Welcome Isaac

Now we have Isaac to welcome into our family. Hello Isaac. Isaac was born on Wednesday, July 26 in Katoomba, New South Wales. I'm sure all your cousins and your big brother look forward to playing with you when you get a little bigger. I look forward to seeing you but I don't know when that will be as I am living a long way away from you. I guess everyone else has seen you already. I did talk to you on the phone and you cried back to me but I wonder if you will remember that.

OK Izmaillah, look after your little brother and have many good times together.

love from your Grandad in Cambodia

Hello naga

There are not many dragons here in Cambodia but most Buddhist temples have nagas guarding them. This one guards the front steps of Wat Xam where I teach English. Do you think it looks fierce?

Most people in Cambodia speak a language called Khmer. I don't know if the nagas also speak Khmer. I couldn't get this one to talk to me in any language. I tried to teach it some English. It just stared at me. I said, 'Soo sa day.' (That's 'hello' in Khmer.) And it still said nothing.

If you come to visit me, maybe you can get it to talk to you.

love from your Granddad in Cambodia

Recycling kid

I took this photo in Phnom Penh in Cambodia. This kid is wandering the streets on his own collecting plastic bottles and anything else that he can sell for recycling.

I do not know if he has a home or parents. Many kids sleep in the streets in Phnom Penh. I have seen them. Some of them collect things they can sell so they can have money to buy food.

How old do you think he is?

love from your Grandpa in Cambodia

Another market kid

This girl's name is Odung. Some days she comes into the market with her mother. I'm not sure what she sells. I ate two of them and I'm still not sure. They are like pancakes but deep fried. She carries these around the market on her head and sells them to anyone who is hungry. She can walk with the tray on her head without holding on too.

love from Grandpa John in Cambodia

Market kid

Atoh's mother works in the market. Some days he gets to spend the day with her in the market. His mother sells...

Now I can't remember what she sells. What do you think it might be?

Oh, that's right, I remember now. She sells bananas.

Atoh does not have fair hair. All Cambodian kids have black hair. His mother put highlighter in it.

There are pictures of more market people in my flickr pages. I hope you'll take a look.

love from Grandpa in Cambodia