6/10/2013

Faces of Cambodia

The most endearing part of our trip to Southeast Asia were the people of Cambodia. 
 




We watched this woman walking on a path for quite awhile.  We were trying to figure out what was in her large basket she was balancing on her head. 


The basket was filled with BBQ crickets and cockroaches. 

They were selling them to the local villagers.  I could not bring myself to try that local cuisine. 

We watched this long line of Buddhist monks walk by. 

Our guide actually was a monk for a year.  Some people make a life-long choice to be a monk while other families send their sons/daughters for a period of time to live in the monastery.  There in the monastery, they are fed and receive an education.  People choose to become a monk to live a more simpler life.  This simplicity brings a mindfulness for every activity and a calm and peacefulness throughout their day.   

The monks are on their way to beg for their one meal of the day which must be eaten before noon. 

The female nuns (monks) walking behind the males.  The older females shave their head. 

The villagers set out food and water to give to the monks.  It was quite a sight to watch everyone line the streets handing out food and water. 

Just including this portrait because I thought is was beautiful. 

The houses are built on stilts to protect them from wild animals.  While we were in that area, I did not ask what kind of wild animals. 

Had to include this amazing woman from Switzerland.  Sara and Paul Wallimann worked at an orphanage near Siem Reap in Cambodia for a year.  They realized that working at an orphanage was only a partial solution to helping the children of Cambodia. 
 
When children turn 18, they are turned out into the streets with no skills and no way to support themselves.    So they opened Haven Restaurant in 2011 to teach these abandoned children skills to survive in the world and move towards and independent future.
 
 
An amazing couple doing great things to help the world (and the food was DELICIOUS).
 
 Loved this picture of a mother and daughter.  Hoping that the daughter has a bright future.
 

Everyone was getting ready for the New Year.  This woman is making a special sweet candy. 
 It comes from a fruit. 

 This beautiful girl is about Chelsea's age.  

It is hard to think about all the advantages that my children have and not look at these children and feel they deserve the same opportunities.  
 

She is working to support her family, I hope she is also receiving the education she needs
to thrive in this world. 




This little girl made me think of my children.  She is about 5 and selling goods to all the tourists.  It is so hard to turn your back on the countless children forced to work.   

Westerners walk a fine line there.  Hard to turn away, yet you do not want to give too much and encourage young children to beg instead of receive an education. 




This young boy was hanging out in the Angkor Wat temple. 

This is us getting ready to go visit another magnificent site in Cambodia.  We loved listening to all the Hindu and Buddhist mythology and history.   
 
 
 

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