Cambodia

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Flying into Cambodia from Bangkok is inexpensive. The trip is about an hour to either Phnom Penh or Siem Riap. Air Asia is a popular discount airline. That's my flight at the bottom. Siem Riap is the city that serves the famous ruins of Angkor Wat.
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Siem Riap (which means "Siam Conquered", is a big town/small city with a nice feel. Plenty of buildings from the French colonial era are still standing.
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This walking bridge over the river is in the historic center of town. It's touristy, but not in a resort way. Travelers from all over the world flock here as a must see destination.
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The neon at the top says "Pub Street". I don't think any further explanation is necessary.
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If you're on the road long enough, you might just want to try this for a taste of home. As for me, I stuck to Khmer cuisine.
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Ok. Now begins the tour of the ruins. Don't worry. This will just be a sampling!
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Having a sit and reading up on this amazing site. It's not hard to find a quiet corner even with the thousands of visitors.
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Join the masses who flock to see sunrise over Angkor Wat. If nothing else, it helps you get an early start.
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Angkor Wat is the largest religious structure in the world. All the temples here are Hindu. Cambodia is now 95% Buddhist.
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Climbing the ruins is not for the faint of heart. You also need to be reasonably fit and have comfortable shoes. There's a lot of walking and climbing.
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Many of the ruins have been overtaken by trees. You'll no doubt be told that Angelina Jolie was here to film Tomb Raiders. True.
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If you do a program in Phnom Penh, you'll stay in the Tattoo Guest House.
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Tattoo has a nice open restaurant area. Meals here are included in the program.
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Your first glimpse of Buddhist monks will seem exotic. You'll see plenty more.
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Moving on. Here are a few glimpses of available projects. Urban Poor Women Development is a great empowerment and legal aid organization.
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We think this orphanage is a great place to help orphans and at-risk local youth. The spirit of the place will amaze you.
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We might call this "Study Hall" in the US. There aren't enough teachers to go around, so the kids spend some of their time unsupervised. Here they're doing homework.
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The Joy Day Care takes care of the children of rag pickers. They keep the children out of the dumps, feed them, clean their clothes daily, and give them pre-school style instruction.
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Here are some of the day care center's children. Sorry for the bad quality photo!
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Here, orphans learn classical and traditional Cambodian dance. Keeping traditions alive.
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The school's director spent 3 years in a work camp under the Khmer Rouge. Her story is in our director's blog, under the "Experiences" tab on the menu.
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The Royal Palace is worth a visit.
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The National Museum has an excellent collection of sculptures. Here's the courtyard.
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The Royal Palace