Garlic drying after picking on Monday
Thursday, July 31, 2025
Does the United States want peace?
Interview with the famous Russian journalist and opposition figure Maksim Shevchenko. About the 12 days war between Iran and Israel.
The view from Russia.
Interviewed by Johnny Miller at The Moscow Report.
Wednesday, July 30, 2025
Call to break the siege in Palestine
Yemen is one nation that has requested that Jordan and Egypt open their borders and allow troops from Yemen to enter Gaza to protect the Palestinian people from the slaughter by Israel and US.
Tuesday, July 29, 2025
Col. Macgregor: 'America is a fraud'
Trump is the creature of the 1% joined at the hip with Wall Street and the powerful billionaire class who are losing out badly, who advocate permanent conflict.
George Galloway and Col. Douglas Macgregor in an excellent on the mark interview.
Monday, July 28, 2025
Palestine support vigil way up Maine's coast
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| This is what the small fishing village of Lubec, Maine looks like |
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| This is nearby Quoddy State Park - a wondrous place to visit |
It was a 5 hour drive home to Brunswick from Lubec, Maine. We held one of our monthly statewide Palestine solidarity vigils there on Saturday. Thirteen people came from as far away as Massachusetts, Solon, Dover Foxcroft, Hancock, Biddeford, Surry, Brunswick and Lubec.
We've been finding lately the numbers of honks and waves are steadily increasing as corporate owned media is starting to cover the story of the mass death in Gaza while people starve and are repeatedly assassinated by US mercenaries who are supposedly running the food distribution areas in Gaza.
I asked my wife why she thinks the mainstream media is now covering the story more and she replied that due to overwhelming social media attention outlets like BBC, NPR, CBS, and New York Times are being forced to do so if they wish to remain 'relevant' to their viewers.
In other words they don't really give a damn about the genocide - they just don't want to get left behind the growing global concentration on the Israel-US extermination project in Palestine.
After the peace vigil was over a few of us walked around the town for a bit and then met at the nearby home of Lynn Bradbury and her daughter Mo. They have been leading activists in Lubec for many years and made the astonishingly profound 'white ribbon' display that they strung out all along the spot where we had assembled. They also used it in Lubec's recent 4th of July parade which must have been a real attraction on that day.
Since Sunday was my birthday (July 27) everyone was invited to their home (a former one room school house) for a celebration. It was a beautiful evening and several of us spent the night there.
Lynn and Mo have come south a few times to join our protests so we decided a while back that we just had to reciprocate by bringing our monthly vigil to Lubec - a place that not all Mainers ever get to experience. No one regretted the drive.
Our next monthly vigil will be in Brunswick on Saturday August 9 at 1:30 pm and will be held at the very busy corner of Pleasant & Mill Streets along Hwy US 1.
The latest horrifying numbers reveal that Israel (with full US & UK help) has killed 20.7% of Gaza’s population. That’s 434,800 people.
We must keep the heat on Israel and the US to end this outrageous immoral, evil genocide in Palestine.
When we stand on the street with our signs and flags it encourages others to wake up, speak out and join the movement for sanity with real justice and peace.
Bruce
Big protests in Israel - solidarity with Palestine
Tel Aviv descends into chaos on July 24 as thousands of furious Israelis clash with police, demanding Prime Minister Netanyahu secure the release of hostages held by Hamas.
Dramatic footage shows protesters being dragged from the streets, with chants against the ongoing war in Gaza echoing across the city.
This major uprising comes as ceasefire talks stalled and public outrage hits a boiling point. With U.S.-led negotiations faltering [as usual], pressure is mounting inside Israel like never before.
Sunday, July 27, 2025
Don Quixote interviews Bruce Gagnon on US/Israeli space weapons
In 1989, Richard Sanders founded the Coalition to Oppose the Arms Trade (COAT). COAT's work led to a 20-year ban against military trade shows on municipal property in Canada's capital. Over the decades, he organized rallies, marches, conferences, wrote articles, produced radio shows, and edited COAT's antiwar magazine, Press for Conversion! His research inspired two Opposition Day Debates in the House of Commons on Canada's arms exports.
