8/31/08

Traditional Cambodian porch

Mr. Meth's motorbike


The neighbor's baby, whose name is pronounced "Lee Na"


Watching TV


Kitty




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Yesterday I met up with my old tuk-tuk driver (a tuk-tuk is like a motorcycle rickshaw) from when the three of us went to Angkor Wat. He, Mr. Meth, took me to his family's house to eat dinner and then out to drink. I met his mother, who is a nun, and was primed beforehand on how to greet her in Khmer and wai to her. His family makes extra money off of a betel nut plantation behind their house. It's a lot of boiling and peeling then slicing before you can chew the soft insides, which have huge amounts of caffeine and work as an appetite suppressant. Chewing it is not although unpleasant.

Being the only white guy in the village, the locals came to say hello, the children practiced their English and I ate more than once. The night was cool, the palms swayed and the hum of prayer and conversation came in from nearby homes.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

My dear monkey, am i allowed to say you are my favorite painter?
I love yhe way you write! you have a lot of talent for so many things: you are funny, very intelligent, great writer, great poet, great friend, great uncle and brother, brother in law...
I jsut love you SO much!!!

我爱您!!!
cat

Silvia Elena said...

Apart from being ravenously jealous that I'm not there with you reuniting with old Cambodian friends, I am really happy for you. I'm glad you went back to Cambodia. Meth is an amazing guy and it was an excellent choice to visit him. Get all the information you need and we can build him the website he wanted when we all get back to Beijing. That last painting from the room in Thailand is great. I remember the light feeling like that. I can't wait to see you. I will take many recordings of your family for you. Leif especially. love you -s