oNe PhOtO a DaY JuLY 2023:

JULY 1st E IS FOR: egg coffee - a Vietnamese speciality I had never tried until this prompt inspired me today. How could a long-time coffee addict like myself resist? It’s actually delicious

JULY 2nd L IS FOR: Lotus. A bloom I absolutely love and often photograph. This one was taken today outside a spa of the same name in Mui Ne

*This one was actually selected on Facebook for the Fab Four on the day

 

JULY 3rd K IS FOR: kitchen. It seemed the best choice after walking around in circles past both the front and back door of this vegetarian restaurant before a local escorted us there and we entered via the back door and through the kitchen. Five minutes later this mother and daughter team were preparing our delicious lunch!

And that was our meal our meal

 

JULY 4th N IS FOR: noodles. My Buddhist vegetarian breakfast this morning was a healthy and delicious bowl of thick rice noodles with vegetables in soup. The perfect start to our last day in HCMC

JULY 5th P IS FOR: poster. This was taken in the propaganda poster shop yesterday. There are not only political posters but poetic presentations of photographs from passionate photographers. Pertinent perspectives of the Spanish Civil War by Robert Capa (who happened to die in Vietnam in Thái Bing Province) purloined for prosperity. Alliteration for “P”

JULY 6th B IS FOR: beer or “bia” as they say in Vietnam. It’s just gone “bia” o’clock on this our final, full day in the country in Chau Doc and after over ten kilometres on foot in over 30° heat, we earned this one!

 

JULY 7th I IS FOR: issued. Just ten minutes ago we entered Cambodia travelling from Chau Doc and are now heading home to Phnom Penh on the Mekong

JULY 8th C IS FOR: chocolate. Actually, I’m not even a big fan. I much prefer salty snacks but today has been all about getting the house back in order and getting in supplies, after having been away for over two weeks and I purchased all these this morning in the supermarket as we have a very dear, chocolate-loving friend arriving on Monday

JULY 9th O IS FOR: offerings. Warning long story follows. We walked through the Wat Ounalom compound today, especially to see if there were offerings at the altars but the doors to the main hall were all closed, so we went to a lovely little stall in the market nearby where two women make these offerings for devotees to purchase. Those in the foreground were all bagged up for a customer but when the lovely woman saw me photographing the less impressive gold ones in the back ground she kindly removed them from the plastic packaging (except for the fragile centre piece which is still wrapped) and set them up on her stall. I was thrilled and she got a big kick out of me being so interested in her humble profession. They are mostly natural as the pedestals are sections of banana palm stalks

 

JULY 10th Y IS FOR: yoghurt. When I prepare breakfast it most often looks like this. All local and all delicious especially the probiotic yoghurt

 

JULY 11th S IS FOR: swimming pool. It is lovely to be back in the water and swimming laps again especially in the tropical heat

JULY 12th Q IS FOR: queue. The queue of cars, tuk tuks and motos waiting at the lights in the usual unorthodox fashion that characterises the traffic behaviour in Cambodia. It may be more of a clump than a queue but this is a close to a queue as I’ve seen here

JULY 13th U IS FOR: utensils. All our utensils stand next to the cooktop in a variety of recycled and repurposed receptacles

*Unbelievably when this was a last-minute option at the end of the day this shot was selected for the Fabbers on both Facebook and Instagram and that’s a first for me 

 

JULY 14th W IS FOR: weaving. Yesterday we visited ‘Silk Island’ and actually saw silk spinning and weaving taking place in a small, family-based enterprise. Some of the colours produced with natural dyeing techniques were incredible and of course we made a purchase or two

 

JULY 15th R IS FOR: river. Tonight, at dinner with a dear Bhutanese friend we got to see night views of Phnom Penh over the Tonle Sap River. Things look way different from this side of the river

 

JULY 16th Z is for: zebu. A common sight across Cambodia but somewhat rare in Phnom Penh. We were on Koh Doc or Silk Island a few days ago and saw these zebus cooling off and enjoying a bath in the Mekong. It was a first for me to see them in the water

 

JULY 17th H IS FOR: Hanuman. The Hindu God Hanuman is a monkey deity renowned for his courage, power, and faithful selfless service. There are many representations of Hanuman throughout Cambodia

JULY 18th A is for: apsara or female celestial spirit. This image of an apsara is a postcard depicting a stamp from the French colonial era

