Community We definitely wouldn't have made it more than 5 years in Cambodia without our great friends and communities. Recently our little group of parents with young kids have been spending a lot of time together. Parenting might not be possible otherwise. Our expat communities in Phnom Penh can't last forever but we've lucked out with a great core that have been around for 3-5 years. We've had some tearful goodbyes recently in the case of Stephanie and the Fowlers but also some highlights, like the return of Julia and Charlie, who left just after we arrived in Cambodia.
Phnom Baoh Dambang We've known about this old coal mine mountain not far from Kampot for years but never had a chance to check it out. You can see it from the road on the way to Kampot from Phnom Penh and it looks like a fortress on top of a mountain. There is also an old French-era railway bed that spits off the Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville line and ends at the mountain so 50 years ago this would have been a buzz of excitement. Finally, Tim and Steve had the chance to ride our bikes out to this mysterious hill and check it out. Most of the area is in ruins but there is a creepy stairway up the mountain and a bunch of abandoned shafts and caves. The views from the top of the mountain are also spectacular.
We end up returning again and again to Kampot for it's close proximity to Phnom Penh, great restaurants and gateway to many activities. There is always a unique experience to undertake. Recently, we visited the questionable Tuk Chhu zoo with Wayne and Sheila and Tim and Steve finally snuck past security guards to get a peek at the new Kamchay hydrodam.
Life is pretty routine these days but also pretty busy. Our active toddler keeps us on our toes and for some reason we decided that our lives would be better with another one! Here's some of the more interesting things that have happened in the last couple months.