Posted by The Insider on Sep 10, 2011 in A Photo a Day, Addicted to Meme, All things Khmer, Cambodia, Cambodia life, Kep, moto-dups, people, sights, transportation, travel, What's On in Cambodia | 4 comments
After being powdered by the dust of summer comes the red, sticky mud of the rainy season, particularly in rural Cambodia.
I love the beautiful red clay soil in the countryside. Looks greasy from this angle but, no, it’s the thick, red, muddy road!
The mud is really harsh, and, as you can see, the road is virtually impassable – sticky, slippery, and will bury your vehicle (and you) if you’re stubborn enough to go on. Our shoes and flip-flops get coated with the sticky soil, and hardens like cement when it dries up, making them impossible to wear again.
This picture was taken in Kep, Cambodia in one of my field activities. I was based there for about 6months in 2006 and, I tell you, the rainy season added more challenge to the already very challenging work we were having at that time.
Huge props to the people on bicycles and motorcycles who patiently ply roads like this during the rainy season.
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Posted by The Insider on Aug 11, 2011 in A Photo a Day, Addicted to Meme, All things Khmer, Cambodia, Cambodia life, Kep, rural, sights, Signs | 4 comments
Sign reads: Damnak Chang’eur District Office
The smaller sign: Cultural Commission of Khan (district) Damnak Chang’eur
Back in 2006, I arrived in the rural town of Kep town, about 200kms southeast of the capital, to initiate contact with the district and commune officials in Damnak Chang’eur district. It meant visiting the district, commune, and village officials in their respective offices, gathering information and permission needed to establish a rural ICT project.
The building behind the sign became my office as the district governor of Damnak Chang’eur provided two rooms for our project (right side of the photo). It was renovated, furnished with the necessary office furniture and equipments, and was connected to the Internet. It has become the meeting venue for most of our important assemblies and trainings. More rooms were provided for our project which we made into telecentre of sorts open to the residents of Damnak Chang’eur district. It has several computer sets with Internet connection (free access to villagers), with VoIP capability for villagers to contact relatives in Phnom Penh and other parts of the country, and especially those outside. Students were given free computer and Internet trainings on weekends, too.
More signs worldwide can be found at the main site. Please click the logo to check out other signs.
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Posted by The Insider on Jul 12, 2011 in A Photo a Day, Addicted to Meme, All things Khmer, Cambodia life, Kep, sights, That's My World | 6 comments
Photo taken in one of my field interviews in Kep. If I am not mistaken, we found this wat (temple) in a village in Ou Krasang commune in Kep. Apparently, monks like pink colour, too, as evidenced by this pink wat. The colour stands out in the middle of all the greens around it.
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Posted by The Insider on Jun 28, 2011 in A Photo a Day, Addicted to Meme, All things Khmer, Cambodia, Cambodia life, Kep, rural, sights, That's My World | 2 comments
The photo above is one of the reasons why my husband and I love driving through rural Cambodia.
It gives us the chance to see the real Cambodia, the 85% that make up the country. Aside from the fact that it’s a refreshing change of scenery, you also never know what surprises lie ahead of you. Literally. lol.
Cute, no? I was quick enough to grab my cam and took this photo. I normally see this sort of scenes in kids cartoon channels but to see it with our own eyes on one of our road trips to Kampot province was a pleasant surprise and certainly one of the most memorable experiences we have. Who let the ducks out? lol. The last duck, in all its brown glory, looks like the bodyguards of the other white ducks.
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Posted by The Insider on Jun 19, 2011 in A Photo a Day, Addicted to Meme, All things Khmer, Cambodia, Cambodia life, Kep, Shadow Shot Sunday, sights, transportation, travel | 4 comments
The long and lonely tree-lined road to Kep, Cambodia.
Apparently, there are still 100kms to go before reaching Kep. Can you still hold on, my dear?
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Posted by The Insider on Jun 17, 2011 in A Photo a Day, Addicted to Meme, All things Khmer, Cambodia, Cambodia life, Kep, new temples, rural, sights, Skywatch Friday | 5 comments
Just south of Kep town is Wat Vipassana Thurak, or Wat Vipassana Meditation Centre. It sits on a hill at the bosom of Kep National Park overlooking Kep and its nearby islands, and the Gulf of Thailand. On a very clear day, the Vietnamese island of Phu Quoc can be seen from the horizon. The temple is new and has several giant images of the Buddha. It is well worth a visit!
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