[Phnom Penh, 11/10/22] Before dawn tomorrow, I’ll go to Saigon. The van company’s name is Toàn Thắng [Always Winning, or Invincible]. Across its depot in downtown Saigon is a reliable money exchanger, but since the US dollar is widely accepted in Cambodia, I won’t need to use it.
Thank you as always for describing your travels so vividly, and with so much humor. This one made me laugh several times. The photos are also lovely, particularly the children. Stay safe and well, brother Linh.
Keep well. Not a poem or perhaps a line from a poem but a sentence from a book written by a North African about his life (I have long since forgotten his name or even his country) which used to get me through the hard times: 'Any life, even a life full of holes, is better than no life at all'. I repeat it over and over still.
Thanks, Linh. Great, as always! I know a Cambodian couple here in California who run a small cafe business who escaped during the Pol Pot era by trekking out through the jungle for days with nothing with them other than the clothes on their back. I asked the gentleman how Pol Pot was able to control the population so easily. He said they just starved everybody to keep their energy level down. Rehearsal for what is being prepared now, I suppose.
Until you mentioned it, I had never heard of the Thai Boon Roong Twin Tower World Trade Center project, and I had to look it up. Another skyscraper in the most improbable of locations. It seems pretty certain that for the vast majority of us, the future is destined to be energy-poor, yet I still see workers pounding away at these massive infrastructure projects. What I wonder about is: who are they building all this stuff for? The high-rise life is only possible because of energy--to pump the water halfway up to heaven, to keep the air breathable, the climate tolerable if not comfortable, and finally, to transport you up there and back. I don't think too many folks will want to sign up for an 87th floor walk-up. To walk to that market that used to be a couple of blocks away, you can now add 1/2 mile just to get to the door of your "house." At least going out, you will be walking downhill, but carrying those groceries home will be a bear.
For a good preview, consider that plans are being made to evacuate Kiev, which is full of high-rises and is becoming unlivable due to the lack of electricity.
Speaking of conditioning populations for lockdowns, perhaps the jabs themselves are Jim Jones-style conditioning as well. Ram this mandate through a few times to get people used to it. Then when the balloon goes up in Davos, the last "booster" will begin distribution. Far fetched? Perhaps.
BTW, you mentioned that jabs were often diluted to increase profit. Hah, I might pay to get one that was 100% dilution, as long as the coveted “card” comes with it….
Brittany Griner has now been moved to a Russian "penal colony", apparently in response to Biden's (or whoever is actually running the show) decision to stick the 101st Airborne on the Ukranian border.
The Mid-Terms are dominating the airwaves here in the States. Any more than 30 seconds watching a major network and I start to develop the 1,000 yard stare.
Couple of bimbos running for Governor here in Arizona. Too close to call....maybe they'll decide things in a mud wrestling match.
lol, you don't find Kari Lake plucky? I mean, she's an "election denier" who's said she'll eliminate voting machines, send the national guard to the border, and complained about China controlling the US! And she's a former news anchor! Sort of like an 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘳! Full of 𝘴𝘱𝘶𝘯𝘬!
I miss Cambodia. I miss all those places that were so alive when I was there. Are they still alive though, in the same way? Like Coca Cola the signs of this COVID hoax are probably everywhere. So injured and dying too I guess.
Do you ever think you will return to Africa? I always regret not reading your unwritten posts from Ethiopia.
A penniless friend of mine, Jean-Michel Cornu de Lenclos, found himself the ultimate luxury hotel hack, splurging on a weekend at the Phnom Penh Raffles Le Royal Hotel, before exiting (without paying his bill) to 'a better world...' (interesting fact for you Linh Dinh, is that Cornu was born 58 years prior, in a city then known as...Saigon.)
You can read a short obit of Cornu de Lenclos here:
While in South Africa and Namibia, I did look into coming to Ethiopia, but it was closed. Now that I'm back in Asia, I imagine I'll be here for a while, since I'm so exhausted. Never say never, however, so who knows? Perhaps I'll get to visit the land that so enchanted Rimbaud, Waugh and so many others.
Thank you as always for describing your travels so vividly, and with so much humor. This one made me laugh several times. The photos are also lovely, particularly the children. Stay safe and well, brother Linh.
Dear Linh,
Keep well. Not a poem or perhaps a line from a poem but a sentence from a book written by a North African about his life (I have long since forgotten his name or even his country) which used to get me through the hard times: 'Any life, even a life full of holes, is better than no life at all'. I repeat it over and over still.