Since his recent "retirement," Richard has begun making satirical animations on topics that engaged him for 40+ years. He has just created a surreal Pythonesque project called the Quixote News Network which brings his sculptures and cartoons to life to poke fun at the giant windmills of war and injustice.
The Dude of la Mancha chats with longtime peace activist, Bruce Gagnon, coordinator of the Global Network Against Weapons and Nuclear Power in Space. A clay sculpture of Quixote comes alive to talk with Bruce about current efforts by corporate "welfare bums" of the military industrial complex to make a profitable killing for US war industries, the Pentagon and their elitist political puppets.
This lively, fact-filled discussion becomes a somewhat surreal mini-documentary which melds fun animations, photos and historic film footage, with a range of deadly-serious topics.
Quixote and Bruce talk about the recent failure of Israeli military systems following their illegal unprovoked US-backed attack against Iran. Bruce explains how Israel's US-funded "Iron Dome" system and its "Arrow 3" Anti-Ballistic Missiles (which were tested in Alaska), are part of an offensive first-strike system that, like Trump's much-hyped "Golden Dome," is not effective as a defensive system, but will be very useful in continuing to funnel public wealth away from socially-useful public programs into the coffers of the world's biggest weapons makers.
Bruce also sums up his 45+ year career as a social justice/peace activist which began when his eyes were opened to the military's lies, during his time in the Air Force during the Vietnam War. He explains what has motivated him to continue the fight against various windmills over the decades and speaks about the importance of humor and satire to continue the struggle for peace, justice and truth.
Larry Johnson, a former CIA Intel Analyst (sonar21.com) and Monty Python enthusiast, has called this QNN video "very educational and entertaining." So, obviously, you will like it too!
Saturday, July 26, 2025
Friday, July 25, 2025
Thai-Cambodia war part of western colonizers plan to kill BRICS+
Pepe Escobar posted a short note. We will also take a look at Brian Berletic’s latest update. When this skirmish broke open in our consciousness, it was initially difficult to ascertain whether it was the usual mild skirmish or if it had been pumped up. The first giveaway was the immediate propaganda, and yes, it may be the teasing out of differences from a century-old debacle from colonial times, the signs that we are dealing with a skirmish where a 3rd force is pumping the bellows, blowing in some air to start the fires, are unmistakable.
Pepe Escobar states: THAI-CAMBODIA
Too much speculation. So far, the best summary is on globalsouth.co.
I’ll post a summary this weekend – I’m currently off the grid in the forests of NATOstan. Waiting for the definitive take from my top Thai sources – and also Chinese. Thailand is my home in Asia for decades, and I’ve been to Cambodia over and over again. Yes, this is as fishy as India-Pakistan, if not more.
While we have the regular destabilizations in Asia (the Philippines, South Korea, Japan, and other bloc structures), firstly India-Pakistan and now Thailand-Cambodia, a very early and tentative conclusion may be that the wars on China have begun with regional divide-and-rule destabilizations. This playbook would be similar to West Asia and the Middle-East. There is nothing new under the sun, and there is no reason for this war.
China clearly has been identified as the major enemy of the future, according to the Interim National Defense Strategic Guidance. It directs the American military to “deter” Beijing in the Indo-Pacific region. The previous strategy merely identified China as a “pacing threat,” meaning that China (rather than Russia) would guide the development of the overall size and shape of the U.S. military in preparing for future wars.
Brian Berletic in a musing style, updates as follows, mainly on OpSec:
Operational Security in Thai-Cambodian Conflict & other Considerations…
- There are already reports that sloppy opsec by Cambodia has allowed Thai forces monitoring social media to target and destroy Cambodian MLRS positions;
- As learned at high cost during the conflict in Ukraine, strict security must be maintained regarding social media as well as mobile phone use;
- Thailand especially must prevent Western “journalists” and their US-NED funded counterparts from access to the conflict zone – they act essentially as both propagandists and spies for the enemy and have in the past transmitted information used to target military and civilians in war zones around the globe;
- If inviting “international” (Western) media in is believed to be necessary to get Thailand’s side of the story out to the world – you’ve already lost the information war.
