We
met this beautiful old Phnong woman at a made-for-tourists Phnong village in
Ratanakiri. She spoke little Cambodian and Sopheak didn't understand much of
her Phnong dialect, but nonetheless they spent over an hour happily chatting
together. All of Sopheak's memories about her travels with a Phnong family
(see In Tree for this incredible story) came rushing
back to her. While they talked, I wandered around the village taking photographs.
In spite of my distaste for the idea of putting indigenous peoples on display
for tourists, I had a wonderful time. There were examples of many different
traditional Phnong dwellings in the village. Some of them were works of art.