THE PROMPTS
SUNDAY 1st SOMETHING BLUE: The local beer delivery truck loaded with Tiger beer and improvising steps out with full blue beer cartons
MONDAY 2nd ALONE: On our day trip to Rabbit Island with friends -despite there being a total of 7 of us and a couple of other children among them, this little one spent most of the time happily playing alone
TUESDAY 3rd HANDS: Practising left and right with hands and feet prior to playing the hopscotch game in class today
WEDNESDAY 4th SO COLOURFUL: This is a small sample of the IWA recycled plastic products that are so colourful. Today we delivered one hundred backpacks and one hundred pencil cases to children at Kep Gardens School. This Swiss NGO empowers rural women and helps improve the local environment and donors from Switzerland subsidize the costs of providing the products to local children
THURSDAY 5th ART: Our favourite bar and place to hang with friends is closing tonight. This art graces it’s walls and was painted by a friend and former staff member. After the renovations I doubt this will continue to be part of the decor. And without our favourite barman, we definitely won’t be customers. The end of an era here in Kep .....
FRIDAY 6th OLD: Kampot’s unique little vintage shop Kampothead is a window into Cambodia’s past. The old facade of the cinema includes this feature wall and the shop sells vintage posters, ceramics, jewellery, wood carvings, second-hand clothes and various other antiques sourced in Cambodia and all over Asia
SATURDAY 7th MY COLOUR: is orange as a quick snapshot of the bags, scarves and hat hanging by the bedroom door clearly demonstrates
SUNDAY 8th GET IN THE PHOTO: Well there’s a little of me in the photo and I do like the sentiment very much. Plenty to contemplate at the moment
MONDAY 9th TWO: Khmer style statues on the counter at Kep Children - a local NGO we visited today to view the space as a precursor to setting up a stall there on Sunday for their fundraising event
TUESDAY 10th OFF CENTRE: The soursop fruit which smells like pineapple and tastes like a combination of apple and strawberries is in season here right now. It is a strange asymmetrical shape and decidedly off centre. This one was a gift from the owners of the house we rent. Their gardens contain many fruit trees and we are often presented with freshly picked offerings
WEDNESDAY 11th GREEN: I’m not big on green and though I have taken several green shots today nothing really pleased me. I do however like to eat my greens, so seconds before starting the prep for dinner I snapped a shot of the greens available for consumption in our house...... not all made their way into our roasted vegetables with couscous and Greek salad with a twist dinner but green was well represented in our ‘eat a rainbow’ dinner
THURSDAY 12th TREES: In the pagoda a tree is used as a backdrop for a scene depicting the teachings of Buddha. Although it is not a Banyan tree it is obviously meant to represent one. Through the trees and in the distance lie the sparkling waters of Kep Bay
FRIDAY 13th NEED: Surely no one could need quite that many chillies, except that in our house we do and on a regular basis. Another jar of chilli jam in the making
SATURDAY 14th THIS IS FUN: We are market stall ready to sell IWA products and our own eco-wraps at tomorrow’s Family Party at Kep Children. All products are sorted, priced and now packed, cake and cookies prepared for the fundraiser and mobile market stall items cleaned and standing by. I do love a market.
Included just so you can see the load for the bicycles in the morning
SUNDAY 15th COOL: “Kep it cool” New local T- Shirt designs by k brand available today at Kep Children Family Day. How can any local Keptonian resist?
MONDAY 16th FRESH: Simple acts of kindness in trying times- fresh almost ripe mangoes, still warm from the sun on the trees in our yard, were on the table on our porch, when we returned from swimming this afternoon. I think we have the best landlords ever...