- This is why Thailand (and all other nations) need their own independent local/international media platforms serving THAI interests because often the West will be working deliberately against your interests at times like this – also, local media lined with Western-“educated” (indoctrinated) “journalists” (propagandists) is simply locally-funded Western propaganda;
- It appears that Thailand’s military has been studying the conflict in Ukraine and has already adopted many tactics successfully used there including drone-drops and the use of drones for ISR along the front lines – Cambodia is also said to have drones and anti-drone systems;
- The best scenario of all is preventing these type of conflicts from starting in the first place – which requires much better information/political/educational security within Thailand and across ASEAN as a whole – strategies developed to eliminate US interference and the prospect of proxy conflicts within ASEAN member state borders and ASEAN’s collective borders entirely;
Question: What does Cambodia gain by attacking a larger, more powerful Thailand over a border dispute rooted in French-US colonialism?
Answer: Cambodia will gain nothing, that is one of the downsides of being under the influence of a malicious global power like the US .
Cambodia serves US interests entirely at its own expense – like Georgia in 2008 and Ukraine from 2014 onward.
As in the past, Thailand will use restraint and attempt to end this as quickly as possible.
China will urge peace/stability so the region can continue uniting/rising out from under and beyond Western primacy, interference, and the division used to impose and maintain both.
Bottom line: ASEAN + China are uniting and rising, the US seeks to stop this.
The US is investing in political division & even terrorism within ASEAN states as well as creating conflict between them and China, to serve its primary geopolitical objective: US primacy over Asia.
Finally, a comment on the broader region, by one of our own commentators, Minh:
In the past few decades, Thailand has always been unstable, due to its openness toward western influence. This has served the country well economically, but also made it bipolar politically.
Part of Fortress America plan is blowing up Eurasia. And now US is becoming even more desperate than ever, after Iran showcased the unstoppable power of fast missiles, inflicting unprecedented punishment on the Terrorist State Israel. If Iran could do that much damage, imagine how much more China could inflict on US Navy if they decided to start a direct war with China. Aircraft carriers these days are nothing but maritime coffins, a vestige of a bygone era and outdated military doctrine, a fact driven home TWICE by the Yemenis in the past year. Unable to wage war directly, US resorts to violent instigations like these, first between India-Pakistan, and now Thai-Cam.
Watch this space, as Marcos Jr has recently announced unquestioned loyalty to US:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KR9W6BVvtks
US knows it’s running out of time. The 3 barbarians China, Iran and Russia, in Zbigniew’s parlance, are getting stronger with each passing day, while the West is decaying at accelerating speed. So it has to do something, and do it quick. By 2027, it plans to have a full-scale war on the South China Sea, led by the likes of Philippines, and Taiwan, with Japan and Korea joining hands in encircling China. By weakening ASEAN now with tariff and regional wars like this, by 2027, it (US) hopes ASEAN would be too fractured and weakened to help China in any meaningful way, be it economically or militarily.
Look at this, just so you know Vietnam is not far behind Thailand in terms of internal division:
And unlike China, which was resolute in destroying its compradors the likes of Jack Ma and Evergrande, Vietnam still allows bloodsucking monsters like Vingroup to ransack the country and bleed dry the population by grabbing lands illegally and pumping up the Real Estate bubble, financializing the country to the max instead of developing it industrially.
Vietnam is one clusterfuck nation unless Mr. To Lam is wise enough to change course and follow in the footsteps of China. A politically polarized Vietnam with a demoralized population like now, won’t do any good if the war does come to pass in 2027.
And in the big picture, all of this, serves the ultimate goals of the 2030’s Great Reset aka UN’s sustainable development Agenda. The four horsemen of the Apocalypse, are being released simultaneously. So expect things to escalate and escalate fast, unless the main players are willing to make tough decisions and showcasing their power. No more politically correct BS; it’s time to take a stance and display brute force if necessary. If BRICS don’t, US will preempt them, and BRICS will be mired in endless conflicts across many fronts, economically and kinetically; it’s that simple.
