This is the Golden 42 Towers, a building under construction for ten years. Or let’s say construction started ten years ago. The original Korean company ran out of money in the financial crisis and the building just sat there, not golden at all but rather covered with green construction netting. Some people called it the Green 32 for the number of floors finished then. Now a Chinese company has taken over and is moving full speed toward completion, and it’s actually becoming golden as panels of tinted class are installed.
A Happy Monday
Topics: Inflatable Figures
A recent trend in advertising in the kingdom is the use of inflatable figures set out on the street to beckon to customers. Click here for some examples.
Notable Quotes
“A shutdown falls on the president’s lack of leadership. I mean problems start from the top and they have to get solved from the top. A shutdown means the president is weak.”
— Donald Trump in 2013
So you can’t see it! What’s the problem?
This photo has some remarkable elements. It’s not remarkable that one of the motorcycles waiting at the red light is across the double yellow line. It is remarkable that ONLY one is over the line because the two lanes have a row of motos in front and culturally it is not acceptable to stop behind anyone so the only place to stop is in the opposing lane. It’s not remarkable that the second motorcycle is running the red light. It is remarkable that ONLY one moto is going through the red light.
What is most remarkable is that any of the vehicles have stopped. Notice you can’t see the stop light. It’s hidden by the trees and thick bundle of utility wires. In other countries that would be grounds for moving the light, trimming the trees, or rerouting the wires, but in Cambodia it’s a non problem. Who cares if you can see the light or not? Traffic signals are optional to begin with. If you want to stop, you stop. If you don’t want to stop, you don’t.
Modern Day Tinker
Seasonal Flooding
This is a view of the Cambodian countryside from the air as we approached Phnom Penh two days ago. The Tonle Sap River is on the left; the Mekong River goes across the top of the photo. Under the plane’s wing are large flooded areas. This is normal flooding every year but it’s lasting a little longer this year because the seasonal rains–normally ending in October–are still continuing. It actually rained again today, something relatively unheard of in this “dry” season.
MKLM Leadership in Cambodia
Ted Miles, the executive director of the Maryknoll Lay Missioners, and Leslie Lopez, our advancement director, went to the Maryknoll gathering in Hua Hin, Thailand with us. Then they came to Cambodia with us when we returned yesterday. They will spend their time here meeting with the Maryknoll Lay Missioners and visiting all of their projects.
Hua Hin 2019–Day 9
Today was a travel day as all the group left Hua Hin and headed to their homes throughout Asia. Click here to follow the group going to Cambodia.
Hua Hin 2019–Day 8
Today was the last working day of our time together in Hua Hin. We had meetings in the morning and then the afternoon was free. Click here to see some of the day’s activity.