The mainland Chinese have come to Cambodia masquerading as tourists. You can spot them a kilometre away. The women wear garish coloured Western clothing in styles from the 70s and hats with brims like boat paddles. The men come dressed in everything from Tilley-like adventure gear, to women's elephant pants from Thailand, to matching pyjama tops and bottoms with Disneyish cartoon characters imprinted on them. 

In Siem Reap, the base camp town for touring Angkor Wat, we spent almost a week with our Swedish amigos Daniel and Sara. It was also where we met our German friends Renate, and her daughter Nina Schönbach who will be with us for the balance of the trip. 

At the temple site of Beng Mealea a man suddenly stood in front of Nina and began taking rapid-fire photos of her. Renate, perhaps thinking that the man wanted to do a family portrait, got right up close to Nina. (see Elenka's photo). And speaking of Elenka, she's a woman who refuses to photograph anyone up close without first getting permission. So while the Chinese visitors, sans permission, shot Nina because she's beautiful and me, maybe because I was wearing a blue T-shirt, Elenka's up-close-and-personal photos are mostly from afar.

We're back at the beach now, where life is far more peaceful. But wait, yesterday the Chinese mainlanders descended upon our beachfront cabinas and restaurant place. They brought their own food to the classy Italian ristorante while we, the paying ones, had to sit on our porches with our butts glued to our chairs to prevent them from occupying our personal space or running off with our furniture. If we were to leave our cabina doors open they'd think nothing of walking right past us to see what was going on inside. The mainlanders are like the northern lights. You feel enveloped by them. They can be all over you one moment, gone the next. Their only trace, empty styrofoam containers.

Meanwhile, back home in Canada, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is working toward a new and wonderful relationship with China. I can't help but wonder what he would think though, if a massive group of people he'd never met before came by and began picnicking on his front lawn. Perhaps the PM should pay a short visit to Cambodia before going any further.