The ongoing story on Kep-by-the-Sea (see here) was updated with a series of recent photographs.
A more Southern part of street 19 than last time…
Phnom Penh is a crowded city. A real organic city: growing, evolving, adapting spontaneously with its inhabitants. Unlike many developed countries, and still for now, most Cambodians have their roots in a rural environment, subject to the laws of mother nature. The migrants coming to the capital adapt quickly to the concrete and disorder, leaving behind all nostalgia. It is the older city dwellers, living in the centre of town, who try to cling to some green. These photographs are part of a series on vegetation, desperately resisting in the bustling streets of central Phnom Penh.
The whole set is updated regularly with the latest photographs here on my website. Once they will be published in the soon-to-be-released iBook, I’ll leave only about 10 photographs of the series on the website.
Most of my posts can also be followed on Tumbl’r here…
Boeung Kak Lake (see here ,here and here) has its pride and didn’t take it that the head of the prison where their fellow activist Yorm Bopha is jailed would treat them as being ‘brainless’, so they went to demonstrate in front of the Ministry of Interior. The smiling policemen kept everyone on the sidewalk. A few representatives went in… came out again… and we all left… Felt like déjà-vu all over again. Apparently the community went to Prey Sar prison on sunday to demonstrate for the release of Yorm Bopha (I didn’t know about it)…
This is a follow-up post on the ‘Quest for Land‘ story which is available as an iApp on iTunes.
Today: back to street 15…
Phnom Penh is a crowded city. A real organic city: growing, evolving, adapting spontaneously with its inhabitants. Unlike many developed countries, and still for now, most Cambodians have their roots in a rural environment, subject to the laws of mother nature. The migrants coming to the capital adapt quickly to the concrete and disorder, leaving behind all nostalgia. It is the older city dwellers, living in the centre of town, who try to cling to some green. These photographs are part of a series on vegetation, desperately resisting in the bustling streets of central Phnom Penh.
The whole set is updated regularly with the latest photographs here on my website.
Most of my posts can also be followed on Tumbl’r here…
Today: street 19…
Phnom Penh is a crowded city. A real organic city: growing, evolving, adapting spontaneously with its inhabitants. Unlike many developed countries, and still for now, most Cambodians have their roots in a rural environment, subject to the laws of mother nature. The migrants coming to the capital adapt quickly to the concrete and disorder, leaving behind all nostalgia. It is the older city dwellers, living in the centre of town, who try to cling to some green. These photographs are part of a series on vegetation, desperately resisting in the bustling streets of central Phnom Penh.
The whole set is regularly updated with the newer photographs here on my website.
Most of my posts can also be followed on Tumbl’r here…
Two deliveries of petitions in one morning for the Boeung Kak Lake community (see here ,here and here). One at the World Bank, the other at the Council of Ministers.
I am still baffled by the fact that 30 or so women who just want to deliver a letter triggers the mobilisation of at least the same amount of riot police each time. What a waste of time and energy for both sides, because they DO finally deliver their letter…
I learned only this saturday night that there would be the first time ever bicycle race in Phnom Penh since the end of the war (although there is a race organised in Siem Reap and one in Kep every year).
It comes under various auspicious signs and interesting circumstances. First of all, the race happens on the exact day that my daughter rides a bicycle without any help. Second a bird dropped some of its internal brew on my camera when I was taking these photographs, and that is supposed to bring me (or the camera) good luck.
As for the interesting circumstances: tomorrow the commemoration of January 7th takes place. That was the day in 1979 that the Vietnamese army took Phnom Penh and chased away the Khmer Rouge regime. Some see it as an invasion, others as a liberation, depending if you are against- or pro- the actual government. And as today’s race was held under the high patronage of the Phnom Penh Municipality, the January 7th date was mentioned time and again over the loudspeakers, or: where sports and politics meet… A cherry on that particular pie is that mountain bikes were compulsory for all contestants… except for a Vietnamese team which came with road bikes and obviously the Vietnamese won (at least the women’s race).
Needless to say the organisation, be it very enthusiastic, was rather messy, with contestants racing in both directions on the same street, confusing messages regarding the number of laps to cover, contestants being flagged out of the race for no reason etc…
But the riders had great fun and there is one VERY big positive thing: bicycles (lots of them) on the streets of Phnom Penh. The more the better…
I love bicycles. See here…
The Borei Keila representatives distributed the rice left over after the commemoration party of their eviction one year ago (see here) to the members of the community.
This is a follow-up post on the ‘Quest for Land‘ story which is available as an iApp on iTunes.