Some Cambodia jottings

I've just been sent the August copy of the glossy magazine, Cambodia Life, with articles on Vann Nath's exhibition of paintings at the Bophana Center (which I blogged a few weeks ago), Pradal Serey (Khmer boxing), the singer Him Sivorn (see my 15 April blog on one of Cambodia's favourite female singers), the art of Cambodian kite-flying and the Ka Chanh falls in Ratanakiri province. This is the magazine's third issue and you can see their first two issues at their website here. I hope I can get my hands on a copy of the first two editions as it carries some interesting articles.

I've also seen that a couple of my own photos have appeared in two recent Cambodia-produced publications. My 1997 photo of Angkor Wat found its way into the Cambodia Trading Post, an advertising newspaper that sells for $1 throughout the country. The photo accompanied a description of the various styles of architecture. And then I was informed that a photo of my pal Sokhom and myself, standing at the entranceway to Preah Vihear temple from a couple of years ago, appeared in a story about Preah Vihear in the popular Cambodian magazine, Khemara's August edition. The tagline was something like "foreigners also visit Preah Vihear." Indeed they do, though in the last few weeks its been nigh impossible to do, with some serious flooding in Preah Vihear, Kompong Thom and most of the northern provinces.

Last but not least, if you see an elephant wandering the streets of Phnom Penh (he also appeared in one of my photos a few years ago), its most likely to be Sambo, a 47 year old elephant who originated from Aural mountain in Kompong Speu province and who now struts his stuff at Wat Phnom every day. His usual route to and from work is along the riverside at Sisowath Quay and his owner is Sin Son, who also owns one of the elephants you can see at the Angkor temple complex every day.