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Travel Pictures - CAMBODIA - 2001
All images © Ron Miller

        Additional travel photos of Cambodia beginning in the countryside north of Siem Reap
    and the ruins of Kobal Spien. From Siem Reap the journey continues by boat (hydrofoil)
    to the capital city of Phnom Penh and, finally, an excursion to the south coast.
Most homes in rural Cambodia, by necessity, are built on stilts -
north of Siem Reap, Cambodia
Another rural Cambodian home built on stilts -
north of Siem Reap, Cambodia
A thatch home with a primitive ox cart parked in the driveway -
north of Siem Reap, Cambodia
This modest home includes an extra bedroom and garage -
north of Siem Reap, Cambodia
The Cambodians welcomed the camera which is not always the case in other parts of the world -
north of Siem Reap, Cambodia
Although this mother and son are dressed as though they just exited the shower,
Cambodia's heat and humidity often make you feel like you are in the sauna -
north of Siem Reap, Cambodia
These children may be posing for their very first picture -
north of Siem Reap, Cambodia
This picture points to everything we love about children -
north of Siem Reap, Cambodia
The lush, green rice paddies stretch to the horizon -
north of Siem Reap, Cambodia
A picture of the simple life, but is their lifestyle easy?
north of Siem Reap, Cambodia
The bicycle is the most common mode of transport in the countryside -
north of Siem Reap, Cambodia
Afternoon, rush-hour traffic -
north of Siem Reap, Cambodia
Commonly referred to as the "River of a Thousand Lingas," the bedrock of the stream is adorned with a plethora
of carvings and images of Hindu gods. Kobal Spien literally means "the head of the river," and it was believed that
the carved lingas spiritually "fertilized" the waters feeding the irrigated rice fields farther downstream -
Kobal Spien, Cambodia
The cool, clear water provides welcomed relief on a hot day. The riverbed is adorned with a multitude of lingas (the circular carvings).
What is a linga? According to Webster's online dictionary, a linga is a stylized phallic symbol that is worshipped
in Hinduism as a sign of generative power and that represents the god Shiva -
Kobal Spien, Cambodia
A boulder carved with images of Hindu gods (including a reclining Buddha) -
Kobal Spien, Cambodia
A very refreshing waterfall at the end of the trail; although many tourists visit the area, everyone must be cautious and stick to the
 well-worn paths because of the unexploded landmines that remain hidden just beneath the surface after decades of "civil" war -
Kobal Spien, Cambodia
Cambodian children having a good time in front of the camera -
Kobal Spien, Cambodia
Unlike many other southeast Asian cultures, some aspects of the Cambodian culture are surprisingly conservative. When I asked my guide
why most of the boys did not remove their shirt before entering the water, he replied with his twangy accent, "Because they shy" -
Kobal Spien, Cambodia
From just south of Siem Reap, the hydrofoil travels across the Tonle Sap Lake and along the Tonle Sap River to Phnom Penh.
Travel by boat is not only faster but also more comfortable due to the country's neglected and pot-holed roads -
Tonle Sap Lake, Cambodia
Travel by boat also allows visitors to glimpse into the watery lifestyle of many Cambodians -
Tonle Sap Lake, Cambodia
Many Cambodians live the majority and perhaps the entirety of their lives floating on the water -
Tonle Sap Lake, Cambodia
Not much room for these children to run -
Tonle Sap Lake, Cambodia
You can leave home only by boat -
Tonle Sap Lake, Cambodia
Although the Tonle Sap Lake is quite shallow, it has a seasonal variation of more than 20 feet. The lake reaches its maximum level
when the seasonal floodwaters of the Mekong River reverse the flow of the Tonle Sap River and flood the lake -
Tonle Sap Lake, Cambodia
The pulsing nature of the lake in combination with a large floodplain creates a vibrant breeding ground for fish;
this rich ecosystem is one of the world's most productive inland fisheries and supports more than 3 million Cambodians -
Tonle Sap Lake, Cambodia
I would guess that the resume of most folks in the area has some mention of "fishing" -
Tonle Sap River, Cambodia
This fisherman, even while smoking, is just about to cast his net -
Tonle Sap River, Cambodia
A wonderful action photo of a skillful cast -
Tonle Sap River, Cambodia
I think these ladies are expecting some sort of compensation for this photo - good thing we are traveling on a hydrofoil! -
Tonle Sap River, Cambodia
Another fishing vessel with a tethered fish -
Tonle Sap River, Cambodia
The Tonle Sap provides more than 75% of Cambodia's inland fish catch as well as 60% of its protein intake -
Tonle Sap River, Cambodia
This fisherman is patiently working with a very delicate net -
Tonle Sap River, Cambodia
This young lady is winnowing the rice by utilizing the wind to separate the inedible chaff (covering) from the seed -
Tonle Sap River, Cambodia
Many of the capital's streets are in poor condition and become horribly muddy during rain -
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
The mud is carried onto the paved streets from the many unpaved and potholed streets in the city -
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
The city center still reveals a hint of its former charm -
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
