Last day in Cambodia

  Began our day at the Cambodia-Vietnam war memorial monument.

So many names.

The sun is out today and it's blazing, first blue sky in a while.

After a tasty lunch we head to Artisans Angkor, Cambodian fine arts and crafts. You can have a free guided tour of the workshops which was brill.

The company was set up at the end of the 1990's to help young rural people find work near their home village. Since 2012 the company has trained over 260 apprentices.

The paper stencil is glued to the block which is first machine cut, then continued and finished by hand.

We saw wood, sandstone and soapstone carvings which can take up to five days to complete.

From sandstone block to beautiful sculpture.

Carving soapstone.

We have a try.

It's pretty tricky. The apprentices take about 6 months to learn their skill.

Preparing copper for silver plating.

Painting and gold leaf for statues.

Silk painting.

Frangipanis.

Lacquering.

Several lacquered tiles together to produce this piece. We quite fancy it for our bathroom!

Ladies inscribing designs on part fired porcelain bowls. These were so delicate and simple.

The air conditioned design studio!

Finished products in the gift shop.

We love these Buddha heads. The features are so smooth, rounded and beautiful. They make you feel really peaceful.

And they can be shipped!

Brollies near pub street and we're gonna need them. Popped to shop, came out and road was a river!

A very wet Tuk Tuk home.

I think we are ready to move on, though it'll be sad to leave Siem Reap. We have loved the people here, many of whom have been scarred by terrible events but are doing amazing things to change their lives and their futures.