Author: Charles Dittmeier

The young leading the blind

This is a not-uncommon sight in Cambodia, a young boy leading a blind man, his father. The government gives almost no meaningful aid to people with disabilities so blind people often use music to generate some income, and their young children, sometimes just five or six years old, lead the father through the city streets and collect donations.

What’s their story?

There are always so many stories around me in Cambodia, stories that I will never hear. I see a family(?) like this sitting on the street with all kinds of carved wooden objects which are very popular in Cambodian culture. Did they make them? Are they traditional craftsmen and women? Or are they just uneducated people who sit all day with the objects made by others and just get paid a commission? Where are they from? Is this a craft from another province? How much money do they make? Do they make a living at this?

The Riverfront

Phnom Penh could be a city known for its watercourses, lakes, flood plains, and its relationship to water. Unfortunately the near-sighted government sees the lakes and flood plains mainly as prime real estate when they’re filled in, and of course guess who will benefit from selling public lands to private developers. Hint: not the people of Phnom Penh.

One asset the public still has access to is the waterfront along the Tonle Sap River in front of the royal palace. Recently when I was on the way to the Ash Wednesday service I passed the waterfront at sunset (a time when I normally am not near there) and was pleased to see the activities taking place.

The open area between the palace in the river is attractive
to all sorts of people in the evening.
The pigeons love it, too.
Families with children come to enjoy the openness and the grass.
The more well-to-do who can afford pets–and leashes!—
make a walk in the park part of their evening activity.
And not fully appreciated until you see them in action are these men enjoying a game in which they kick a ball or shuttlecock–but only with their feet when the ball is behind them!