TUESDAY 17th THROW IT: When it comes to teaching resources never throw it away. There is always another school that will take it off your hands and put it to good use. This homemade blackboard was donated to us when a local school closed down and we never really needed it or used it. However, the young women running the school Au Delà Les Rizieres - which translates to “Beyond the Rice Fields” needed a replacement for their whiteboard so they came and collected it today. Never throw it away; always try to reuse or repurpose I say
WEDNESDAY 18th CLOSE UP: of the hands of a traditional apsara dancer in one of the incredible photographs by David Feingold in the “War and Beauty” photography exhibit. These hands were of a refugee dancer in a border camp on the Thai- Cambodian border. She was being trained by professionals who were escapees from the Pol Pot regime
THURSDAY 19th BLACK AND WHITE: That would be me taken yesterday by Ian as it’s the first time I’ve ever seen these wings in PP. I’ve seen plenty of similar versions from all over the world on social media but I couldn’t resist trying for that image when the opportunity arose and I just happened to be dressed in black and white to match the wings. May we all have the strength and perseverance to soar above the greed and act with kindness, compassion and generosity in these trying times
FRIDAY 20th FASHION: has never really been my thing. I’m more a comfortable, eclectic, ethnic and practical kind of dresser but I am interested in the current sustainable fashion movement and second-hand clothing. Since my birthday trip is now officially cancelled I treated myself to a few new items recently. Almost all my new clothes come from Dorsu a local, ethical and fair and safe working conditions company based in Kampot. They are currently closing down their retail outlets and letting staff go as a part of the virus backlash, so we had to avail of a few discounts and supplement the wardrobe yesterday in their PP store. Their online shop will remain. Another local favourite is Smateria and I just had to buy one of their bags made from recycled net, leather and motorcycle seat vinyl too. Spotted it in December and was glad to see they still had one yesterday, so happy birthday to me. Fashion it’s not but me it is
SATURDAY 21st ON THE STREET: A restored and well maintained cyclo parked in front of a street noodle stall in the eerily quiet and almost traffic free streets of Phnom Penh. These vehicles are still a common sight carrying both passengers and goods in the downtown area but we wonder for how much longer as the riders are almost all old timers
SUNDAY 22nd HORIZON: Just had to stop on my way back from the early morning bike ride to the bakery on empty streets to snap the horizon from a favourite location near the Crab Market. Let’s hope the crystal-clear waters and pale, blue skies and calm are an omen of less troubled times ahead
MONDAY 23rd CLOUDS: Not a cloud in the sky all day here so this is an archive shot taken a few months ago in the exact spot I intended to take my photo today
THURSDAY 24th MORNING: This morning we took advantage of our favourite bike repairer being both empty and open for the first time in days, while we were out on a futile mission to buy coffee. Finally, I decided to remove the non-functioning derailleur and revert to being a single speed biker after months of thinking I should
WEDNESDAY 25th I’M LOVING: that despite Cambodians being told we “barangs” brought this virus upon them, all our local friends- neighbours, market stall holders, Tuk Tuk drivers, police officers, monks and any other local who recognises us is friendly, waves and calls out a greeting. This is a worker from the bakery who is on her day off but spotted us returning from the bakery. Please note she’s pregnant and we are observing social distancing protocol! Community counts. Be kind
THURSDAY 26th SO GOOD: Just a few weeks ago this would have seemed perfectly ordinary but in the current circumstances it is so good to have Rumblefish Coffee (delivered today from Kampot) and the opportunity to swim in this tranquil environment. Appreciate the little things
FRIDAY 27th THE VIEW: we always have to photograph every time we go to the National Park. Making the most of the opportunities still available. Feel blessed
SATURDAY 28th IN THE AIR: The ambience of the sailing club created with simple local features like fishing traps used as outdoor light shades suspended on bamboo poles high up in the air. This is an archive shot from February when we last ate there and when it was still possible to gather for social occasions. Like so many businesses all over the world, this place closed its doors today
SUNDAY 29th CHAIR: A sign of the times: - the entrance to the newest and most expensive supermarket in Kep. Nonetheless we are glad to know it’s here with the shelves still stacked and the doors still open
MONDAY 30th FAR AWAY: Since travel is no longer an option I have been virtually traveling via my own photographs and I think this one taken in La Paz, Bolivia, wins the title of the place I have visited which is farthest away from where I currently live
TUESDAY 31st BUDDIES: Sometimes they are arch enemies and sometimes they are buddies but right now we miss these guys. We last taught them almost 3 weeks ago when we cancelled classes for a holiday that of course ended up being cancelled too. We just hope that they are safe and well and that at some point in the not too distant future we will all be back in the classroom together
