Siem Reap, Cambodia

February 7 -13, 2019

In Siem Reap, the temples of Angkor are the main attaction. But during our week in this developing country with a horrific recent past, we got to do a couple of other neat things.

I’d wanted to do a cooking class since we landed in SE Asia and this was my last chance. Annabelle was excited to join me for the experience, so we signed up for Peace Cafe’s daily lunchtime class. We took a tuk tuk over to the cafe, our favorite mode of transportation.

It was just us and the two instructors (who were both about the same size as Annabelle) who had everything prepared with easy-to-follow recipes. They took us step by step through creating our own vegetarian lunch of springrolls, papaya salad and Amok – Cambodia’s traditional curry.

There was so much food; I ate way too much of it. We still took half back to the hotel for Wayne and Amelia.

We also had the privelage of seeing Phare, The Cambodian Circus. These hugely talented performing artists are part of an impressive educational organization that supports young people seeking a better life in Cambodia. Their stories – performed through dramatic arts, music and breathtaking acrobatics – are touching and funny, reminding us that while the Khumer Rougue destroyed a generation, their resilient children and grandchildren are now adults, trying to find their way to productive, healthy lives in the shadow of the horrors their families experienced.

Northeastern U.S. friends & family: the Phare Circus is coming to Boston soon! Make sure to catch this amazing group if you can.