Water festival that turned tragic and other random picts

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO EVERYONE--BELIEVE ME WE HAVE SOOO MUCH TO  BE THANKFUL FOR!!!!!

We are doing really well and just loving this experience.  The members and missionaries are so great and we spend a lot of time with both.  We even found a Norbest turkey in PP that was born and raised in Moroni, Utah.  We could not believe it.  14 lbs and $45.00.  It will be worth every penny.  Just hope it will fit in our toaster oven.  The missionaries are so excited and so are we.  It is just a normal working day for them and us, but we get to have 1 1/2 hours for lunch on Thanksgiving so that will be great.  Will post more picts on Facebook.  The boat festival had the greatest fireworks display we have ever seen.  The sky was totally lite up for more than 30 minutes.  The booms were so loud it would jiggle the cafe we were in. We were upstairs so we had a great view.  After we left for the night they were having a concert on the island acrossed  the river.  No one is really sure what happened, but many people panicked and tried to cross the bridge and nearly 400 were killed by the stampede on the bridge.  So far no members are involved thank goodness.  It is a pretty sad day for Cambodia.  We were right across the river from the island and the bridge was just down the river a ways from where we watched the boat races and fireworks.

  We appreciate all the comments and staying in touch with all of you.

 Two old codgers on the bank of the Mekong at sunset.  Sets about 5:30 pm every day.

 Baptisms done by friends and family... the way it should be all the time.  If only that were possible.

 Two great sistas'  Sista Essma on L the day she went home to Idaho, Sista Neora in the center and our great driver Lim and Lim's Limo in the background.

 A member gave us these delicacies  all plucked and skinned, that is all though.  They don't clean anything over here.  Not even the spiders.  We give all of it to Lim and he loves it.  This is in his fry pan.  We didn't even dare try it.  Weak American stomachs

 Check out that goiter.  Really common over here.  This is the great grandma,  The daughter has one also. The granddaughter probably will too.  This is the great granddaughter on her lap and she probably will too.  We got some iodized salt for them.  Hope it helps the younger generations  They have so many funny ideas about things.  Caused mainly by no education.

 Cute little Meng Hoa.  His dad is a quad in a wheelchair all the time.  He loves to go to church with us and everytime we go visit he starts pushing his dad's wheelchair to the car so we can go.  He really gets upset if it is not Sunday and he can't go.

 Boat races.  The island in the background is where the tragedy happened on the bridge.  We were about
1 1/2 miles from the bridge but were home in bed when it all happened.  Just heard sirens all night long and could not figure out what the heck was going on.

 About the same age as Hannah Kate.  Closest Sista Thalman will get to holding 5 (that's right, five new ones since we have been here.  Trent and Debbie are getting one too.) new grandkids for several more months

 Counted and there are sixty rowers on the longest boats.  Right on the other side of green patch above the long boat is where the bridge is were so many died.

                                                              Another race boat.

 Old Glory at the side of river with many other flags from all over the world.  Made us feel so grateful for good old Utah

 Operation smile is a success.  Just bumped into here down at the riverside.  They fixed her lip very well.

 A few of the masses before a lot of people showed up.  Pick pockets galore.

You can get your custom made coffin for 1,700,000 reil.  That is $400 US.  No embalming so many will be creamated before they are even identified.

This is how they are identified.  No dental records or anything like it.  Family members just show up and see if they can identify who their family members are.  Then they have to make all arrangement to take the body to where they want it to go.  Pretty sad day.

This is a picture on the bridge.  Many fell off of  bridge or jumped into the water.  Boats picked up some, but many were drowned because most people here cannot swim.  Some they will never find.

 Picture of  bridge right after people were cleared off

Picture the next morning on the PP side of the bridge

 Picture in the middle of bridge the morning after the tragedy.