My sister, Margaret, and her husband, Keith, joined me in Bangkok to tour the city for a couple days before taking off to Cambodia to meet up with my brother, Don and his wife Tanya.
Welcome to Bangkok!
Boat ride to Ko Kret
Mae Klong Railway Market, Floating Market and Largest Chedi in Thailand
Bangkok Night Life
CAMBODIA
Siem Reap
Once Don and Tanya arrived in Siem Reap, the five of us hired a guide to take us to Tonle Sap Lake where we visited a floating village. There are more than 170 floating villages on Tonle Sap with the majority of the 80,000 inhabitants considered non-immigrant foreigners. Made up of three ethnic groups of Vietnamese, Khmer and Cham, they are a people without a country. Vietnamese who endured the brutality of the Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia faced execution or deportation to Vietnam. Those who stayed were stripped of all identity, property and papers and could not reclaim or buy land so their solution then and for generations today, is to live in wooden homes floating on bamboo rafts and barrels. Our guide, Kim, was about 5 or 6 years old during the Khmer Rouge rule. As the sun was setting on the lake, and the boat engine turned off, he shared some heart felt memories from this devastating genocide.
Angkor Wat, Bayon, Ta Prohm
How did they build it? 
Coconut Sticky Rice and Beans Grilled inside Bamboo Tube 
Heart Echo Chamber 
Angkor Wat 
Siem Reap Night Life
Phnom Pen
We hired a mini-van to drive us from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh, the capital city of Cambodia. The 6 hour drive was just about the scariest thing I’ve ever done . . . it gives a whole new meaning to the song “Jesus take the wheel”. The two-way highway was crowded with slow moving semi-trucks on the road and motor bikes kicking up clay dust on the sides. Our driver was very talented at weaving in and out of the lane to on-coming traffic and passing one, two or three semi-trucks at a time! We took a “potty” break at the spider stop – yikes. Fortunately, we made it to Phnom Penh safely and enjoyed some of the sights during our one night stay.
Off Grid – Koh Ta Kiev
Chinese Construction in Sihanoukville 
Kactus resort 
Happy Songkran!
We returned to Bangkok before flying home during “Songkran” which is a major holiday in Southwest Asia. It is rich with symbolic traditions which pays special reverence to ancestors during this holiday. Thai people make their way to their hometowns to spend time with older relatives. Buddhists also visit temples throughout Songkran where water is poured on buddha images and on the hands of Buddhist monks as a mark of respect. Walking the streets of Bangkok we encountered some of the water gun action which was well received given the 100+ weather.
Home sweet home!
I was greeted at home by spring flowers and blue sky. It’s great to be home!
Embracing Gray 