Angkor Wat, communism and a sidewalk cafe: Southeast Asia

Buddha Stroll Through Angkor Wat
Originally uploaded by Stuck in Customs

Today's map featured . . .

- Thailand, the city of Bangkok and palm trees along the coast.
- Cambodia and the vast temple complex called Angkor Wat )w bullet-shaped spires).
- Laos
- Malay peninsula - think of the rapacious pirates!
- Vietnam
- the capitol city of the north, Hanoi - once capitol of
Ho Chi Minh and the communist forces.
- palm trees along the coast of the South China Sea (Pacific).
- the capitol of the south, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), symbolized
by a sidewalk cafe in the style of Paris.
- China, the mother nation of the region

Discussions . . .
- See the NY Times for a reporter's story (Nicholas Kristof) on rescuing 2 young prostitutes from the brothels of Bangkok.
- Opium cultivation and sales by the impoverished mountain peoples all across Asia.
- Tailoring of suits and dresses in fine fabrics for bargain prices.
- French occupation of this region over a 150-year period. The French profited from the silk, coffee and rubber grown in the region.