Saturday, December 22, 2007

Still bad...and stuff

Not that anyone wants to hear about my bowel movements but I'm still suffering despite rattling with the number of pills I've stuffed down my throat and essential body water and salts I've replaced! Ho hum, such is life.
I met Andrea Messmer, the new general manager for the Schools for Children of Cambodia organization - who I've supported for a few years now - for a sandwich yesterday and was really pleased to hear the charity has now acquired three full-time permanent staff in their bid to strengthen their involvement in five schools in and around Siem Reap. They are doing great work in supporting educational efforts, building classrooms, supplementing teacher's salaries, etc, in communities that needed help. Have a look for yourself here.
In my fevered state (and post robbery recovery) I forgot to mention any details of the superb wedding party I attended last Sunday at the Intercontinental Hotel in Phnom Penh. Five star luxury, the best food I've tasted at a wedding do so far, and everyone looked a million dollars. Philip Set Kao, the General Manager of the Borei Angkor Hotel in Siem Reap was marrying his sweetheart and the guest-list was a mini who's-who including film actress Soeu Sotheara, who was a good sport and must've had her photo taken with everyone, including me! She sang quite a few songs and all in all, a very pleasant evening. Until I fell asleep when I arrived home. And no photos from the wedding as they went out the window!
Its obviously festive time in the UK but I've never been sold on the idea of Christmas, so I may even come into work on Tuesday the 25th - an anti-Christian statement if you like. I am gutted that I'll miss the Cry No More extravaganza on the 28th in Twickenham but we are having our own party on the 4th & 5th of January, when the whole office will close up shop and move, en masse, to Siem Reap for a Hanuman New Year's Party, and fam trip to Phnom Kulen.
I bumped into a photographer, Jean Loncle, at the recent WOVD Volleyball matches at the Olympic Stadium and he's now published his own website with examples of his work in Cambodia from 2005 and this year. Have a look here.
If I'm feeling better tomorrow, I might make an early start to visit Tonle Bati, an Angkorean temple site and Khmer picnic area that I've not been to for a few years. Weekends aren't a great time for solitude at these places as they attract car-loads of Khmer families like moths to a light-bulb.

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