Cambodia A rising tide...

Cambodia hasn’t been a very good place to live for quite a number of years. But there is hope that it will rise from the ashes of its glory years and its people will prosper. Southeast Asia is moving forward and the rising tide is raising all the boats. Our ship docked in Sihanoukville, which is the country’s main port. There is evidence of development here, including a Ramada hotel and a new casino and hotel complex is nearing completion. Interestingly, the port contained a single wind-turbine. The central market is a tangled mass of vendors in a darkened, covered structure and there is little of interest to buy. The streets are broken, the sidewalks, non-existent, and the infrastructure is dilapidated. But there are cell-phone towers! We spent our day at the Village des Enfants, an orphanage housing about 140 kids aged about 5-20. The orphanage is supported by the government and some foreign organizations. The French society ADOS has apparently been a major sponsor, but Japanese groups have sponsored the library and even the US Navy has recently refurbished a small gazebo. These children are clean, appear well-nourished, clothed and all had shoes. They put on several dance performances for us. The facilities are clean, much cleaner than most of the town.