Conclusionary Notes: There is no real reason for this war. Propaganda raged in the western sphere within half an hour of the first bullet exploding across the Thai/Cambodia border zone. The region as a whole must take good care to protect their own operational security. GlobalSouth.co is stepping away somewhat from all the western serial weekly blogs and YouTube commentators, working the same material week after week, to present fresh, new resistance voices as best we can. We are on the cusp of real multipolarity, but a few wars will still be attempted to close the road. As my colleague AHH says so frequently: What Days!
Ancestral wisdom – Systems fall when new stories rise.
Two Palestine solidarity protests yesterday
Yesterday when we arrived for our weekly vigil in Brunswick, Maine's busy downtown we discovered some graffiti on the walls of two buildings just across the street. Both were declaring Palestine solidarity. What a great surprise to see them.
We've been holding this regular Thursday vigil from noon to 1:00 pm in the heart of Brunswick since February of 2022. We had a good turnout yesterday and noticed an uptick in the numbers of honks, waves and peace signs.
I would hope it is because the genocidal war crimes by Israel-US-UK-NATO in Gaza and the West Bank have become just too difficult for the public to ignore.
A person would have to work pretty hard not to notice what is happening these sad days to the people (and especially to the children).
Somehow the governments responsible for these crimes against humanity have still not been stopped by the 'global community of nations' despite regular and massive protests all over the world demanding this madness be halted.
What the hell does it take? What ever happened to accountability and the 'rule of law'?
A couple hours after our Brunswick vigil ended MB and I went to Portland with friend Lisa Savage to stand with signs at the solemn ceremony held in Monument Square where the names of those who have been killed by Israel and their criminal allies were being read out loud. The ceremony took about six hours in all.
You can't see in this photo but many of us were standing along the street (on the left) with our signs so that cars and pedestrians passing by could read our messages. We noted several dozen activists participating in this event while there. Again the public response was good.
See local WGME TV coverage here
But the politicians in Washington (from either political party) are doing absolutely nothing to put a halt to these genocidal crimes. In fact, the so-called 'leaders' in Washington just keep sending more weapons to Israel!
One must ask - who really runs the US government?
I guess lots of members of both political parties are on the Epstein client list and most of them get campaign donations from AIPAC. Thus they fear being outed by Israel who has the goods on them. These political hacks are virtual slaves.
On Saturday we will be holding our rotating monthly solidarity protest with Palestine in the northern Maine town of Lubec - a fishing village right along the Canadian border. Our friends who live there don't often get much support for these kinds of vigils so we decided to travel up there to be with them. It starts at 1:30 pm and will be easy to find.
Bruce
Internal turmoil mounts in Ukraine
Kyiv was engulfed in political turmoil following Zelensky’s controversial decision to dismantle Ukraine’s U.S.-backed anti-corruption institutions, sparking protests and exposing deep internal fractures. The move, in fact seen as a direct challenge to Western control, has raised concerns about authoritarian drift in post-Maidan Ukraine.
On Tuesday, Zelensky signed a law effectively stripping the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office of their independence, placing them under the control of the Prosecutor General’s Office, an institution loyal to the presidency. The decision came after NABU, originally established under Western pressure to allegedly ensure transparency, opened numerous corruption cases against Zelensky’s inner circle.
Ukrainian media reported that NABU detectives were detained without court orders, with some accused of treason and of course “working for Russia”. The move is clearly interpreted as an attempt to eliminate internal checks on Zelensky’s authority.
The decision has triggered protests in Kyiv and other large cities with demonstrators condemning the erosion of democratic institutions. In Kyiv, up to 1,000 people, headed by Mayor Klitschko, a vocal critic of Zelensky and Washington’s creature, gathered outside government buildings, chanting slogans against the president’s growing authoritarianism.