JULY 19th X IS FOR: xylophone. I’m assuming that if it is made of wood it it’s still a xylophone. Please correct me if I’m wrong. This was taken a couple of days ago because let’s face it you don’t see a xylophone everyday but they are the centrepiece of a traditional Khmer orchestra such as this one which was playing for a special memorial ceremony in Wat Phnom when we dropped by

 

JULY 20th J IS FOR: jeans. I rarely wear them any more due to the tropical climate here but I did recently purchase a new pair of blue jeans when I discovered the ones I bought eleven years ago are somehow now too big

 

JULY 21st T IS FOR: tree. As an inner-city resident, I greatly appreciate the green zones with beautiful old growth trees like this one

JULY 22nd D IS FOR: dessert. A deliciously, decadent dessert I just invented and created as a trial for our special farewell dinner for a very dear friend tomorrow night. It is a parfait of Kahlua spiked chocolate cake, mango sorbet, espresso jelly and cinnamon kheer with chocolate

JULY 23rd M IS FOR: monsoon. Those black clouds roll in most afternoons. They may just float over the city or they may result in drizzle or thunderous torrential downpours. Today it’s just drizzle, where we are anyway and the cooling and cleansing effect is most welcome

JULY 24th G IS FOR: Garuda. The Mount of the Hindu god Vishnu and the protector with the ability to travel swiftly anywhere. This half man half bird is the guard of sacred Mt Meru and in Buddhism is often part of the iconography of temples and seen as the protector of paradise. We ventured into a temple we have never been to before in search of Garuda and were rewarded with this one today

 

JULY 25th V IS FOR: Vicky. That’s me after finally returning to my favourite hairdresser in the kingdom today. She restored my visual to the image I love and lifted my spirits too

 

JULY 26th F IS FOR: fan. An antique, Japanese, sandalwood fan I treasure as it was generously gifted to me by a former student. The scent still wafts through the air when you use it

 

JULY 27th MY NAME STARTS WITH: …… It rhymes with tree and that would be …… ME

 

JULY 28th MY TOWN STARTS WITH: A. I’ve gone with my hometown Adelaide and an archive shot from our trip home earlier in the year. This was the final photo taken in the airport as we were leaving and well I did have to edit it a bit to fit the prompt

 

JULY 29th FAVE WORD: I don’t actually have a single favourite word. Instead I have a love and a complete fascination with words and language, but ‘hope’ is up there with the words that have inspired me when I most needed it. Just like these little monks, who held me up and hold hope in their hearts. A photo of a photo of mine

JULY 30th WORDS ON A SIGN: This barber is using the incredibly popular image of Sinn Sisamouth to advertise. Shame about the grammar and spelling but ten points for having signage in English. Sinn Sisamouth was a Cambodian singer-song writer in Phnom Penh. He didn’t survive the Khmer Rouge regime but is widely considered the “King od Khmer Music”

JULY 31st HANDWRITING: The sentiment, the handwriting and the image all take me immediately to a very dear friend in Bhutan. Someone who inspired, motivated and supported not only me but many other educators and hundreds of students and she continues to do so daily

  

 

                                                        THE PROMPTS                     

 

 

 

 

Pensive, purposeful ponderings

 

 

Pensive, purposeful ponderings

 

22/7

Strangely, when I heard that everyone needed to return to their hometowns to vote, it didn’t immediately dawn on me that it would, once again, mean that the city streets would be deserted. I love it like this.

 

Not that I don’t love it when it’s frantic activity. I do, but this is a real change of pace and volume.

 

Although, the market was positively jumping early this morning, when we loaded up on supplies to cook a special farewell dinner, silence reigns now, in the early evening.

The traffic has been pouring out of the CBD all day and by afternoon a huge number of business were locked up tight.  Roadside entrepreneurs have also doubled and there is an opportunistic element to goods they sell.  The city dwellers are fleeing to their families in far flung provinces bearing gifts and spoils from the big city, no doubt.

 

The garbage truck had almost nothing to pick up on the street earlier this evening, only the odd moto is zooming about and the usually packed parking spaces are empty. It’s a little eerie in the Aerie but it reminds me of the several other occasions that it has been the same scenario and it’s entertaining watching the street life take on a new persona.

