Born as a circuit party in 2001, Nation has grown to the size of a major international pride event, attracting as many as 8,000 party people to its former home on Singapore's Sentosa Island. Although Fridae.com has been touting Singapore as "the new Thailand," the event got a resounding thumbs-down from Singapore authorities this year and will relocate to Thailand's tropical island of Phuket on November 4, 5 and 6.

According to their website, "Nation V will include an unprecedented eight parties over three days and nights, featuring some of the world's top circuit DJs and the region's rising stars; spectacular visual effects and unforgettable venues which are now signature of every Fridae event." Corporate sponsors include Motorola and Subaru.

We are thrilled that Thailand was chosen over many other potential venues in Asia for Nation V. We promise a warm welcome to the Land of Smiles to all who visit. We also remind you that "the new Thailand" is still Thailand. What better place for a party or a holiday?

Tuol Sleng is not for the faint of heart. This former school was turned into a human slaughter house by the Khmer Rouge. High walls and barbed wire kept curious neighbors out. Classrooms became cells, and some have been left as they were when Pol Pot was driven to the Thai border by the Vietnamese. Like the Nazis, the Khmer Rouge meticulously photographed each of the thousands prisoners--all of whom died except for three--who passed through here. Many of the photos are now on display in what seems like room after room of endless rows of faces. While most have the vacant look of hopelessness, you might find among them the photo of a handsome young man who somehow managed a faint smile. The Disney cartoon characters on his t-shirt are a reminder that these ugly days were not so far in the past. You might wonder what might have become of him if he had not perished. You might also wonder how the "civilized" world managed to turn a blind eye and let Pol Pot get away with such atrocities, and what other blind eyes it is still turning today.

About half an hour away is Apsara Arts Association, one of two schools teaching classical Khmer dance in Phnom Penh. Here, nearly 200 children from six to eighteen years old learn classical dancing and traditional musical instruments.

Visit on weekdays and you will several simultaneous performances as groups of children are taught by older children. The youngest sit in front of the stage to watch the older students and the energetic sixty-six-year-old national treasure, Madam Sinsamadekchho. She is one of only three practitioners of classical Khmer dance in the world to survive the holocaust. (She was protected in the palace while King Sihanouk was under house arrest. The other two lived in Canada and Europe.) Now she is teaching what she memorized in her youth to new generations.

All of the children are extremely talented, disciplined and highly motivated. No television brats in this school! You may see an eight-year-old doing gymnastics and girls of the same age dancing with upwardly-curled toes and fingers as if they have been going it all their lives. Some who finish their dancing lessons take up instruments. On our recent visit we met a twelve-year-old drummer who played for four straight hours . At the end, his fingers were bleeding but he grinned broadly at his accomplishment.

Cambodia now has a new King. Precious pieces of the Khmer culture have been saved, and Angelina Jolie has been made a Cambodian citizen. People are finally leaving a dark period in their modern history behind and looking ahead with great optimism.

You can watch classes in progress between 7:30 and 10:30 am, or 2:00 to 5:00 pm, Monday through Saturday. There is no cost, although donations are welcome. You may also attend a performance with costumes on Saturdays at 6:30 pm. The Apsara Arts Association is located at 71 Street 598, Sangkat Penh Thmey, Khan Roussey Keo, Phnom Penh. You can visit both Tuol Sleng and the dance school as part of Purple Dragon'  Phnom Penh package.

"Time On Your Hands" is a new regular feature in Bulletin from Bangkok.

Where to Stay

We constantly fine-tune our programs and we listen closely to what our customers have to say about the hotels we use. Here are a few hotels we have added to our packages. We know you will love them:
 

King's Hotel, Hong Kong Overlooking Hong Kong's endlessly-fascinating harbor, King's Hotel is a slick new addition to our hotel options there. Cutting edge decoration, magnificent views, and a great location in Kong Kong Island's bustling Wan Chai district make King's Hotel a great place to stay at a great price. While  Hong Kong does not have an officially- gay hotel, King's Hotel is probably the only real gay-friendly hotel there. The hotel's Zip bar is a very popular after-dark venue. Details

Baan Haad Ngam, Koh Samui On our drawing board are three new packages for sensual Koh Samui. We fell in love with Baan Haad Ngam, at the quiet north end of sparkling Chaweng Beach. Cozy cottages in a lush garden setting overlook a broad, uncrowded stretch of glistening white sand and blue water. Take a dip in the beachside pool while you await lunch in the hotel's popular Italian restaurant. Our new packages will include spa treatments, diving trips (or diving instruction) and Thai cooking classes. Details

Four Seasons Shanghai Close your eyes and throw a stone in any direction in Shanghai and you will probably hit a five-star hotel. While there are many, many choices, we recently switched to the almost-new Four Seasons Shanghai because it is too splendid for words. They have every imaginable facility, terrific views, a low-traffic location, low-attitude staff, and some of the loveliest rooms we found on our recent inspection trip.  Details

Sokha Beach Hotel, Sihanoukville Sihanoukville, two hours' drive from Phnom Penh on Cambodia's picturesque southern coast,  might possibly become the next Pattaya. This relatively unspoiled seaside town has some of Indochina's prettiest beaches, a casino or two, and one of Cambodia's grandest hotels. The Sokha Beach Hotel is the Khmer Riviera's new five-star resort has so much to offer (including a limousine so big you could install a bowling alley) that you might not even want to leave. The Sokha Beach Hotel is among 116 best new hotels in the world on Condé Nast Traveler's Hot List 2005. Details

Farewell to ICON Hotels. They ceased operations in June after providing our community and our customers two great places to stay for more than five years. We are sorry to see them go.