The whole trip this year was built around Cambodia, my main destination. When I visited this fascinating country in 2009 for the first time I was so impressed by the postive attitude the Khmer express. This little country with such a terrible past manages to smile and look into its future with confidence, you can see it in people's faces. I wanted to capture this smile, be it a little damped in some cases, but how could you expect otherwise, some Cambodians have lost their arms, legs, eyes or most of their family. Even more impressive to see how far Cambodia has come since the worst days and there's still a lot more to expect. Look at those people, I truly fell in love with them ...

This is only a selection, I shot a whole lot more, but I am planning an exhibtion for next year, so I wanna make sure there are more images to show you from this stunning country!

Thank you so much, Cambodia, can't wait to come back again :-)

KIKI

Boy oh boy, events fly thick and fast. Cambodia, you beauty, with such terrible past. I am doing a portrait project and my impressions from my last visit in 2009 seem to prove themselves. There is something very special about the Khmer, they keep smiling whatever it's thrown at them. When you look at the whining and moaning in Germany or our Western world in general this becomes even more impressive. I am deeply stirred by this attitude and although I know it won't be this way with each and every Cambodian fate you can't deny this positive attitude to life is there, in fact with a lot of Cambodians.

One image that perfectly expresses what I mean is the following. I've been to a hospital the other day and this little guy got his foot in a saw losing two toes and retaining a massive scar on his right leg.

But look at his face and that of his young mother, not a sign of sorrowfulness, that's formidable!

I am lucky to have a great young Cambodian translator these days, we've already found some people and took interviews yesterday and we will keep on talking to Cambodians on the streets of Phnom Penh the next days. Saturday I am planning to move on to Siem Reap ...

I am uploading the first batch of photos shortly, but I will hold some back for a possible exhibition next year :-),

stay tuned!

KIKI