A quiet Buddhist retreat

The substantial Tri Leak Pagoda
The face of Buddha at Ta Prohm Pagoda
Worshippers at Tri Leak Pagoda

I was Au Andong village, Prak Pra commune - over the Monivong Bridge and take the first right (street 369) when you hit Chba Ampeou - this morning to pay a visit to the Lighthouse Orphanage when I spied a very large spire sticking up above the houses and of course, being a nosey individual, I had to investigate. It turned out to belong to the Tri Leak pagoda in the top photo, which is the centerpiece of a Buddhist sanctuary that celebrates all forms of Buddhism, well, certainly Khmer and Chinese that I could identify. As it was a Sunday, no-one was around to ask but I found out that the whole complex is called Chlorng Veal Bei. The large face is from a pagoda called Ta Prohm, where the paintwork was still wet and the final photo is a line of worshippers in front of Tri Leak. The complex is far from finished but was a peaceful retreat from the bustling area near the bridge.
I'll post about my visit to the Orphanage a little later.
Apologies for failing to report yesterday that Cambodia finished third in the WOVD Standing Volleyball World Cup with a 3 sets to 1 victory over Poland in the Third Play play-off. They were narrowly beaten in the semi-finals by Slovakia the night before, who in turn were beaten, 3-2 by Germany in the final. This was a great result for Cambodia, who finished 4th in the last two world cup competitions, and has generated a massive amount of positive publicity for the sport of disabled volleyball and for Cambodia itself, in staging this prestigious sporting event. Two Cambodians received individual tournament accolades: Mean Veasna won best server award and Nhen Buntheoun was recognised as the best defender.