June 14

So big day, I have VIP tickets to a fashion/diamond show at the Cambodia Gem and Jewelry Expo.

I got dressed up in a suit and everything. I got side seats as the models go to the sides mostly. Very fun and a tad bit long. There are more models but the orange dressed had the most jewellry for all the models see video below with the lineup.

Very large rings and necklaces for which my sister bought one by sending the money for her to get it by me. I was surprised to see the number of Cambodian models on stage along with the singers plus the international companies bring in a lot of diamonds to present.

Sister's $25,555 Bling Ring (Not my feet just vendors' feet) 

Cambodia has been having a lot of diamonds and gems underground but is now exploring it and studies show that we now have one of the largest supplies just like the oil right under the ground. Scientist say Cambodia might be like the next Dubai as most of our natural resources are left untouched due to genocides and wars.

Cambodia recently sold a portion of our land rights to Chevron for a very large amount. Now back on the model show, as we got into it for about an hour all the lights shut off.

Lights Out

Now this literally scared the living crap out of me as this is where the robbers might come in. And it was just a fantasy from the movies as it was just technical and came back on in 30 minutes. It was really scare because: the Prime Minister, Senate Leader, National Assembly President, and all the heads were there, so it could be like a assassination/massacre thing (they were lead out and never returned after 5 minutes of darkness) plus the threat of all the stolen jewelry because the whole convention center was packed with showcase except the area set for the show and red carpet.

None of this happen, but I know for certain that heads will row. Enough excitement for one day, so ciao, thanks, and please comment!

June 13

So today, I am going to an age-up party, which is a Buddhist, the main religion in Cambodia, ceremony where someones child pays for like a really big birthday party for that someone, who is usully very old, so that they can live longer.

A Typical Temple

  For the party today, it is my grandmother's best friend, Ma Cheng, since they were very little.

Ma Cheng holding me at Age of One Month

So this is just mostly hocus pocus, but its really fun like the activity that is included in it. The party was at her house, which is a pretty good size made of glass on the riverbanks across the major city of Phnom Penh. The Mekong River splits Phnom Penh in half, but the western side has more development as the east side is just like poor people. Ma Cheng's house is located on the east due to Feng Shui masters demanding and just more land so she can plant stuff. (Feng Shui is like a ying and yang thing where you have to like find harmony in life.)

So the House is on the Peninsula Thing

Phnom Penh has a very high density of people so living far away is a good idea. Anyways, as the party began it started pouring, which is all too normal. Cambodia is in the tropics so weather is either hot or rainy, and good days both. We have a 60% chance of rain all season as Cambodia has only 2 seasons, dry and rainy plus a constant temperature of about 90 degrees.

Looking Across the River

The rain didn't spoil the fun as the party was all day anyways. Now on the way back home, I saw an American-themed resturant with a curious sign out front.

"Typical"

Ciao, Thanx, and Comments.

June 10-12

Very boring days plus my time to readjust my internal clock system as it is total opposite from the USA as in 12 afternoon in Texas to 12 midnight in Phnom Penh. My cousins and friends are in school so no time to hang out mostly.

Oldest School but Most Funded and Very Nice Inside

The school system here is strange as it begins at 7 and ends at 11 for lunch than you will return at 1 and the day will end at 5. Now since there are no public schools in Cambodia, schooling is a privilege for the upper class including my family. Now this is sad as I see small kids like working in the rain.

Sad Photo I Found

It is hard to take in, but I see some people in the USA take these things for granted like food and crap where these people have nothing. I think me being sick makes me see the world itself in a better light. The world is just so sad. I feel bad, what can I really do?!? My sickness has been checked up and for further information, I will be going to Bangkok on the 20th so follow up. On my list in Thailand is: visiting the Royal Palace plus a visit to the sacred Tiger Temple where I play with huge live tigers!!!!

You can Tickle Tigers!

Enough with the preaching, I just traveled around the city and eat mostly nowadays. I gained like 3 kilos (metric in Cambodia) or like 6 pounds in less than a week!

Delicious Cakes

Now for the funny pic, I spotted an oxymoron that is so incorrect in all positions like cultural and political that makes no sense.

Thanx, Ciao, and Please Comment.

June 9

Large Bear, Small Cage

So today, there was a government sponsored protest against the newly created Cambodia Rescue Party which lead to the CRP off the ballots this July and made the students who protest 5 dollar richer. My family has told that the government give kids so much money to be a mob and protest that some have quit their jobs and just became mobbers.

My family and I decided to stay inside just to be safe until my cousin had the idea get away from the city and go to the zoo, which is the only one in Cambodia. Phnom Tamao Zoo is located 47 miles away from the city that spans 60 acres, so we must like hunt the animals as they are spread out.

It is largely under funded, and almost no zookeepers so we must bring the animals food ourselves.

This is strange since tickets to get in is 10 bucks!