In fact, Zelensky’s actions clearly follow the ongoing Trump’s attempts to play a peacekeeper amid the backroom agreement ahead of potential U.S.-brokered peace talks with Russia. By neutralizing NABU, a Democratic Party-backed institution, Zelensky could be currying favor with Trump, who has long criticized Ukraine’s corruption and U.S. aid to Kyiv.
Kyiv gets ready to cede key territories in the Donbass in exchange for a ceasefire—a move that would further inflame domestic opposition. Amid military defeats, Zelensky is preparing for a major political shift. He is already replacing key officials such as the Prime Minister and Defense Minister.
The political turmoil began amid the mysterious death of a former Ukrainian official in Spain found drowned in a swimming pool, which has fueled speculation of covert Kyiv’s operations targeting Ukrainian dissidents.
After Trump’s 50-days ultimatum, there is a clear sweep of the power aimed at facilitating the withdrawal of funds from the Ukrainian national system during the final period of rule of the Zelensky regime.
Notably, the crackdown has drawn rare criticism from Western media. British and EU officials have remained silent, suggesting a possible shift in Western priorities as Ukraine’s political landscape grows more volatile.
With anti-government protests growing, corruption allegations swirling, and military setbacks mounting, Ukraine’s political stability hangs in the balance. Washington has checkmated the Zelensky regime, collecting dividends, waiting for the final scene of the war play.
Update:
Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky announced a bill on Thursday restoring the independence of the country’s anti-graft agencies, after facing a wave of mass protests at home and a storm of criticism in the West.
The Verkhovna Rada (Parliament in Ukraine) conveniently broke for weeks long recess right after signing the previous bill several days ago, so it remains to be seen what the point of Zelensky’s rapid revisions are if they cannot be ratified by the Rada any time soon. Could be a stalling tactic, but we’ll have to see.
It comes two days after he signed a law granting the Prosecutor General’s office the authority to intervene in the activities of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO).
The about-face comes after the country endured a wave of protests against the clampdown on the agencies. Demonstrations were seen across the country, including in the capital Kiev, Odessa and Dnepr – the country’s third- and fourth-largest cities – the western city of Lviv, and others.
See more details on this story here
Thursday, July 24, 2025
US about to drive a stake into the South Caucasus
A leaked claim about control of the Syunik corridor may or may not be true – but the conditions for it are rapidly falling into place
A recent report from the Spanish outlet Periodista Digital made waves by claiming that Armenia may be preparing to hand over control of a strategic corridor in Syunik province to an American private military company.
If this report is true, the consequences will be profound as it would mark the entry of a Western security actor into one of the most sensitive regions in Eurasia. Armenian sovereignty would be significantly diminished. The strategic calculus of Iran, Russia, China, and Turkey would shift. And the South Caucasus, a region held in balance by conflicting pressures, would face a serious realignment.
The Armenian government has denied the report. But the idea that such a scenario could emerge is not far-fetched. Over the past year, the United States has expanded its institutional presence in Armenia. It has signed a Strategic Partnership Charter, introduced border and customs reforms, and deepened security cooperation. American contractors and advisors are already on the ground. These developments suggest a deliberate effort to secure long-term influence – framed as technical assistance, but carrying clear geopolitical weight.
The Syunik corridor sits at the center of this unfolding dynamic. Iran views the territory as a gateway to the Caucasus. Russia considers it a buffer protecting its regional interests. China has identified it as a possible node in the westward expansion of Belt and Road infrastructure. US involvement in this space, even indirectly, would be interpreted by each of these powers as a strategic provocation.
Moscow would see this as confirmation that it is being pushed out of the South Caucasus altogether. Tehran would regard it as another stage in a pattern of encirclement. Beijing would see growing risk in placing long-term logistical bets on a region where US-aligned security actors operate. France, which has positioned itself as Armenia’s diplomatic partner, would lose ground to a deeper US-Turkish arrangement. Each player would adjust accordingly, and the fragile equilibrium that has kept open conflict at bay would begin to fray.
For Türkiye, this shift could unlock long-held ambitions. A Western-secured corridor through Syunik would give Ankara a direct route to Azerbaijan and Central Asia. The corridor would serve Turkish strategic and commercial goals while shielding Turkey from accusations of coercion. American involvement would provide cover – and legitimacy.
