Siem Reap Cambodia

The last time I traveled through Siem Reap was in 2003. I was on a lengthy hiatus and was traveling solo throughout SE Asia. Cambodia was on my bucket list because I had done quite a bit of research, prior to my travels, on the Khmer Rouge Regime and it's devastating aftermath on this beautiful, and seemingly peaceful country. 

It ended up being a pretty rough go for me, as I arrived in Siem Reap shortly after hearing the news of a close friend's unexpected passing via email. He had died suddenly on Christmas day, which, by odd coincidence, also happened to be the Birthday that the two of us shared together. 

Angkor Wat at Sunrise by Paula Wallis

Although I had purchased a three day pass to the magnificent world heritage site, Angkor Wat, I bowed out after two days of temple exploration because my heart, and mind, were just not in it. I spent another week and a half or so in Siem Reap, mostly cycling around the city on a rented bike, or walking aimlessly through its endlessly crowded streets. I can't say that I really absorbed Siem Reap for the wonderfully vibrant city that it is, at the time.

Next, I headed down South to Phnom Penh, where I could finally explore the Killing Fields and Tuol Sleng (the genocide museum), which is initially what I had come there to do. I know - good idea, right? 

So THAT kind of did my head in. After that I headed to Sihanoukville, found myself a little bungalow on the beach, and I don't think I left my hammock much for the next two weeks solid, which is probably what I needed at the time.

This country has an amazing history, despite, or perhaps because of, it's horrifically violent past, and the grace of the people here is at jarring odds with the Khmer Rouge legacy. I felt I owed it to this country to go back and give it another chance. All my memories of my time spent there were grim, hard, and tinged with deep sorrow.

So you can imagine what a dream come true it was for me to be accepted onto The Giving Lens team to travel there on a volunteer basis! I got to work with Anjali House; a non-profit organization providing free food, healthcare and education to underprivileged street kids and their families. The whole country is still reeling, and in recovery from, the bloody regime. The generation of children today is indirect, if not direct victims of the genocide. There are not a lot of families there who haven't lost a family member or loved one to the Khmer Rouge, or been affected by the crippling poverty the country has suffered since.

Our purpose at Anjali House was to work with the kids there in a photographic capacity, giving basic workshops on operation of DSLRs (thanks to Andy Cotton of Cotton Carrier Camera Systems for donating DSLRs AND lenses for the kids to use! So generous!) as well as basic instruction in editing techniques in Lightroom, working on their tiny, donated Netbooks. 

I cannot begin to tell you what a rewarding experience this was for all of us. These kids are bright, happy and so eager to learn. They're just like any other kids the world over, but at the same time, they're not. The poverty and backgrounds some of these kids come from is appalling, and hard to think of. But they meet each day with these amazing smiles, and they are all such gracious people. There's that word again. But it's the one word I would use to describe the Khmer people; gracious.

I was lucky enough to be paired up with 3 different girls for the duration of my time there (one of them, Chhuet, is pictured on the right, above), and I enjoyed every minute of the time spent with them. They had, up until now, been working on digital point and shoots, and had come out with some pretty amazing work. But for most of them, this was their first time getting their hands on a DSLR. Since there weren't quite enough to go around, some of us handed our own over for them to go crazy with. I pretty much couldn't get mine out of any of the girl's hands for the entire time, not that I was trying. It was a pleasure to see them take to it so keenly - flipping through settings like mad, shooting a mile a minute, trying all sorts of crazy angles, and running over to demand I take a look at their work, or to ask "Why it not focus? Why so dark? Why won't it take picture?" when they got stuck on a certain setting. There is nothing so satisfying as watching someone learn something that you both share a passion for. And these kids....they were just amazing....

I could go on about our team's pre-dawn visits to Angkor Wat for some stunning sunrise shots, the beautifully playful, but not entirely friendly monkeys we encountered outside of the temples and took hundreds of shots of, the vibrant night market, with beautiful (and cheap!) Cambodian silk, the $3.00 massages (which include an ice-cold beer), the deliciously spicy Khmer food, about careening through the streets in tuk-tuks,  and stopping for banana chocolate pancakes from the street vendors, about all of the small, delightful things that make this city what it is - but for me, meeting the kids, and watching them stand up in front of their schoolmates and tell us of their hopes and dreams for the future; "in future, I will be lawyer" or "in future, I will be flight-attendant", and their absolute confidence in knowing that this would be so, was what brought redemption to me for my last trip there.

This is not a country that has given up in despair after decades of violence and poverty (and are still dealing with daily injuries and death from the land mines left behind during the Vietnam war). This is a country full of hope and promise, and a whole new generation of amazing kids that are more than capable of bringing about the change they hope to see. That is not to say that the country doesn't have a long way to go. They need clean drinking water, education, accessible healthcare, the list goes on and on. 

So, if you're looking for somewhere worthwhile to spend your time or money on this year, here are the links for some non-profit organizations we had personal experience with during our time there, who are all doing fantastic work alongside the Khmer people:

http://thegivinglens.com

http://www.anjali-house.com

http://www.concertcambodia.org

http://www.thetrailblazerfoundation.org

http://www.pharecambodiancircus.org/circus

http://www.razoo.com/story/Silk-Screen-Printing-Lab-A-Green-Gecko-Social-Enterprise

The above article was written by Paula Wallis, a professional photographer out of Vancouver, Canada.  She recently went as a volunteer photographer to work with children in Siem Reap, Cambodia with an organization called The Giving Lens. Her other photos can be viewed at www.paulawallisphotography.com

Titusville Florida for Romance!

