Boat races are as old as boats that differ only in style and enthusiasm. The Cambodian boat races are part of the Water Festival, also known as Bon Om Touk, celebrating the end of the rainy season. These races symbolize the power and importance of water in Cambodian culture, as well as the unity and strength of the communities that participate.

Owing a car in the West is almost essential. In Southeast Asia, owning a car is more of a status symbol than a necessity, although it is often convenient to have one. As a retired person, getting around is more of a lifestyle choice than anything else. Alternative transportation is readily available, though there are differences. One local story goes like this:    The Buddhist Auto Deity Every time a Buddhist buys a car, they have it blessed by a Monk, and sure enough, it works. From then on, the vehicle is the residence of the Buddhist Auto Deity (Baahbad ). The Buddhist Auto Deity chant is - Om Maha Baah Bad Mak-Mak . You should chant this mantra three times every time you get into your car. The nine precepts of the Buddhist Auto Deity are: There are driving codes, which are all written in Sanskrit. It doesn't matter what lane you drive in or how fast you go. The motorcyclists are all paying attention to you, so don't worry about them. Cut every corner, regardless of your speed. There are no parking spaces, so you can park wherever you want. Motorcyclists know that auto drivers are paying attention to them.  There is no need to maintain the car – it's new. When you need to pass, everyone knows this and will get out of your way. You are the world's best driver.  If you try to drive like the locals, you are going to have problems. If you don't drive like the locals, you are going to have a different set of problems.

The local girls are small, thin, and charming. They have other characteristics that differ from Western expectations. The Buddhists say this about relations – none isn’t enough, and one is too much! Being a Monk, my experience with marriage is limited, except that monks have to try to figure out how to solve marriage problems without ever being married. The Catholics have a similar situation. The Muslims have a much different set of problems. As an Expat, I know several Westerners who have married local girls. What surprised them was that they thought they married a single person. No, not so; every girl has a family: Mother, father, grandparents, brother and sisters, cousins, and their families and other odd associates. Marriage, for Southeast Asian women, is more like a business proposition than a romantic investment. All these people think that all foreign people are rich, an endless source of money, and they expect the money will be spent on them. If you can, bring your wife!

Historically, Southeast Asia didn't start growing coffee until the mid-1800s, when the French introduced it to Cambodia and Vietnam. Over the next century, Cambodia mainly sent its coffee to France, and the local coffee culture didn't develop much. As Cambodia became its own nation, local industries grew, leading to more coffee houses and cafés, and people started wanting more coffee. At that time, coffee in Cambodia was mostly roasted in different ways, with unique ingredients like butter, oil, soybeans, and corn. I suspect I am one of the few people in the world who does not drink coffee, though coffee shops offer a good deal more than coffee. Mostly, coffee shops are a place to relax, visit other retired people, read a book, and occasionally watch a spectacular sunset.

Cambodia is full of short people. Most Western people are a head taller than the locals. So, bumping your head on things is the first lesson in a whole list of differences one finds outside of Western anyplace. I am going to ignominiously describe the West as trying to idiot-proof their environment. The South East Asians haven't tried to do that. There is a Buddhist story that might explain their point of view. A monk was walking across the temple, fell into a hole, and injured his leg. He went to the Abbot and asked for help. The Abbot noted, "That hole has been there for ten years. Why did you fall, not it now?" "I don't know," complained the monk. "Well," suggested the Abbot, "if you fell into the hole a month ago, you would be all better by now!" Hazard awareness takes several months to get good at it. There are helpful conditions. If you walk into the street, everyone is going slow enough to see and miss you. There is only one traffic rule. Try not to hit anything!

The weather in Cambodia, as in all of SE Asia, has two seasons: hot and wet and hot and cold. All things considered, it's not a bad explanation. Mostly, it is the details and contrasts that are appealing to retirees. Hot is relative; it is seldom hotter than 42C. It is seldom colder than 25C. If you talk to locals, they think 25 degrees is freezing. They wear heavy coats and hope it warms up soon. They think 42 degrees is sweltering hot and hope for the rainy season to start. When I explain to locals that wintertime in the US and Europe is like living for months in their freezer, they can't understand and don't believe people might do that. From November to June, the dry season is not all that dry. One can expect it to rain every week or so. Rain keeps everything green and fresh. From June to November, the Rainy season is wet enough to grow rice and everything else people need to have a wholesome economy, including fast-running rivers, waterfalls, and fresh air. Also, it doesn't rain all the time. When it does rain, usually for a half hour or so, it rains a lot. So, when it rains, find a place out of the rain just like the locals do, Most Expats like the rainy season because the clouds keep it cooler than what one might expect for that time of year, and the sunsets are spectacular.