 

The neighbourhood children have reclaimed the street as a play zone and families sit around tables outdoors enjoying a leisurely meal while the nightclubs, restaurants and small stores remain closed. There is not a single roadside food cart or mobile restaurant set up anywhere in our street, when they are usually jostling to set up their tables and stools for the passing night time trade.

 

There is an air of expectancy now the exuberance of the flag waving, applauding, cheering and chanting of the numerous parades has subsided. Up until yesterday morning there were regular political parades and rallies consisting of trucks filled with supporters all loudly broadcasting and shouting slogans.  These parades were accompanied by an entourage of both tuk tuks and motos.

 

Tomorrow is the big day and it seems as if the city is collectively holding its breath.

 

23/7

 

After yesterday’s musing I wondered where all those who must be registered as residents of Phnom Penh were hanging out and this morning we found little enclaves of activity and even a voting booth or two to reassure me that there are in fact plenty of citizens still occupying the city precinct and eagerly participating in the democratic process. Those ink stained index fingers indicate that they have already voted. 

 

Now we wait for the victory to be announced and the celebrations to commence. 

oNe PhOtO a DaY JuNe 2023:

JUNE 1st A SINGLE FLOWER: A frangipani flower resting on a palm frond in the bustling inner-city zone. I spotted it returning home from our early morning walk today and decided to take it home for the small altar in our entrance

 

JUNE 2nd YOUR FAVOURITE BOOK: I don’t really have a favourite but I can certainly say this is the book I have bought the most copies of in my life. It holds a special place in my heart as a result of the years I spent living in Hiroshima city. I have gifted it to children, left class sets in Tanzania, and copies in three school libraries in Bhutan and taught countless children and teenagers to fold paper cranes

 

JUNE 3rd EMPTY PARK BENCH: Not one but two very unusual, concrete, empty benches in a shady courtyard. I spotted them yesterday, in the late afternoon when the cool breeze brings people outdoors. At that time there are very rarely empty benches as the demand usually outweighs the supply in downtown Phnom Penh

JUNE 4th PATTERNS IN NATURE: The beautiful lace-like pattern in this fallen leaf caught my attention strolling home yesterday. Even the destruction of insects leaves behind a pattern of intricate beauty

 

JUNE 5th CHILDHOOD TOYS: This is the gift I selected and bought to send to a friend in Chile who has just recently had her first child. I thought it was perfect for an Aussie living in Cambodia. Syd the Sleepy Koala made by Beebee + Bongo a social enterprise teaching knitting and crocheting skills to provide fair and flexible employment to marginalised communities in and near Phnom Penh. A childhood toy embracing two of the cultures we love

 

JUNE 6th CLOUD FORMATIONS: The dark, dramatic, gloomy cloud formations of the monsoon season roll in mid to late afternoon in Phnom Penh and the often-torrential rain that follows is a relief from the heat and clears the air and dusty streets

 

JUNE 7th DOORWAY OR ENTRANCE: A new business in our neighbourhood has recently painted their entrance with this Khmer warrior image. I believe it’s a restaurant but it wasn’t open yet when we strolled by and I snapped this shot

*Just for the record we now know its a Spa

 

JUNE 8th REFLECTIONS IN WATER: Walking along riverside this morning a puddle provided the only reflection visible as the river was mostly rippling with the current in the overcast conditions or dappled by the drizzle. The monsoon moods continue but the break from the sweltering heat and intense sunshine is a relief

JUNE 9th VINTAGE OBJECTS: abound and are still very much in everyday use here. I love the basketry which is still handmade and readily available. We saw this mobile vendor early this morning near the market and I was delighted to realise that there are at least three of his wares in regular use in our home

JUNE 10th FRUITS & VEGETABLES: A sample of the fruits and vegetables we have in stock to see us through the weekend and well beyond considering today is a celebratory occasion and we are going on a date night

 

JUNE 11th EVERYDAY OBJECTS IN BLACK AND WHITE: A selection of the books set in this region from our shelves. I read every day and consider it a pleasure and a privilege to have the time for it

JUNE 12th A LONE TREE: flowering on the corner of our street and providing much sought after shade in this busy downtown zone

JUNE 13th ABSTRACT CLOSE-UP: taken inside our apartment and such a surprise that it looked like this close up. You’ll never guess what it is?

