oNe PhOtO a DaY jAnUaRy 2023:

JANUARY 1st ME, TODAY: in my happy place at the pool having just completed my laps and changed coz I forgot I was going to take a pic while I was in the water. Starting the year as I mean to continue looking after my own wellbeing

 

JANUARY 2nd BLACK & WHITE: is the perfect format for the traditional Khmer house room in our hotel in Battambang. Off on a new / old adventure as of today

 

JANUARY 3rd YUM: Freshly squeezed pineapple and orange juice in a cute little cafe in Battambang. I love the address printed on the glass. Not too many places have a street one and a half!

JANUARY 4th A PAIR OF SUNGLASSES: In Cambodia these guard dogs, referred to as 'Dvarapalas' are found at the entrances, the perimeters of stupas and prayer halls inside the compounds and along fences to temples. Their primary purpose is to protect the temples. Today I had a little fun with this one at Piphetthearam Temple and they aren’t really sunglasses but my transitional reading glasses but that’s why I don’t need sunnies anymore

DECEMBER 5th RANDOM BEAUTY: I just couldn’t resist playing with the menu in Miss Wong Cocktail Bar tonight. A birthday celebration for a travelling buddy in the quirky Shanghai cigarette girl poster girls’ decor

JANUARY 6th STREET FOOD: It’s not every day that street food is served to you as a treat in the hotel lobby. This hotel has really spoilt us on this our third visit and we were greeted with two of these plates of typical street desserts on our return from viewing sunset at Angkor Wat today

JANUARY 7th THE GREAT OUTDOORS: Today we visited the breathtakingly beautiful Ta Phrom, which is the temple featured in Indian Jones film “Tomb Raider.” (2001) The great outdoors has definitely ventured indoors in this and many locations but it’s the sheer majesty of nature surrounding the structures that adds to the awe, at this the world’s largest temple complex, inspires

 

JANUARY 8th MINIMALISM: Whilst I love the aesthetic of the Khmer script, there is definitely no comprehension on my behalf. Only the English, which possibly doesn’t even relate to the sign, conveys anything to me! Minimalism in terms of language skills?

JANUARY 9th AN ENTRANCE: that was built in the tenth century and is ornate and inviting. It reveals the impressive treasures of Bantey Srei, the Citadel of Women and my all-time favourite of the temples in Angkor Archaeological Park.  The only one I never want to miss

JANUARY 10th A FAVOURITE BOOK: I don’t really have an all-time favourite but I am tempted to re-read this one now, having just returned from Siem Reap and our fourth visit to the temples of Angkor Wat. It really does provide a lot of insight into the tenth century society that existed when Angkor was a living city and that gave me a new perspective on what I was seeing this time round

JANUARY 11th FRIUT IN A BOWL: Just those purchased yesterday in the market for our breakfasts and mostly already consumed with yoghurt today

 

JANUARY 12th GRATITUDE: I have so much to be grateful for today. I have my beautiful sister travelling with me, we finally got a train trip and to one of our favourite places in Cambodia, we have seen the countryside we know and love so well and many old friends. Gratitude attitude

 

JANUARY 13th PETS: abound in the temples and this one is a favourite of the little monks of Kep. Although this little monk looks like he is strangling the cat, he is actually just trying to get it to face the camera. Killing it with kindness

 

JANUARY 14th A WATER VIEW: Yesterday we took the Crab Shuttle from Kep to Kampot and we had spectacular water views of the coastline and mangroves but for me at least, the final leg on the river just before sunset as the fishing boats were all heading out for the night was the highlight

 

JANUARY 15th PATTERNS IN THE SKY: Beams of coloured light illuminating the sky behind the big durian in Kampot

*this one was selected for the fab 4 on Instagram. Yay, yay, yay

 

JANUARY 16th THE COLOUR YELLOW: The spectacular Japanese meal we had tonight at a lovely local place included these two dishes which were predominantly yellow. Feeling the love

JANUARY 17th FOOD AND DRINK: Popcorn counts as food, right? A bit heavy on the drinks aspect but signature G&Ts are definitely worth the splurge. We did actually eat a delicious meal here too but there were no drinks in that shot

 

JANUARY 18th SHADOWS & LIGHT: We visited the Air Gallery at The Factory today and saw some incredibly creative and talented photographers’ work, which included many images playing with the idea of light, shadows and exposure but it seemed like cheating to photograph a photograph, so I present my attempt in the outdoor zone of this creative art space inside a converted factory

