Last minute fun and...

Saturday, November 14, 2015

After breakfast Mr Thoeun met us at the hotel for some last minute fun!

We got some cast at an ATM.  US dollars are accepted everywhere here.  And they give you change in USD!  We have been to some countries that will accept USD, but give change in local currency.

Our hotel.  Mop is the old doggy out front.  He feels so much better since Zack applied flea medicine!

Joe and Sandy having early morning coffee.

The pool where we cooled off most evenings.

Mom and kid on motor bike.  I wish I had photos of the entire families on the motorbikes... there would be two adults and three little kids on some bikes!

Commuter lot.

Power lines!

We found a local silk shop to find a dress for me.  Ended up with beautiful tunic, pants and a scarf.

Then off to a silk farm to see how the silk is made.  Oh my goodness!  With all the work that goes into making silk thread and the weaving... I am surprised a scarf does not cost $1000!!!  

The silk worms eats mulberry leaves.

Cocoons are placed in these racks...

...used to be done on branches.

Look carefully to see the threads the worm is forming with its mouth.

The cocoons are boiled to get the threads to release.

Raw silk which is from the outer part of the cocoon.

Fine silk is from the inner part of the cocoon.

Plastic strings from rice bags are tied on the fiber to block the dying process and makes the patterns in the scarf.

Making the tassels on the ends of the scarves.

She dampens the strands and rolls them on her leg then ties a knot in the end.

All kinds of different levels of weaving.

Costumes for royalty.

Now this is something for Wearable Art!!!

Those are silk cocoons on her skirt!

  While we were touring the silk farm, I started feeling bad… really bad… like super bad.  So Mr Thoeun took me back to the hotel and I was able to rent a room for the rest of the day.  I spent the next many hours being very ill (think Parvo virus… yuck) and finally worked through it in time to go to the airport.  Thank goodness!  I was wondering what I was going to do if I could not make it to the airport.  There is no good medical care here in Cambodia, medical cases are seen in Thailand.  But, work through it and was able to go to the airport with the rest of the team!

Probably was a good thing… saved me from more shopping!!

Michelle and Sandy did go out and shop and say I owe them a ton of money because they spent so much!!  LOL!!  They also got an awesome foot massage… sorry I missed that…

Anyway, off to the airport for an overnight flight to Seoul, Korea. 

So long, Cambodia!  Hope to see you again soon!