Cambodia life

APAD 268: Children as tourist attractions

Posted by The Insider on Mar 1, 2012 in A Photo a Day, Addicted to Meme, All things Khmer, Cambodia, Cambodia life, sights, Signs, That's My World, What's On in Cambodia | 2 comments

In Cambodia, there is an on-going campaign to end what is dubbed as “orphanage tourism”.

The poster below is produced by Friends International (FI) whch spearheaded this campaign calling out to tourists to help end orphanage tourism.

This sign was hanging at the coffee stall inside the Russian Market where a lot of tourists visit.

But just what is “orphanage tourism”? According to the FI’s Think Child Safe Project:

When traveling to Cambodia, it has become a norm for tourists to be approached by children, requesting that they make a visit to their orphanage before leaving town. Generally, a visit would include a short performance or dance routine by the children, accompanied with a request for small donation to assist with orphanage running costs. An entire industry has grown out of thousands of tourist visits. It is known as orphanage tourism.

It just breaks my heart every time I hear stories of abuse and/or exploitation of children. To know more about this issue and what you can do to help, please visit the campaign website: Think Child Safe.

To see more signs from around the world, click the logo below.

APAD 266: Apartment units

Posted by The Insider on Feb 28, 2012 in A Photo a Day, Addicted to Meme, All things Khmer, Cambodia, Cambodia life, Our World Tuesday, sights, That's My World | 0 comments

What I see from my front veranda.

APAD 265: Sky-high

Posted by The Insider on Feb 27, 2012 in A Photo a Day, Addicted to Meme, All things Khmer, Cambodia, Cambodia life, sights, Signs, That's My World | 2 comments

Current prices of gasoline and diesel in Phnom Penh.

Currency exchange rate: US$1 = KhR4,000 (Khmer riels)

APAD 264: My dog and I

Posted by The Insider on Feb 24, 2012 in A Photo a Day, Addicted to Meme, Cambodia, Cambodia life, Expat Life, faces, sights | 5 comments

Sky-watching from another “perspective”.

That’s my dog, Joe, and I.

For more SkyWatch photos worldwide, click this logo below.

APAD 263: Secondhand cars

Posted by The Insider on Feb 23, 2012 in A Photo a Day, Addicted to Meme, All things Khmer, Cambodia life, Expat Life, sights, That's My World, What's On in Cambodia | 3 comments

Would you like to buy one? This shop is only one of the hundreds of secondhand car shops all over the city. You’d be surprised at what kinds of cars and brands are available here in Cambodia. It’s like a minefield out here – luxury vehicles, SUVs, and many, many more.

To see more signs from around the world, click the logo below.

APAD 261: A Buddhist stupa

Posted by The Insider on Feb 21, 2012 in A Photo a Day, Addicted to Meme, All things Khmer, Cambodia, Cambodia life, sights, That's My World, What's On in Cambodia | 2 comments

This Buddhist stupa stands in front of the Phnom Penh Railways station. A stupa is a Buddhist monument that is usually used to house sacred Buddhist relics.

It was built in 1956, just after Cambodia’s independence. I forgot the name of the stupa but I’ll ask my Khmer friends again and update this post.