Koh Chen, Cambodia

I asked this woman, using gestures and smiles,  if I could take her picture.  She nodded and seemed quite pleased.  Her house is in the village of Koh Chen, where all its 40 families make silver and copper items on a piece-work basis, for sale originally to the Cambodian Royal Family, now to rich people and tourists in the cities.

Everyone we met here was charming and friendly. The local school children, on a recess break, ran out to greet us, practice their English and give us "high fives".  Then their teacher invited us in to see the classroom, and asked the kids to sing "Old MacDonald" for us, which they did (in Khmer, not English), with enthusiasm and all the appropriate noises and hand gestures.  

This sort of charming and friendly welcome has been our experience in all the villages and small towns  we've visited -- i.e., places not on the usual tourist route.   And as well as meeting lovely people and beautiful children, we have seen gorgeous countryside and picturesque villages, and eaten delicious food.  I am pretty much in love with Cambodia.