New tricks

Claude is developing so quickly - here are some of his new tricks
He loves to curl his legs up and grab his toes...Sitting up has brought so many new possibilities...You get a great view from up here...

2 years in Hanoi

We have lived in Hanoi for 2 years now - how times flies...

Floating village

We had the opportunity to visit the floating village on Lake Tonle Sap (the largest freshwater lake in SE Asia). There are Khmer, Vietnamese and Cham Muslim communities all floating near each other on the lake. We met one lady who lived with 20 other people on her house, who mostly survived by fishing. Her husband and all 8 children had been killed by the Khmer Rouge. She told us that life was becoming more difficult as catches were dwindling in the overfished lake.Claude had a great time on the boat trip, and afterwards we had a celebratory dinner and enjoyed some traditional Khmer dancing.

Ta Prohm

This is one of the most beautiful temples of the complex, with the jungle taking over the ruins. The trees are literally growing out of the stones, its quite eerie and a reminder that the days of men are like grass, here today and gone tomorrow, and even our most spectacular monuments can be swallowed up again by the forest. (Its also best known for a cameo in the Tomb Raider movie!)

Angkor Wat

Angkor Wat is the most famous of all the temples here, and is the largest currently active religious building in the world. Originally it was built as a Hindu temple to Vishnu. The central tower represents Mount Meru, the symbolic centre of the universe and home of the devas (which are the gods). The carvings on the walls represent Hindu mythology about teh creation of spirits, called the churning of the Ocean of Milk, in order to obtain Amrita (the nectar of immortal life).