On the way to Siem Reap, Cambodia

20 October 2011.  A view of the devastation due to flooding.  This is not a lake or river but crop land!  The buildings are a roadside restaurant and retail/tourist shops.

 Sorry this is so late a posting...we have been busy with flood relief aid.  After the Seniors Conference, we traveled to Siem Reap with our Asia Area Specialists Elder and Sister Meehan from Hong Kong, China.  Elder Meehan needed to see the effects the flooding had on the countryside and the people so we opted to hire a car and driver to go north.

We are standing on the highest side of the road taking this picture...the water is very close.

 All the people AND their livestock had to move to the highest ground - the road side - to get out of the flood waters.  The entire journey north, this is what was on the side of the roads.  The covered areas were the places for people to sleep at night and during the day, small animals would shelter from the sun.

 A market was set up at a roadside area and we decided to taste a delicacy in Cambodia - tarantula.  It was rolled in spices and rice flour then deep-fat fried.

 Felix and I had to try it.....spicy and crunchy.  Elder Meehan also tastied it but Sister Meehan said she drew the line at eating spiders!

 This women had these funny looking pieces of bamboo sitting in baskets over heat.  I had to stop and see what they were.  Snack food!  Inside was flavored rice (coconut milk and palm sugar) with raisins mixed in then stuffed into a bamboo piece and steamed.  Very tasty..yummy!

 I had to include a picture of a modern WC (toilet) area.  This is wonderful compared to many.  Still a squat one though...sigh...my knees and hips just don't bend like they use to!

The water buffalo are the only ones to truly enjoy the flooding! 

In this picture, you can see how close to the road the water had risen and the rains continue....