Small Snake, But Large Hole! Yikes!

I expected a lot but was very disappointed as they were in just cement floors and just wire cages for a gigantic tiger and lion. Felt bad, so I donated 100 bucks so I got VIP passes to see the bears!

Protection is very low, but I had fun over all. Thanx, and Ciao.

June 7 + 8

Did nothing much but drive around my beautiful city. Everything changed a lot since last year with the rise of skyscrapers. The development in Cambodia is amazing as according to CNN, we are the fastest growing economy, but marked by a little corruption.

Central Cambodia

We now have Burger King, Dairy Queen (WHY??), KFC, and Starbucks plus many more. In the city, everything seems well until the rain started. Funny enough, the sewers dates back to the 1860's so we were not in a car driving, but like a boat motoring.

Flooding in Palace

It was terrible. The government is planning to renew later this year, but doubt arise as this is election year and the plan was only to get ballots. This has happened before like planing road works than canceling because of lack of funding, which was funny because Cambodia gets a total of 2.8 billion dollars a year from foreign governments due to our reputation to be one of the poorest countries in the world. Ironically, during this "lack of funding," the Prime Minister, Hun Sen, who has ruled Cambodia for 33 years, increasing the size of his house from 4 storeys to 8 storeys and Sok An, the Senior Minister, bought one more mansion along with expansion of personal wealth by other minister. Add to the fact that Cambodia is in fact socialist, so they and other ministers own everything.

The Big Three of Political Cambodia

The plan for me to visit orphanages are now cancelled as I am campaigning for the Cambodian People's Party, the ruling socialist party lead by the Prime Minister, President of the National Assembly, and the Leader of the Senate, which means they control everything as 98% of the National Assembly is the CPP plus 99% of the Senate is the CPP. There is little opposition as everyone is against you. I ask why campaign if you are going to win anyways? Waste of my time plus grateful for USA! Thanks, and Ciao

June 6

Finally arrived in Phnom Penh, after being in hell for 10 hrs with an old plane, small tv, with a huge storm ahead along with turbulence.

Also interesting was the business class stretched all the way to the wings; I was seated in the last row. The rain and storm was so bad we had to make a layover in Saigon, which was odd because we had to backtrack.

From Saigon to Phnom Penh, was only 20 minutes.

One of the shortest flight like ever! Also, as we were eating, the plane shook which resulted in my new Aeropostale shirt being soiled by a cup of  Coca-Cola. Once landed, I was met with the butler. Everything was smooth on out, but as soon as I got home, I knocked out. Jetlag was terrible, and I didn't wake up until the next day. Terrible day, but TURN THAT FROWN UPSIDE DOWN.

Ciao, please comment, and Thanx!  

June 5

VERY VERY LONG FLIGHT! We went to the North Pole then went all the way down.

Long route

Nearly killed me, but Qatar Airways shows to be impressive. The 5-star service is top notched compared other airlines. This year I have flown business class, which has its benefits like a massagable bed/seat thing

Before Flight

and pretty good meals.

Some kind of salad thing

The take off and landing was pretty smooth and the landscape that we came across was pretty cool. So everything was smooth until landing at Doha Airport.

Beautiful Picture taken at Middle Galley 

Half my flight was like Indian and the other were like fricken annoying kids, and they seemed to be rushing everywhere. I had a Sri Lankan lady sat next to me but she was really nice and was fairly  young. After the chaos, flight attendants came to get as I am traveling by myself. Interesting enough, they sent me to a really nice lounge to which I exited quickly to explore plus SHOP under the Arabian skies to 6 hrs to waste before my next flight at midnight.

Part of the Mall Area

Bought a Hugo Boss Wallet

The mall area is huge but prices seemed cheap as they are in Qatari money. For the funny side, I have found the plane I was on when I first arrived in the USA in Los Angeles in Feburary 20, 2004, which is ironic because there is a boat on the plane. (Hence the term: "Fresh off the boat")

Pls Comment and Thanx!

June 4

I am leaving today to Cambodia; the starting of a 30 hours journey from Houston at George Bush Intercontinental Airport. The trip goes: 14 hr to Doha and another 10 hr to Phnom Penh with a 6 hr layover at Qatar.

The Boeing 777 that will take me to Doha, Qatar.

As I am about to leave for a 2 month vacation in paradise, I would like to talk about the year and the formatting of this blog. I will try to blog at least 3 times a week with pictures and videos. At the end of each blog, will be funny section as in a joke or just something curious. Now for the year, EVERYTHING sucked. This was probably one of my worst years loaded with thousands of paper work along with stupid projects and a bunch of teachers who had given and resorted to just giving us busy work plus friends who did everything but help with some exceptions, though.

Good friends at school.

Highlight of the school year was the quincenera, which pretty fun.

For a last note, as I was waiting for the flight to begin boarding, I read an interesting ad.

Please comment, and Thanx!