The French TV network France 3 broadcasted a newsreel about a new service in Mulhouse (a town in Eastern France): young people riding cyclos.
This innovative new project is set up by Pousse-pousse services to help young people from 18 to 25 year-old to reintegrate work. It is funded by advertisements so that passengers are freely transported in the cyclos.
There are more and more cyclos from Maison du Mékong. Four at the time of the show, and more coming!
A short black and white documentary directed by Julien Poulson in 2009. Feelings of a cyclo driver about his career that started during Charles de Gaulle State visit in Phnom Penh in 1966.
hort video found on the net: cyclos in Phnom Penh with Jis Cyclo song from Yos Olarang. Cambodian rock n’roll from the 60s with guitars solos and psychedelic keyboards! A very nice rarity.
Yos Olarang MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/yosolarang
You can also listen to (and download) MP3s of classical Cambodian rock music from the 60s and early 70s at this address: http://blog.wfmu.org/freeform/2007/12/cambodian-rocks.html
We’ve been impatiently waiting for them and they finally arrived! A full container of cyclos! They’ve been put on pallets and they are now ready for shipment all over Europe. Some have been shipped the day after their arrival.
We visited the logistics company so we can show you a few pictures of our Mekong Express model with derailler gears. The gears (Shimano Nexus 3 speeds) was installed by François and Antoine from PG Bikes. Many thanks to them!
free translation of and article published on September 16th 2009 on the Petit Journal (Cambodia Edition):
« Cambodia get more and more urban and its cities are changing. A survey led by the ‘Cyclo Centre’ shows that in 5 years the number of cyclos in the Kingdom halved. They were 3.000 in 2004 and are now only 1.500 today. With the economic growth, the population uses more motorized transportation means. Moreover, Phnom Penh authorities among others are pursuing cyclos. They are accused of slowing the traffic. The cyclo: an endangered species? For more information: www.cyclo.org.uk»
Don’t hesitate to visit this site which details Cyclo Centre actions for cyclo drivers and for the promotion of this kind of transportation. The link to the survey: www.cyclo.org.uk/survey.htm
Here are 2 photos of the pousse-pousse that was made for the famous Galeries Lafayette. They were shot during the Mariage Fair at La Défense on September 13th 2009.
Hunting for unusual items is our main dutty at Maison du Mékong. When we are in Phnom Penh, we spend days nearby the traditional markets to find out for you the low-priced and very special item you won’t find in your neighbour’s living room.
Please find below some pictures of the worshop where buddhas are made especially for Maison du Mékong. I guess you won’t find this place if you go to Phnom Penh as it is very well hidden !
This morning I paid a visit to our “cyclos factory” to see how things where going on in order to get everything readyfor the shipping to France.
I also ook some cyclos pictures around the central market and noticed that there are still a lot of cyclos on the streets of Phnom Penh