Cambodia has opportunities and numerous differences from the rest of the world. Ordinary Differences Cambodia is never cold. So, leave coats, sweaters, and insulated shoes to your less fortunate neighbors. Cambodia is green all year round, including blue skies, white clouds, white beaches, and shady places to enjoy them. Cambodian sunsets are tropical inspirations, but you must go outside to see them. Cambodian people are friendly and want retired people to live here. They are even pleasant if you are not here. Cambodian children are everywhere, just being children. They remind me of the northern California countryside in the 1950s. If you like fresh vegetables, you are in the right place—about half of which you have never seen before. Food is everywhere; some of it has names you can pronounce. Some of the food is still wiggling around. The Pace is slower here. If you can imagine the slowest Pace in the West, this would be considered hectic here. Some useful information One can live on beaches, riverbanks, and tropical jungles. Mostly, retired people prefer to be in small towns and villages in these locations. You can live in Phnom Penh, which is just like any other large city but with more motorcycles. Cambodian people do not have guns, knives, or bad attitudes. Cambodia is not a communist country. Whatever Western people think of Communism, it is not here. Bottled water is available and a good idea, even in the US and Europe. The hospitals, clinics, and pharmacies are Western supplied, trained, and much cheaper than anything in the West. Health services are less expensive because there is no mandatory insurance and only a few lawyers! Local medical insurance is available. Cambodia has been a Constitutional Monarchy with a Parliamentary system since 1946 The current Prime minister is Hun Manet, who has a PhD in finance from the University of Bristol, England. Electricity, internet, and cell phones all work, although people get a bit sleepy in the afternoon. The roads can take you everywhere, but you won't get there quickly. 40 km/h is zooming right along, except for teenage boys after school. Cambodia uses two currencies, the Real at 4000/dollar and dollars. Cambodian money still looks like a lot. Dollars are available and distributed at all banks and ATMs, and used for local currency.

Cambodia, a Southeast Asian nation, has a rich and complex history spanning millennia. Here's a brief overview: The Khmer people are believed to have migrated to Southeast Asia from southern China, possibly Yunnan, around the same time as the Mon, who settled further west on the Indochinese Peninsula. Most archaeologists and linguists believe they arrived no later than 2000 BCE (over four thousand years ago). The most prominent era in Cambodian history was the Angkor period, which lasted from the 9th to the 15th centuries. The Khmer Empire flourished during this time, building magnificent temples like Angkor Wat. Hinduism and Buddhism heavily influenced the Angkor period, which shaped the empire's culture, art, and architecture. In the 19th century, Cambodia fell under French colonial rule. The French established a protectorate over the country, controlling its economy and politics. During World War II, Cambodia was occupied by Japan. This invasion led to a resurgence of Cambodian nationalism and a desire for independence. After World War II, Cambodia gained independence from France in 1953. Prince Norodom Sihanouk became the country's first leader. In the late 1960s, a civil war broke out between the government forces and the Khmer Rouge, a communist guerrilla movement led by Pol Pot. The Khmer Rouge seized power in 1975 and established a totalitarian regime. Their rule was marked by widespread atrocities, including forced labor, mass executions, and the destruction of Cambodia's cultural heritage. After the fall of the Khmer Rouge in 1979, Cambodia faced a long period of reconstruction. The country struggled to recover from the devastation caused by the civil war and genocide. Cambodia has made significant progress in recent decades, with economic growth and improved political stability. The United Nations Involvement The United Nations played a crucial role in Cambodia's recovery after 1991. Following the Paris Peace Accords, which ended the Cambodian Civil War, Cambodia's United Nations Transitional Authority was established to oversee the country's transition to international laws and a market based economy.   At this time, The UN initiated political and social reforms that included: • A Parliamentary system • Formal political parties • Open elections • Civil Rights amendments • Free and Independent Press • Private ownership of land • An independent Judicial System • An independent Banking system • A reliable Postal Service • A National Military • An independent police force • Diplomatic services My information about the United Nations intervention is from Honorable Chan Huon, an attorney and judge who lived in Koh Kong, Cambodia, at the time. The United Nations sent a message to the combatants in 1991: if you don't stop fighting and killing one another, we will stop sending aid. Mr. Huon said it was an easy decision for the Khmer people to make, though it took many years to initiate and adopt these conditions. The Khmer people of Cambodia are now living in an internationally savvy and prosperous country interested in being wholesome members of the world community.

A typical bungalow just 5 min out of the center of Kampot City is available for only $200 per month. Electricity comes up to $10 to $30, depending on if you are using your air condition, and water is mostly free of a couple of dollars per month.

I am a retired American Research Physicist and a Buddhist monk. Sex, Drugs, and Rock and Roll are a bit over the horizon for me. I am told all this is possible, available, and expected. All this happens at night and only in certain places in any town. If you are drunk at 2 am, making a fuss, trying to fight, and making a nuisance of yourself, expect to have problems.  Some advice is to never bring anything important to party time, such as a passport, extra money, or anything you can't afford to lose. If you get into trouble, every local person will know that you are just another stupid foreigner.

South East Asian religions differ significantly from Western traditions. This may be because of unintended consequences, regional conflicts, and social conditioning, just like European traditions developed, but with different outcomes. It has only been 500 years since the introduction of Western religions into the Eastern narrative. Explaining the differences is a bit of a challenge. A mystic explains the differences in this way:  The Christians and Muslims believe there is no more than one god. The Hindus and Sadues believe there is no fewer than one god. The Buddhists believe there are approximately zero gods. Another traditional story goes like this: In the beginning, everything was perfect. "We need something to do," suggested one of the Gods. Why don't we introduce an idea like imbalance - things slightly off center, a bit crooked, a little wobbly, maybe even vaguely wicked," Mara suggested with a mischievous grin. "Wow!" all the Gods raved, "That is incredible, miraculous, stunning. Look at the wonders and majesty, the diversity and vitality."   "It won't last," Mara cautioned broodingly. "Why not?" a God questioned. "Someone included impermanence and death," observed Mara, disheartened somewhat. "Aren't they important in this process," another God asked. "Probably," concluded Mara, still despondent. "But it means that eventually, everything will become perfect again."   Figuring out religious traditions is a bit of an uphill problem. So, have fun because it is all here somewhere.