Building Cambodian Style

All my projects have kicked off now School is out for "winter". Currently I am overseeing the installation of two large basketball roofs, renovations of both boys and girls locker and shower rooms, the Finance Office extension, Pest Control, new carpets being layed and various smaller works. Most of the workers are women ( because the contractor can pay them less ) and whilst some of them wear hard hats, it is flip-flops for everyone and safety levels are almost non-existent ! The cops showed up on day 2 and demanded $1500 which I successfully negotiated down to $600. I have told my contractor he can wear half the cost as he should have got his papers in order.....

Christmas Photos

Christmas lunch at the William Tell restaurant

Christmas Bling

My soon-to-be wife looking oh-so-hot on Xmas day !

Miles Jazz Bar

Here are some great shots of my local haunt, Miles Jazz Bar. Run by Arjian ans his lovely wife ,Tee and there 3 gorgeous girls. Panoramic shots taken with my Sony Ericsson K800i......

Partying with the Army

Last night I went to a wedding outside Phnom Penh and there was a fairly large ( well..20 or so ) military presence. Lots of tooled-up soldiers watching over everyone and everything. After sweltering in the main tent and telling everyone I have a stomach ache so I would not have to eat the interesting food, I was asked by the father of the bride if I would like to meet some other people and of course I said yes not wanting to offend. I was then led down a dusty alleyway and lo-and-behold there was another enclosure where things were decidedly more upbrow. Fans, whiskey, bbq'd fish and several tables of men sitting around getting absolutely hammered.

Anyways, turns out one of the chaps is an RCAF "General" and everyone is showing him much respect and I am placed next to his son who is a 27yr old RCAF Lieutenant . They are very very nice to me and make sure I want for nothing and when I tell them I am not drinking because I have to drive home and have a big day at work the next day I am told that I will have a military guard on my way home " so don't worry about anything DRINK DRINK" and that there will be no problems at the wedding because the mini-army in attendance will take care of everything. I ask Leakhana why there would be any problems at a wedding which is a happy day an she said sometimes the young lads get pissed up and then things can start but ..soldiers ?...necessary ? I kind of got the feeling it was a bit of " I am a General and these are my men and look at me look at me LOOK AT ME ".

I have a whiskey which I manage to water right down and then as we all get more comfortable with each other I ask the General's son ( a very nice guy who trained in Sudan to de-mine ) how many Generals there are in the RCAF. He said it was hard to say because they were always "coming and going" but that there were alot. He said that his father was the General at the base near Ponchentong Airport.At the end of the night they were insistent I leave my bike with a soldier ( who would ride it home for me ) and go with them in the military/Lexus convoy that rolled out for Phnom Penh. I was sorely tempted as I love watching motorcades blast through the city BUT as they were all rolling drunk and I was sober, I respectfully declined.

I now have some new and seemingly very serious friends coming to my wedding in Feb and was asked if I wanted some soldiers for security !

No thanks...........

My Khmer Family

In the interests of making it a little easier for those of you coming to our wedding in February, here is a photographic who is who of my Khmer family.

Top of the food chain - My mother-in-law Sokhan

Older Sister Phalla

Phalla's partner Tra

Older Sister Lynne

Lynne's daughter Srey Nek

Lynne's daughter Srey Pek

Younger brother Dara

Younger Sister, Srey Neung

Younger Brother Dany

Younger Brother Veasna

Love em all !