 

JUNE 14th A FOOD DISH OR MEAL: Tonight’s dinner is build your own Buddha Bowls with a base of chilled soba noodles, a rainbow platter of vegetables and a sesame, coconut peanut sauce. An Asian fusion dish I love to make and eat

*This one was selected for the fab grid on Instagram

 

JUNE 15th MORNING COFFEE: The plans to have a morning coffee in a new to us venue this morning, have gone by the wayside, while we wait for our Mt Fix-it to resolve a plumbing issue. The usual spot on the terrace with breakfast is the regular morning coffee routine and now the monthly selfie, albeit a sleepy face selfie, is done too. I’m never awake until the first cup of coffee is consumed and here is the evidence

 

JUNE 16th A PET SUCH AS DOG OR CAT: A pampered pet traveling in style on the streets of Phnom Penh

JUNE 17th STAIRS OR ESCALATORS: The alleys and laneways of Phnom Penh reveal the stairs that provide access to the maze and labyrinth of tiny, old apartments that are concealed behind the modern, street side shopfronts. It’s a world from a bygone era and a community we are happy to reside within

 

JUNE 18th FOOD INGREDIENTS: All that’s required to make my signature dish - Lotus Root Salad

 

JUNE 19th LAUNDRY HANGING TO DRY: inside Wat Ounalom compound is all orange monk robes and they are draped anywhere space allows

 

JUNE 20th GRAFFITI-COVERED WALLS: Here in PP some alleys are bustling with community activity, others are picturesque nostalgia of a bygone era and well… some are simply graffiti covered walls and strewn with garbage but all of them provide access to residences. The laneways and alleys absolutely fascinate me

*this one also got selected for the fab collection on Insta 

JUNE 21st BIRDS IN FLIGHT: One of my favourite wall art discoveries, which is more treasured than ever now that the wall has been painted over and a bar and beer advertisement have replaced it. It’s somehow poignant and haunting due to the expression on the character’s face. Both the birds in flight and the person seem to be trying to escape…… but what?

JUNE 22nd A SINGLE CANDLE: in a ceramic container on the bedside table in the guest room

JUNE 23rd A COLOURFUL DOOR: In the art gallery we popped into yesterday this very colourful door led to the office area. Today has been spent on a bus heading to HCMC and now after checking in at the hotel and a long walk searching for doors it’s beer o’clock and time to holiday

 

JUNE 24th SUNRISE OR SUNSET: Not being a morning person, I knew it would be a sunset for me. Sunset view in HCMC yesterday while people watching. Vietnam is synonymous with motor scooter culture as is Cambodia but the orderliness of the traffic here was a change and surprise

 

JUNE 25th ARCHWAY OR BRIDGE: The back courtyard exit from the Fine Arts Museum in Ho Ch Minh City. The museum itself is a spectacular colonial building and it houses a huge collection by mostly Vietnamese artists and was well worth a second visit

JUNE 26th A STATUE OR MONUMENT: Yesterday’s visit to the Fine Arts Museum provided this statue entitled “opposing the enemy.”

*NB: eight hours on a bus and arriving in the dark in Da Lat made me grateful I had taken this yesterday

JUNE 27th CAR OR TRUCK IN THE STREET: Sitting in a cafe by the Hô Xuân Phong, which I assume is the name of the lake, it seemed fitting that a water truck should idle by and surprising that the passenger even noticed I was taking a shot and smiled and gave me a peace sign. I’ve only heard “Good morning Vietnam” once so far this trip when it was once a thousand times a day

 

JUNE 28th FRESHLY BAKED GOODS: Anyone who has visited Vietnam has enjoyed Banh Mi and it’s freshly baked bread like this that makes it possible to make those delicious sandwiches a staple for locals and tourists alike. We usually call this “air bread” but when in Rome…..

 

JUNE 29th A STACK OF BOOKS: Having walked in circles using google maps to find a bookstore to no avail this afternoon, all I’ve got is a stack containing our two passports and the information book in our hotel. It’s a bit of a stretch and it saddens my teacher’s heart to think we haven’t seen a single bookstore in the week we have spent in Vietnam. I can only hope we have been looking in all the wrong places

JUNE 30th A BUILDING WITH INTERESTING WINDOWS:  I knew we would be on a bus for most of today, so I have a building with interesting, fretwork covered windows surrounding the door in a semicircle. We stumbled upon this yesterday in our wanderings around Da Lat and the weather worn wooden frames and door also appealed to me

*Post posting update: This one made the Fab Four too! 

 

THE PROMPTS