Nothing is nicer than running away for a romantic weekend with someone special in the springtime.  There are so many choices in the USA but here are 6 of the top places that are easily accessible from major international airports.

1.Titusville, Florida
Titusville, Florida is not usually high on the list as a romantic destination but it offers much more than many people realize.  There is nothing more spectacular or romantic than sitting on the shores of the water after dark watching a rocket being launched from Kennedy Space Center.

How about canoeing across the shallow waters and having a gentle Manetee dump your canoe because he wants to play with you?  Then there’s location, location, location!  Less than an hour away is Disney World and Epcot Center, both romantic places to hang out.  Take a trip to Kennedy Space Center for the day too.  All the information you ever wanted to know about that romantic symbol, the moon, is there.  There is also a great nature sanctuary located on the property.

Titusville is also very close to some of the best seafood restaurants in the world.  If you feel like taking a romantic walk along a famous beach, West Palm Beach or Daytona Beach are both located just a few miles away. 
http://www.titusville.com/

2.  Boston, Massachusetts

The city of Boston represents the history of the United States better than any other city in the USA.  The Freedom Trail can be experienced in a matter of 3 hours and is a beautiful, romantic walk through the old stone churches and brownstones.  You can almost hear Paul Revere’s famous ride through the streets.

Take time to check out antique shops and silverware stores in the city core.  Drop by Cheers Pub and Restaurant and capture some more memories of days gone by. The monument on Bunker Hill has 294 steps.  It’s a tiring climb but well worth the view from the top.

It is less than an hour’s drive from Boston to Plymouth.  Even though there is not much to look at anymore, the feeling of where it all started is evident in this small community.  It is well worth that romantic moment.

Of course the top romantic place close to Boston is Cape Code.  It’s only a 2-hour drive from the city, and the peace and ambiance of this wonderful spot is hard to resist.  Spend a quiet weekend biking around the cape or just enjoy the ocean from your front porch of a B and B.

www.capecodchamber.org/



3.  New York City, New York, USA
Whether it is the middle of summer or a cold day in winter, New York is one of the most romantic cities in the world.  It isn’t that it is a beautiful city.  It just has such a wonderful sense of ownership and pride.

Take a stroll through Rockefeller Center at any time of the day or night, and there will be people around.  Keep an eye out for famous stars attending events close by. 

The shopping is fantastic and even taking your sweetheart for a walk along 5^th Avenue is a special treat.  And who wouldn’t want to enjoy a romantic carriage ride around Central Park?  Or walk through the park and stop for a ride on the turn-of-the-century carousel.  There is a sense of peace around the dedication to John Lennon at the special Strawberry Fields Memorial, also in the park.

If you choose, you can walk for miles around the New York Harbor, or take a ferry over to Ellis Island and also visit the Statue of Liberty.  And don’t forget to experience that romantic moment overlooking the city from the observation deck of the Empire State Building.

Broadway is famous for it’s live productions and it’s the perfect way to spend a romantic evening.  If you can’t get Broadway tickets, look at some of the great off-Broadway productions always available.

Then there is Times Square.  The noise and the people and the food and the light shows and the spontaneous music concerts draw huge crowds every night.  

http://www.nycgo.com/

4. Charleston, North Carolina, USA

Imagine Scarlet O’Hara in “Gone With The Wind” and you have a picture of one of the most romantic scenes in the world.  The heat of Charleston wraps itself around all that is feminine as well as historical.

Reminders of the civil war permeate the area as you and you partner stroll through the streets.  Take a tour of an antebellum mansion and fantasize about the beautiful women and handsome men dancing in the magnificent ballroom.

Visit a plantation that is still in operation 3 centuries later. Experience the heady smell of magnolia trees in bloom.  Walk through forests dripping with Spanish moss and feel a sense of early history.

There are studios where you can dress up in 19^th century garb and have your photos taken.  Climb into a horse drawn surrey and enjoy a relaxing and romantic tour of the city.

Dine out at one of the many fine restaurants in the area.  Seafood is a southern favorite and don'’ forget to order a mint julip.

http://www.charlestoncvb.com/visitors/

5.  San Francisco, California

The hills of San Francisco are dotted with funky, brightly painted condos and crooked streets.  It’s definitely a walking city for people in good shape so consider paying the extra dollars to stay downtown in one of the romantic hotels and enjoy the city on foot.  There are always tours of Alcatraz leaving from Fisherman’s Wharf or just hang out in the wharf area for a fantastic seafood meal.

You can get a great view of the Golden Gate Bridge from many spots in the city.  Just ask your hotel concierge where the best place is.

Of course, you can’t go to San Francisco without a ride on the cable cars.  Consider taking the cable up the hills and walking back down!  The history of the city is very interesting and there are many places to visit during your stay. San Francisco’sChinatown is also a must-see area.  It’s ornate gates welcome tourists from all over the world.
www.onlyinsanfrancisco.com/

6.  San Diego, California
San Diego is a wonderful, romantic playground.  There are places to walk and boat and swim or even plan a day cruise offshore.  If you have made this your romantic destination for 3 or 4 days, consider taking in the San Diego Zoo.  You’ll spend your hours observing the antics of the animals in a very natural setting.  Of course, you can always get on a bus to tour the facility. 

The original “old town” offers many good Mexican restaurants and the main street stays awake late into the night.  Take a walk out to the end of the peer.  It’s a perfect spot to watch the sunset and enjoy the local surfers’ last evening runs.

If you have rented a car, take a drive up the coast and spend some time checking out the city of La Jolla.  Checking out the cliffside parks and tidal pools are a great way to spend a romantic day.
www.sandiego.org/