JANUARY 19th BREATHTAKING: After almost seven years in the country we finally made it to the Royal Palace today and buildings, Buddhas, gardens and especially the murals really were breath taking. This was my favourite shot of the day

JANUARY 20th IN THE KITCHEN: tonight’s monster rainbow salad, greens, Camembert and Dukkah dinner sitting on the bench top since it is already beer o’clock on Saturday in the Kingdom of Wonder

*This one was selected in the fab grid for this prompt 

and Ian's was too, our kitchen appeared twice for one prompt

 

JANUARY 21st IN THE SUN: We just arrived in M’Pai Bay and it’s a sheer delight to be facing this magnificent view and several days of lazing about in the sun

 

JANUARY 22nd ONE: All the boats on the island we are staying on dock at a new concrete pier but there is still one very old, very decrepit wooden jetty at our favourite swimming spot

 

JANUARY 23rd A VINTAGE SIGN: This vintage sign we stumbled upon on an early morning walk this morning has ocean views over the fishing boats and all the feel-good beach vibes

 

JANUARY 24th 5 O’CLOCK: It’s rare for me to be up before sunrise but I was this morning. Today we return to Phnom Penh after a relaxing time on Koh Rong Sanloem

 

JANUARY 25th A FAVOURITE COLOUR: With me it’s not so much a favourite but the favourite colour - orange. We are yet again enjoying happy hour cocktails and this isn’t even my drink. I couldn’t make myself order Aperol Spritz when I actually don’t like it much but a lovely young lady in the bar let me photograph hers! The things we do for PAD

 

JANUARY 26th EVERYDAY MOMENTS: As a part of my gratitude practice I try to take a moment every day to observe and appreciate the quirky, aesthetic, beautiful or absurd aspects of the world around me. Today’s find was this piece of art in a cafe I have been in many times before without noticing

JANUARY 27th EXPLORING MY CITY: Chinese New Year is coming up and by following the sound of the drumming while we were at the market, we stumbled upon this incredible aerial scene. They are practicing for the Lion Dance they will perform repetitively for the celebrations to come

 

JANUARY 28th STAIRS: Escalators count as stairs and these are the ones I didn’t want to see my sister climb today at the airport. After a month in Cambodia she left this morning and we already miss her dearly and are eagerly awaiting the next visit

 

JANUARY 29th STREET PHOTOGRAPHY: We pass this little cafe regularly when we go to the market and I have dubbed it the cyclo cafe as the cyclo riders all park on the corner and have cold drinks there after their morning market runs. I was thrilled to capture it with two cyclos with passengers passing by and all the regular cyclos parked outside and the riders within

JANUARY 30th A GLASS OF WATER: It’s a bit tricky to dress up a glass of water but I gave it my best shot with an ice cube, a slice of lime and a stainless-steel straw to say nothing of standing it on my newest coaster as the inaugural drink!

 

JANUARY 31st ON PAPER: Most of the advertising in these parts is neon, painted directly onto the walls and fences or laminated paper hanging on security doors. This old printed on paper ad was a real find in our laneway wandering today and I recognize enough of the Chinese characters to guess it’s a money lending company. Now, long defunct I would guess from the state of the wall and paper

 

THE PROMPTS

 

 

A Visual Feast in PP

With images from village life, Kanha Hui’s photography embellished with paint, thread, ink, stencil and paper cut techniques tells a story of identity. Her work touches on feminism and self-determination, critically examining the traditional roles of women and children in her society. The current exhibition was inspired by the Cambodian proverb, “Men are like gold,

Women are like white cloth.” It’s well-known and means men are able to recover from their past missteps and shine themselves off again to their original brilliance unlike women who carry the stain of their mistakes forever.

 

I guess this spoke to me because I struggle to comprehend, adapt to the current systematic changes and fit in socially when I return to my “village.” This artist not only returns to her village but questions the status quo and establishes community art projects for women to participate in and thereby build self-esteem and connection beyond the household duties the women mostly engage in.

 

I’m thankful for opportunities for visual stimulation that the capital can provide. There are many locations in the city where contemporary and inspirational art and photography can be seen.

 

In particular we regularly enjoy the selections of Stan at the Gallerist for the images we are able to view as a result of his enterprise and network of young talented Cambodian artists.

Although the above-mentioned exhibition is being staged elsewhere the current work in his gallery is also a thought provoking and passionate expression of pressing social issues and the environmental concerns of young Khmer artists. Of course, of particular interest to us were the magnificent large format hornbill pieces.

