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World traveler George Jabol will talk about his trip to Southeast Asia.

Twenty-five hours of flight time brought me to Southeast Asia – a world very different from mine in terms of cultures, languages, beliefs, foods, and people. In Phnom Penh, Cambodia, I began my journey by touring the Royal Palace complex and its Khmer-style architecture. A performance of the classic art of Apsara dancing introduced me to the ancient civilizations at Angkor Wat andAngkor Thom, whose stunning ruins speak of a glorious distant past. A sobering reminder of the recent present came with a visit to a Killing Fields site, dedicated to the memory of those who lost their lives during the Khmer Rouge regime. A short flight brought me to Thailand, where I saw the elaborate temples of the Grand Palace in Bangkok as well as the ruined palaces of Ayutthaya, the former capital of Thailand. Another short flight landed me in Laos, a mountainous and scenically beautiful country where old ways predominate over modernity. A Mekong River cruise brought me to a remote village to learn how local people live. Finally I arrived in Vietnam and boarded a classic junk to explore the breathtaking scenery of Ha Long Bay. In bustling Hanoi, I attended a Water Puppet performance and rode a bicycle/rickshaw through the thriving streets and marketplaces of the city’s Old Quarter. My trip greatly deepened my understanding of and respect for the wondrous people and places of Southeast Asia.

George Jabol received his B.A. degree from Muskingum College in Ohio, and a Ph.D. in English language and literature from the University of Michigan. Fully retired now from a career with the federal government, George creates photographic slide shows as a way to remember his travels and share them with others.