I had forgotten about the wonders of the internet. The phrase comes from a book: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Life_Full_of_Holes
Thanks, Linh. Great, as always! I know a Cambodian couple here in California who run a small cafe business who escaped during the Pol Pot era by trekking out through the jungle for days with nothing with them other than the clothes on their back. I asked the gentleman how Pol Pot was able to control the population so easily. He said they just starved everybody to keep their energy level down. Rehearsal for what is being prepared now, I suppose.
They are jabbed and boosted by the way: out of the frying pan and into the fire! Sad emoji here.
Until you mentioned it, I had never heard of the Thai Boon Roong Twin Tower World Trade Center project, and I had to look it up. Another skyscraper in the most improbable of locations. It seems pretty certain that for the vast majority of us, the future is destined to be energy-poor, yet I still see workers pounding away at these massive infrastructure projects. What I wonder about is: who are they building all this stuff for? The high-rise life is only possible because of energy--to pump the water halfway up to heaven, to keep the air breathable, the climate tolerable if not comfortable, and finally, to transport you up there and back. I don't think too many folks will want to sign up for an 87th floor walk-up. To walk to that market that used to be a couple of blocks away, you can now add 1/2 mile just to get to the door of your "house." At least going out, you will be walking downhill, but carrying those groceries home will be a bear.
For a good preview, consider that plans are being made to evacuate Kiev, which is full of high-rises and is becoming unlivable due to the lack of electricity.
Speaking of conditioning populations for lockdowns, perhaps the jabs themselves are Jim Jones-style conditioning as well. Ram this mandate through a few times to get people used to it. Then when the balloon goes up in Davos, the last "booster" will begin distribution. Far fetched? Perhaps.
BTW, you mentioned that jabs were often diluted to increase profit. Hah, I might pay to get one that was 100% dilution, as long as the coveted “card” comes with it….
Stay well!
Luckily that card is worthless for the time being.
; - )
Linh
"Madonna shows up on Halloween" LoL....good one
Brittany Griner has now been moved to a Russian "penal colony", apparently in response to Biden's (or whoever is actually running the show) decision to stick the 101st Airborne on the Ukranian border.
The Mid-Terms are dominating the airwaves here in the States. Any more than 30 seconds watching a major network and I start to develop the 1,000 yard stare.
Couple of bimbos running for Governor here in Arizona. Too close to call....maybe they'll decide things in a mud wrestling match.
Bill
lol, you don't find Kari Lake plucky? I mean, she's an "election denier" who's said she'll eliminate voting machines, send the national guard to the border, and complained about China controlling the US! And she's a former news anchor! Sort of like an 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘳! Full of 𝘴𝘱𝘶𝘯𝘬!
My son voted for her....thought she was cute lol
Like how the JFK and RFK assassinations were staged, and never actually happened? http://mileswmathis.com/barindex2.pdf
And JFK was actually gay? http://mileswmathis.com/jfkgay.pdf
And therefore was not involved with Marilyn Monroe's death, because her death was staged too? http://mileswmathis.com/monroe.pdf
Nice pics. Vietnam looks like a much healthier country than the US, or anywhere in Western Europe.
I miss Cambodia. I miss all those places that were so alive when I was there. Are they still alive though, in the same way? Like Coca Cola the signs of this COVID hoax are probably everywhere. So injured and dying too I guess.
Dear Linh Dinh,
Lovely piece, as always.
Do you ever think you will return to Africa? I always regret not reading your unwritten posts from Ethiopia.
A penniless friend of mine, Jean-Michel Cornu de Lenclos, found himself the ultimate luxury hotel hack, splurging on a weekend at the Phnom Penh Raffles Le Royal Hotel, before exiting (without paying his bill) to 'a better world...' (interesting fact for you Linh Dinh, is that Cornu was born 58 years prior, in a city then known as...Saigon.)
You can read a short obit of Cornu de Lenclos here:
https://www.chiangmaicitylife.com/citynews/features/obituary-jean-michel-cornu-de-lenclos/
Or listen to a much longer biography here (three parts):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=faPQg2b8_zE&ab_channel=Uthiopia
Like those inexistant dispatches from the Horn, alas, there will be no meeting of Linh Dinh and Cornu...at least in this world!
I am sure you would have got on famously.
Yves-Marie Stranger
Hi Yves-Marie Stranger,
While in South Africa and Namibia, I did look into coming to Ethiopia, but it was closed. Now that I'm back in Asia, I imagine I'll be here for a while, since I'm so exhausted. Never say never, however, so who knows? Perhaps I'll get to visit the land that so enchanted Rimbaud, Waugh and so many others.
Linh
Didn't the leaked Pfizer contract specify 10 shots? They're all already bought and paid for.