walk through Angkor Wat, Warren devised yet another use for his krama, the traditional checked scarf of Cambodia.

Two more days in Siem Reap, then we travel by boat across the Tonle Sap and up river to Battambang for the six day arts festival. Time begins to race.

Early to Bed, Early to Rise

Day 8 and all is well. Everyone is holding up with a little travelers stomach not cramping our style. We rose just before 4 this morning for a planned sunrise visit to the temples. Running downstairs to make sure the Tuk Tuks had arrived, I found the metal door to the guest house locked. After waking the proprietor to let us out, we found our ride was late. Along with two Irish lads we met just in from Bangkok, we all rode to Bayon and watched the sunrise in the still air as bats darted through the temple openings around us. With the sun still low in the sky and most tourists not yet up, we rode our Tuk Tuks to Ta Prohm where the Kapok trees are devouring the temple.

Arriving back at our guest house by 9:30, in time for Warren, Jake, and Charlie to pick up their newly tailored pants. After a brief rest and a local lunch we rode to Man Men’s village on the outskirts of Siem Reap where we added four more lacrosse sticks to the four they still had from our last visit. Along with balloons, two Frisbees and their own volleyball court, we all worked up a good sweat in the heat before moving inside Man Men’s home to listen to his class play several traditional Khmer songs.

Each day has been full. Tomorrow we have made arrangements to tour the Childrens Hospital here in Siem Reap which is staffed mostly by volunteer doctors and nurses from around the world. In the afternoon we will begin our first of five classes where Watkinson students will teach English and Man Men’s students will teach us Khmer. I hope the photos load up.

We're in Siem Reap

After two nights at Arn's home on the Mekong River we traveled 5 hours by van yesterday to Siem Reap where we will spend the next 10 days with Man Men's music class in Wat Bo and his village. We ate well at Arn's and settled in to a relaxed Cambodian pace with little to do except watch the Mekong rush past. Emma and Jake helped cook our first lunch of fish and soup. OUr breakfast yesterday was just bread and a sweetened cold coffee drink, so we snacked on tarantula midmorning on our drive. I will try to post some photos but it takes more time than I may have now. We are off for breakfast and a walk to Wat Bo for the first music class.