Still Life with Shrines

The work trips I take are often battles between mind and body. The mind, freed of routine, takes in hundreds of sights, sounds and smells. It thrills to foreign tongues and customs. The tang of chili pepper and crispy noodles, the roar of traffic in a Phnom Penh alleyway.

The body does its best to keep up. Sleep-deprived, stomach-jostled, it does its best to stay awake and alert and well. There are practical steps to take, of course — getting rest, eating sensibly, drinking bottled water — but there is only so much you can do. At a certain point, the mind just prays that the body will be up to the task.

Luckily, there are plenty of prayer opportunities in Cambodia, little shrines like this one in the front yard-driveway of a family we interviewed Monday. And they're ready for you, rain or shine.