The French-influenced architecture reveals Cambodia's colonial history -
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
The Cambodians utilize a WIDE variety of transport to negotiate the rough roads! -
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
The Royal Palace as viewed at dusk -
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
A festive gathering at sundown along the Tonle Sap River -
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
The motorbike is often the family sedan in Cambodia -
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
The families have many different passenger schemes -
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
My favorite scheme -
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
You have to admire the ingenuity often "developed" in the developing world -
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Mom is taking the family out for a spin -
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
The twin, side-saddle scheme -
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Room for at about 50 more passengers -
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
For some reason, travelers often adopt a vegetarian diet when traveling in the developing world -
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
The Tuol Sleng Museum is a haunting testament to the crimes of the Khmer Rouge. This building, at one time an ordinary high school,
was taken over in 1975 by Pol Pot's security forces and converted into a prison and interrogation center. More than 17,000 people
were interrogated and tortured here before being sent to the Choeung Ek Extermination Camp where they were murdered -
Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum; Phnom Penh, Cambodia
The high school classrooms were converted into tiny prison cells and torture chambers, and all windows were covered
with iron bars and barbed wire to prevent escape. The vast majority of prisoners, accused of betraying the party
or the revolution, were innocent of the charges against them and their confessions were produced by torture -
Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum; Phnom Penh, Cambodia
The victims who did not survive the torture at Tuol Sleng were buried in mass graves on the grounds.
Out of the 17,000 prisoners who entered Tuol Sleng, there were only twelve known survivors -
Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum; Phnom Penh, Cambodia
This water buffalo is feasting on the lush grass amid the profuse litter that is common in the urban areas of developing countries -
near Phnom Penh, Cambodia
The water buffalo provides transportation, a vital source of protein, and landscaping services -
near Phnom Penh, Cambodia
This water buffalo is getting a bath -
near Phnom Penh, Cambodia
However, when left to their own devices, this is the type of bath you can expect a water buffalo to partake in -
near Phnom Penh, Cambodia
The rural Cambodian children were fascinated by our off-road bikes that were much larger than those typically seen in the countryside -
Kampot Province, Cambodia
All-weather sandals are functional in this landscape -
Kampot Province, Cambodia
Southern Cambodia is an area of lush rice paddies and forested mountains -
Kampot Province, Cambodia
The landscape exudes tranquility -
Kampot Province, Cambodia
Except, perhaps, when an afternoon storm looms in the distance -
Kampot Province, Cambodia
The ox cart is still commonplace in the countryside -
Kampot Province, Cambodia
Kampot Province, Cambodia
This young boy is quite uncertain of the outsiders as his cart approaches -
Kampot Province, Cambodia
The youngster is quite frightened of either the visitors or the camera -
Kampot Province, Cambodia
Somebody has to plant all of that rice -
Kampot Province, Cambodia
Working the rice fields can be back-breaking and monotonous work -
Kampot Province, Cambodia
The rice paddies butt up against the rugged Elephant Mountains -
Kampot Province, Cambodia
The French hill station of Bokor was constructed by the French in 1922 on the southernmost peak (3,543 feet) of the Elephant Mountains;
the hill station was used by the French elite to escape the humidity and chaos of the capital city during French occupation -
Bokor National Park, Cambodia
The eerie Bokor Palace Hotel and Casino sits abandoned on the isolated mountaintop with windows only partially covered by broken shards of glass.
The former hill station's many structures have been used over the years for combat due to their strategic location. The hotel becomes
especially haunting when the afternoon fog envelopes the vast, empty ballroom with its broken tiles and bullet-riddled walls -
Bokor National Park, Cambodia
This is the view from the back porch of the Bokor Palace Hotel; the vista from the 3,500-foot summit
includes the Cambodian coast, the Gulf of Thailand, and the offshore Vietnamese island of Phu Quoc -
Bokor National Park, Cambodia
The hill station included not only the Bokor Palace Hotel and Casino but also this Catholic church -
Bokor National Park, Cambodia
Southern Cambodia's sleepy coast on the Gulf of Thailand -
Kep, Cambodia
Sunset over Cambodia's Elephant Mountains -
near Kampot, Cambodia

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All images © Ron Miller
For authorized use of these photos, please contact Ron Miller at TheHappyCannibal@gmail.com