 

 

At the moment the Photo Phnom Penh Festival 2023 is taking place and establishments all over the city are exhibiting work from both local and international photographers.

 

The collection by Kim Hak at the Institute Français du Camboge depicts a ten-year period in Cambodia with images from many provinces. Some familiar and still visible rural scenes contrast starkly with those depicting the cityscapes, which greatly differ from the current visual in our urban environment.

 

Olivia Gay’s scenes of everyday life in France provide a vibrant backdrop to the quiet courtyard and contemporary open space adjoining the library of the same venue.

 

The Factory also currently has a collection of both foreign and Khmer acclaimed photographers’ images as a part of this festival in addition to the contemporary art, which is hung and the street art images, which adorn both internal and external walls throughout the complex.  

Reoccurring themes of development, environment, society, culture and tradition are featured in the diverse offerings of the photographers and artists on show at Air Gallery by Sar’art. Each has a specific style and perspective of lived-in spaces and highlights the forces of change.

There is a collection on the external wall of the French Embassy, which always has a thematic exhibit on display as well as images in hotel lobbies and various other venues around the city. It’s a feast for the eyes and an insightful reflection of the ever-evolving landscape of our times.

 

There are still more photographers to discover in this two-month long festival and we are looking forward to doing exactly that.

 

Visual stimulation and insightful creativity are more reason to love living where we do. Gratitude Attitude.

 

 

oNe PhOtO a DaY DeCeMbEr 2023:

DECEMBER 1st CHEERS: Last night we attended the opening of the “Glimpses of a Fragile Paradise” with photographs by Solange Bland. They were taken in the 1960s of both Angkor Wat and Cultural Revolution China. This image of Suzhou really ignited my imagination as we were very familiar with Suzhou when we lived nearby in the 1990s. I can’t imagine what it must look like now

*This shot was selected for the Fab 4 on the day

DECEMBER 2nd PEACE: My favourite quote about peace with a background of a photograph I took of the Atomic Bomb Dome in Peace Park Hiroshima, Japan during the time we lived there in the 1990s. “May peace prevail on earth”

 

DECEMBER 3rd LAST THING I READ: was the menu of my favourite breakfast eatery in order to order and although I could have done a scan to order online I chose not to. The healthy omelette was every bit as good as the description suggested

 

DECEMBER 4th STAR: The only Xmas decoration I have is this star made from recycled paper and this prompt finally made me go find it and hang it in our apartment today

DECEMBER 5th CANDY CANE: I actually thought this would be impossible to find today and then after arriving in Siem Reap and having to kill time until our hotel room was ready, the first little stroll down an interesting laneway had this on display. Xmas tree decorations hand crocheted in Cambodia. I wasn’t tempted to purchase but I did snap a quick pic

 

DECEMBER 6th OUTSIDE: on the balcony of our hotel with sugar palms and the pool tempting us to stay put for the day but we did actually venture out onto the streets and the 32° heat anyway. Now however it’s pool time for me

 

DECEMBER 7th JOY IS: watching the Cambodian Circus Phare Ponleu Selpak perform in the big top to capacity crowds

 

DECEMBER 8th THIS MAKES ME MERRY: Today as we were almost at the end of our five and a half hour journey returning home from Siem Reap we got a call about a parcel delivery, which promptly arrived moments after we walked in the door. We don’t have a Xmas tree so I placed the beautifully wrapped gifts under the dried lotus pods, where they will remain until the appropriate day. Many thanks to my secret Santa from the FMS gift exchange

 

DECEMBER 9th CHRISTMAS TREE: A distinctly Cambodian take on a Xmas tree with Hanuman the immortal and invincible monkey god in the background. Cultural balance is the thing

 

 

DECEMBER 10th SOMETHING RED: Those red, red lips are a detail of the advertising for Madam Butterfly which we will see in less than an hour

the whole image from which the detail was taken

 

DECEMBER 11th ‘TIS THE SEASON TO: celebrate. We have two international guests visiting and one of them is celebrating a birthday in addition to all the seasonal celebrations, so sky bars with a view and cocktails are certainly on the agenda

 

DECEMBER 12th DECORATION: I have always loved the way lotus flowers are folded to be used as offerings and also as decorations. They do add a lovely touch to interior decor especially when displayed like this

 

DECEMBER 13th SOMETHING GREEN: This lovely wall mural inside a new to us cafe is not only green but also done by one of my favourite artists here. I have run into her work accidentally three times lately and it is always striking. This is also the place we had a final farewell lunch with my great mate, who has been visiting for the last twelve days

