Grandson born in Cambodia - 3 week visit to meet Gio

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.

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.

 

Julian in delivery room - looking like a doctor and very calm!

Gio soon after being born

Gio on the day he went home

I asked Julian in advance to get a rocking chair because I wanted to be able to rock Gio and sing to him. My Italian grandfather used to sing to us kids when we were young and I still remember one of his songs which I sang to Julian after he was born.  So I sang to Gio. This short video below I sang during a Cambodian storm.  I sang about the rain coming down. (It was in the mid-90 degrees and it rained most days.)

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.  

 

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.

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.  

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.  

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.

 

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)