The presence of a US-linked private military actor would not go unnoticed or unanswered. It would alter how other regional powers assess risk, opportunity, and urgency. The shift would not require formal agreements or large troop deployments. Influence would be exerted through contracts, technical programs, and private sector partnerships. The effect would be real.
The South Caucasus is one of the few regions where major powers still operate in parallel without direct confrontation. That balance has held not because of harmony, but because each actor respects the costs of escalation. When a new player enters that system – especially one with global reach – the calculations change.
This is why the report matters. Even if the details prove inaccurate, the scenario it outlines matches current trends. It reflects a trajectory already visible in US policy: assertive engagement through nontraditional instruments, designed to shape the regional environment without provoking a formal conflict. It also reflects the growing potential for backlash. Strategic moves framed as stabilization may be perceived by others as disruption. And when those others include nuclear powers and regional heavyweights, perception quickly becomes policy.
The logic of great-power competition that has shaped recent years of international security policy has now reached the South Caucasus. The form is quieter – conducted through infrastructure, contracts, and influence – but the stakes remain high.
In this environment, smoke should not be ignored. It may not always mean fire. But it always means heat – and someone is trying to raise the temperature.
Tension erupts between Iran, US in Sea of Oman
TEHRAN, July 23 (YPA) – A security tension erupted on Wednesday between Iran and the US in the Sea of Oman after the US destroyer USS Fitzgerald (DDG-62) [built at Bath Iron Works in Maine] had approached Iranian territorial waters, prompting direct intervention by the Iranian armed forces.
Iran’s Tasnim News Agency reported an Iranian Air Force helicopter warned the US destroyer after detecting its approach to Iranian maritime borders, in a move described as a “swift deterrent message”.
In a dangerous development, the US destroyer threatened to target the Iranian helicopter, pushing the Iranian air defense forces to immediate intervention, which issued a warning described by sources as “decisive,” forcing the US naval vessel to retreat and change course.
This incident came amid rising regional tensions and increased US military activity in waters near Iran, raising concerns about the potential for escalation in one of the most sensitive regions in the Middle East.
Wednesday, July 23, 2025
US nukes have arrived in Britain
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The stationing of US nuclear bombs in Britain has taken place for the first time in 17 years. Yet the British government left it up to the media to inform the public of these new nuclear threats. According to Nukewatch, a high priority US Air Force C-17 Globemaster transport aircraft designated for nuclear cargo, left the hub of the USAF’s nuclear operation, Kirtland Air Force Base in New Mexico, landing at RAF Lakenheath on Thursday,17 July. Nukewatch was able to observe the landing and unloading at Lakenheath, noting a heightened security operation on the ground and the presence of the aircraft in the area designated for the loading and unloading of hazardous cargos. Their assessment is that the aircraft was in fact carrying a batch of B61-12 nuclear weapons. You can find their full report here and a shorter version on Declassified UK. |
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Since 2022, CND has campaigned against the return of US nuclear weapons to Britain after it was revealed that RAF Lakenheath would be prepared for a new nuclear mission. In the years since, evidence has mounted, including CND’s unearthing of a declassified MoD document which gives US Visiting Forces an exemption from British nuclear safety regulations across their bases in the country. We are now calling on [Prime Minister] Keir Starmer and the government to make a formal statement on the return of US nuclear weapons to Britain and allow for a transparent debate and vote in Parliament on any such a deployment. Read our full statement here as well as coverage of our comments in The Guardian here and The Canary here. Join the vigil this Saturday against this dangerous development at the main gate of RAF Lakenheath, from 12 noon to 2pm. More details here. |
Chris Hedges: Trump, Epstein and the Deep State
The Trump administration’s refusal to release the Epstein files and videos is done not only to protect Trump, but the ruling class.
They all belong to the same club.
Chris Hedges names many who 'utilized ' Epstein's services.
