February 23, 2011 Siem Reap - Boys About Town (no photo of me today)

We enjoyed our last day in Siem Reap just chilling. On our walk along the "river" we passed this area at the edge of the tourist area where the local houses begin. Notice the net strung across the water to catch all the trash so it doesn't flow down into the touristy area.

A bit further on we came across these bikes parked with these big sacs on theme carrying who knows what. 

They belonged to a group of boys taking a respite from work and the heat by swimming in the river using these two leaning trees to make it more fun. I really, really wanted to give it a try.

We stopped to get a drink at a cafe and this young man came up trying to sell us art. His name's Kim, but he goes by Jerry to the tourists. He's 16 and is earning money to help put his younger brother through school so then his brother will help him back when he's older. Jerry lost his leg in a car accident when he was 10 and then lost his father soon after. Instead of buying some art, we asked him to draw us a picture.

After he was done, he just hung out chatting with us and looking at photos on Christian's computer. He didn't seem to be in too much hurry to get back to peddling paintings. 

Toward the end of our walk we stopped in a lovely garden park. Soon after I took this photo a young man came up to us and talked to us about a school for orphans he helped found. We spent a lot of time talking with him about the school, Cambodia, the United States, his life, our lives, his future. He showed us photos of the place from the initial logs being cut to the final structure filled with kids. We gave him $20 to buy a set of books and exchanged contact information. We wanted to try to visit the school, but the timing didn't work for us since we were leaving Cambodia. Christian is, however, working on their website.