DECEMBER 14th I HEAR: We have seen hornbills many times now and they never disappoint. This evening they were so close in the temple compound that we could hear them chirping as they devoured the ripe berries on this palm and the incredible helicopter sound of their wings when they flew past

 

DECEMBER 15th DECOR: Today’s day trip took us to one of our favourite spots, where every aspect of the decor is creative, calming and tasteful. Though we only went for a decadent lunch it was the decor of the pool zone that caught my eye

 

DECEMBER 16th SHOPPING: The early morning market shopping this morning required three of us to haul home the goodies and baking and roasting is the order of the day now. Dinner guests tomorrow and decadent December continues

*This shot was selected for the Fab 4 on the day

 

DECEMBER 17th CHRISTMAS LIGHTS: Look carefully and this wreath does have a few lights. It didn’t help that we were there during the day but since we are having guests to dinner tonight and the options here are limited, that’s as good as it gets for this prompt

DECEMBER 18th SOMETHING CUTE: We have hardly left the house today but this popped up on memories. An archive shot taken on this day after we had just started teaching the cute little monks of Kep. We continued to do so for the next four and a half years and we got to see many of these boys turn into teenagers and mature young men

 

DECEMBER 19th FESTIVE: We have begun gifting the traditional Xmas cakes and chocolate chip shortbread we baked, to friends but we couldn’t be certain they were up to scratch without an official taste test. Today’s afternoon coffee break was very festive if I do say so myself

 

DECEMBER 20th SANTA: image adorning the glass doors to one of the businesses we were in this morning. I actually haven’t seen a single human version here this year yet

 

DECEMBER 21st I DO THIS EVERY YEAR: Keep an envelope of memories. As the year progresses any day that brings a special sense of joy, contentment, achievement or fulfillment we write up on a coloured slip of paper and fold it up and put it in the envelope. Come New Year’s Day we sit down and read them aloud to each other and recall and reflect upon the details and blessings of the year that was, as a part of my gratitude practice. This year the envelope is not as full as usual but there is still plenty to be thankful for

DECEMBER 22nd WRAPPING: I absolutely love wrapping gifts and yesterday I was so happy to be part of a volunteering group who helped pack and wrap school supplies and gifts for vulnerable and disadvantaged school children in Phnom Penh. Tomorrow we pack food supplies and snacks for families

 

DECEMBER 23rd GIFT: The Sisters Missionaries of Charity Xmas Event was today and it was so lovely to help out and see the joy on the children’s faces. There were wonderful prizes, a new set of sports clothes, a backpack with stationery and hygiene products as well as a packed lunch, snack pack and Xmas decorated cupcake for every child. They left with arm loads of goodies and gifts.

 

DECEMBER 24th TOGETHER: time for a little Xmas cheer and celebration at a newly discovered location with all the feelgood vibes of a green outdoor setting and fabulously delicious food and cocktail options

 

DECEMBER 25th MY CHRISTMAS DAY: celebration begins now with bubbles

 

DECEMBER 26th ON THE SHELF: of our local refill store as much liquid cleaner or shampoo, conditioner or body wash as you could possibly want. You can even leave clean jars there for recycling or take one for the product you need. Love the simple and ecofriendly system in place so we purchase there

 

DECEMBER 27th HALF FULL: The bottle might be empty but the glass is still half full. A gratitude attitude goes a long way

 

DECEMBER 28th THIS IS HOW I RELAX: Well this how I ensure I can relax in two days  when my sister finally arrives. It took two of us but two homemade and healthy meals and sliced homemade sourdough in the freezer and snacks, treats, lotus root, baba ganoush and flat bread ready for the meal on arrival so we get quality time together. Too excited to relax today that’s for sure

 

DECEMBER 29th ON THE WALL: The beautiful Bhutanese scroll we bought in 2011 on our first trip to the Zorig Chosem Arts School in Trashiyangste. First wall out of Bhutan it has hung on we absolutely love it. Memories of the kingdom of happiness

 

DECEMBER 30th A FUNAL SELFIE FOR 2023: After so many cancellations and delays over the last few years my gorgeous sister finally made it to Cambodia this morning.  An amusing selfie with a background of our guests in hysterics after so many failed attempts through the day

DECEMBER 31st FAVE PHOTO OF 2023: I don’t really have favourites but I’ve looked through all my photos from 2023 three times now and this is the standout. This one ticks all the boxes for me - monks, orange, night scenes in the city I love and a random unstaged shot on an ordinary day

THE PROMPTS