Look, ma, no protective gloves! And you know what made my guts almost jump out of my throat when I saw this – the motorcycle was teetering dangerously and the Phnom Penh traffic is infamously crazy. Argh.

I dare not imagine the scenario if something untoward happened that moment.

No one cares. Almost always the traffic policemen, if ever they are around, ignore this violation. Or drivers talking on the phone while driving. For reasons they only know.

If you like exploring and are an adventurous type, do not miss out on going out on road trips. You’ll surely discover a lot of interesting things about Cambodia and its culture.

This neak ta shrine is one of the multitudes you will find in the country but they represent many differeting things. This one we found was just an hour away from the capital Phnom Penh, in the same area as Wat Phnom Prasith.

Cambodians believe in ancestor spirits called neak ta.
Neak tas are spirits who watch over and guard people, places (particularly forests), and things. They are believed to possess some kind of a supernatural power.

Shrines are built for the neak tas and contain objects that represent the four elements – earth, wind, water, and fire. According to local beliefs, the villagers take turn in keeping the shrine in order, making sure the shrine is clean and offerings of lotus flowers and lit incense are offered daily. Should they fail to do so, the neak ta will punish them or their entire village.

In the same manner, the villagers strive to act their best so as not to anger the neak ta. If not, misfortune and sickness will befall them and/or the entire village. Visitors, both local and foreign, are also expected to conduct themselves properly when visiting the shrine and within the vicinity. Otherwise, they will also not escape the wrath of an angry neak ta.

CSX was opened in 2011 and it has now about 12 companies trading there, a third of which are foreign accounts. The idea of a stock exchange is new to most Cambodians and, according to this report, it has been a slow progress.

With majority of the population barely earning the minimum wage, I wonder how many have few dollars left over to invest in stocks. Does an ordinary Cambodian even understand what this is all about, and much more, about investing?

Made by Sreisaat. You can find more about my crafting activities at Crafting with Sreisaat (sreisaatcrafts.wordpress.com).

I have a huge stash of crochet yarns that needed busting. These are acrylic yarns from Thailand, if I am not mistaken. The coaster is actually a granny square. I’m planning to starch it so it stays hard and in shape. The beautiful coffee mug, by the way, was bought from one of the stores found at the ground floor of the KLCC Shopping Mall. That’s nearly a decade ago and I still have it with me. It comes with a matching lid to keep the beverage – coffee or tea – warm.

Found this at the entrance gate of a boutique hotel in Phnom Penh. It just reminds you of the many problems people encounter in this country, especially the women and children. There’s a lot of information on sex trafficking on the Internet and it’s enough to make you angry.

The tourism industry and other businesses in Cambodia have joined forces with NGOs and government agencies to combat this issue and pledged to cooperate with authorities in spotting and reporting cases. Also part of the tourism industry’s pledge is to provide training to their staff on how to recognise and report child sexual exploitation.

… at the dry goods section located at the ground floor of the O’Russei Market in Phnom Penh.

I did some edits here using Picasa. You can find the original photo posted here.

The limestone mountains in Kampot’s Kampong Trach district. Not a lot of people know that in this mountain the soil is uniquely purple. We do not know why it is so. Also inside is a shrine and a naturally-formed pool with very cold water.