Around Phnom Pehn

Jan 16, 2013   //   by Avia   //   Blog  //  3 Comments

Phnom Pehn is now another of our favorite cities to visit because it is easy to get around, it’s cheap and services are plenty. Tuk-tuks are plentiful, cheap ($1-3 per ride) and no hassle. Restaurants are varied. And the weather is fine.

Here is short photo-essay of our time (though little of the city until Yannay or Dani uploads some).

Where we stayed

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Where we ate

Where we ate. Curry and Rice $1; Spaghetti with wild mushroom sauce 0.75c; 2 egg Omelet 0.75c. Excellent quality. I wanna go back.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

English Language School

Meeting the children of Anne Mackie and Chourn Im’s English language school in a village 40 minutes south of Phnom Pehn. Like other rice growing villages in Cambodia, it has no running water and no sewage. Water is drawn from wells.

Waking up at five to do house hold chores, they go to school at seven and come back home to work on the fields or in the house for the rest of the day.  They attend this school on Sunday, the only day they don’t have school. These children are going through amazing efforts to learn  better English which might secure them a better future.

Washing at the well

Soccer with the boys and the spectating white cows (see video)

Newly automated watering system

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A closer look

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Home Industry

Most village homes are built on stilts so that the living area is one floor above the ground. Chourn Im took us to a village south of Phnom Pehn at which each household has installed a number of weaving looms on the ground floor below their houses. For David, involved in industry and Eva who worked in cloth making factories this was an extraordinary site. Each family employs their children and cousins in the cloth making. But “employ” is not accurate. The looms run, the family does chores, Dad adjusts the saw, daughter spins the cloth, other daughter goes off to fetch the kids from kindergarten, the looms run…It is an integrated work, family day. Days are long and production only stops when people sleep. There is a sense of serenity and stress free living having your whole life right there in 90sq meters; work, home,  family, chores. And a store down the road. But when I personalize it, I ‘m not sure I’d like a small factory in my front yard.

Weaving loom on the ground floor of a home

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And finally, a haircut

 

 

 

 

 

 

What didn’t make the cut?

Friends International

This organization tries to train street children for employment. Typical skills train people for work in salons, motorbike repair stores, restaurants. Read about Friends International see: http://www.friends-international.org/

We think that their restaurant, which helps fund activities, would do very well at the Waterfront in Cape Town.

Ta Mao Zoo

See separate post

3 Comments

  • Ralph the Wolf February 20, 2013 at 12:26 am

    Lovely post!

  • Ralph the Wolf February 20, 2013 at 12:32 am

    Are you guys still traveling with just one piece of carry-on luggage each? And if so, can you summarise for us what each of you have brought along? Maybe one photo per bag, with contents neatly arranged on most recent hotel bed? Also, would be interesting to know how what each of you is carrying has changed since you left Vancouver?

    • David March 13, 2013 at 3:55 am

      Good idea.
      We have submitted your good idea for funding for preliminary feasibility study and prototyping. Hopeful.