Author: Charles Dittmeier

Changes coming…

Here is an old building on Monivong Boulevard getting ready for a new life. A colonial era mansion, already once modified by the addition of the enclosed top floor, is becoming a noodle restaurant. One can hope some of the original colonial character will be restored and preserved.

Nobody home….

Today is the second day of the three-day Pchum Ben Buddhist holiday honoring the spirits of deceased relatives. For Pchum Ben, everyone must go to their home village in the provinces so that Phnom Penh is largely empty as evidenced by this row of closed shops a long a normally VERY busy road. The resultant minimal traffic makes it wonderful for me getting around on my bicycle.

No Single-use Plastics

At a time when everyone is looking for alternatives to single-use plastics, Cambodia shows the way. We are starting a three-day Buddhist holy time tomorrow and it is a custom to give large rice rolls with a filling inside. No plastics, though. The wrappings are banana leaves and long grasses, the way they have wrapped these rolls for centuries. Russ Brine, Maryknoll lay missioner, is assisting with the display.

Disinfecting Solution

Today I was making a batch of disinfecting solution we use against COVID-19 at DDP. This kit was developed in Louisville, Kentucky and donated to us through the generosity of family and friends. ( THANK YOU!) More to come…

Up and over…

Progress in Cambodia is demarcated in different ways, some of them expected, some of them not. What would not be even noticed in many cultures becomes a major indicator of thinking and planning in Cambodia. Above is a photo of some construction taking place on the corners of a major intersection. It’s going to be a pedestrian overpass, maybe only the second or third one in the country. It’s a sign of planning but also a sign of the inability of the municipal government to control and regulate traffic.