Read the full article here: https://chrishedges.substack.com/p/trump-epstein-and-the-deep-state
Tuesday, July 22, 2025
Japan should reject US military aggression against China
At the World Peace Forum 2025, former Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama delivered a landmark address, urging Japan to achieve strategic autonomy by rejecting U.S.-led military entanglements.
He unequivocally stated that Japan must "explicitly declare non-support for Taiwan independence," emphasizing that "Taiwan is China's internal affair" and positioning this principled stance as Tokyo's critical contribution to regional stability.
Hatoyama called for deepened cooperation with China to prevent crises, directly challenging traditional U.S.-Japan alliance frameworks while advocating for a new paradigm of Asian self-determination.
Monday, July 21, 2025
Grandson born in Cambodia - 3 week visit to meet Gio
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| Julian and Gio getting some needed sleep |
Mary Beth (MB) and I flew to Phnom Penh, Cambodia on June 26 to be present during the birth of my first grandchild who was due to arrive on July 1. Things went on schedule and Giovanni Kenneth Gagnon (Gio) was born to my son Julian and his partner Lai.
Besides MB and I, Julian's mom Becky came from Florida and Lai's mom and dad came from their farm in the countryside. In addition Lai's two sisters were present for the excitement as well.
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| Lai's parents with Lai (right) a week after the birth. Julian treated us all to a two-hour traditional Cambodian massage. It was great. |
I was so moved to see Gio after the birthing. I remembered that when Julian was born years ago I was the first person to hold him after the docs and nurses did their thing with him. I was so happy that Julian was able to be in the birthing room at the hospital as well.
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| Julian in delivery room - looking like a doctor and very calm! |
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| Gio soon after being born |
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| Gio on the day he went home |
MB and I stayed at a wonderful hotel and swam every day for the three weeks we were there. After lunch each day we took a Tuk-tuk thru massive traffic jams to the home of Julian and Lai knowing they had slept in after being up for some hours the night before. There are few rules as vehicles (especially scooters) drive on sidewalks, in the opposite lanes, and weave in and out of traffic to beat the snarls.
There is a huge economic divide in Cambodia as the poor and workers are mostly on scooters while the wealthy increasingly drive big expensive SUV's which hog up more and more of the road.
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| As we made our way around the city (population about 2.5 million) it seemed that most neighborhoods had markets where food and almost anything of use are sold. This photo is the Russian Market which is one of the bigger markets in the city - named after the days when the former Soviet Union had a strong trading relationship with Cambodia. |
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| Food vendors are found all over the city. |
This is the hotel pool and we appreciated the free breakfast at the open air restaurant. Our room cost us $35 a night which was a great surprise which we appreciated. We found the people we met there to be very welcoming and kind.
Julian told us about a local international NGO in the city that hosts talks, art shows and films. As it turned out we were able one night to go and see a film called 'Bomb Hunters' about the unexploded bombs that litter much of Cambodia and has caused great harm to the people since the time of the US war on Vietnam. President Richard Nixon ran a 'secret' bombing campaign in Cambodia that to this day is still a major problem. Another 'calling card' left by the imperial American colonial power. See the film trailer below.
But we tried to spend as much time as we could with Gio. Just watching the steady changes in him each day was very moving and it appeared that he liked to be held as he did not cry much at all.
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| MB with Gio |
Julian made sure to take us to interesting places around the city for dinner several times so that we got more of a feel for the culture and the foods. Because it is a capital city there are many embassies from around the world thus the assortment of different foods was impressive.
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| Julian and his mom at the hospital soon after Gio's birth |
On our last day in Phnom Penh Julian and Lai were up early to have breakfast with us at the airport before we took off on our 24-hour return trip to Boston and then Maine. We had to change planes in Hong Kong. Neither of us are good at sleeping during flights so we both watched movies during the long trip home.
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| Our last chance to hold Gio before heading home to Maine. We miss Gio badly already and Julian reported that he cried more than usual the next day. He likely missed my singing to him....I'm sure Julian and Lai will keep the songs coming. They are going to be very good parents. |
Bruce
(Click on the photos for a better view)
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