Bonn Om Touk

While the beach was beautiful, Christine and I were determined to return to Phnom Penh for the three-day Water Festival (Bonn Om Touk), for which over two million people flood the city each year. We could already sense a change in the capital as our bus slowly made its way back into the city Sunday night, as traffic had picked up considerably. I got the biggest kick out of seeing Tuks-tuks pass by with families of ten or more inside (which would usually only seat four people).

I had been excited for the water festival ever since I arrived in Cambodia. The festival ushers in the fishing season and marks both the end of the rainy season as well as the reversal of the Tonle Sap River’s current. Thousands of people (from all walks of life) flood the city to watch jubilant boat races, fireworks and a flotilla of lighted ships under the full moon.

The riverside was transformed for the festival. Crowds and crowds of people, vendors and police lined the streets and banks…bright colors, shouts, and pounding music flooded the senses. I enjoyed moving exploring the different booths, and vendors, but the Tourist Pavilion (an area roped off and guarded for tourists) turned out to be a welcome haven from the masses. As the day progressed and the crowds grew, it was a relief to duck into the Pavilion (which also guaranteed a great view of the races). At first, Christine and I had hesitated about entering, until the guards OK’ed Vuthong’s (a Cambodian friend) entrance as well. While I understood that the pavilion was there to promote tourism and development in the country (which certainly worked in my case), it still felt strange to be roped off from the majority of the Cambodians (who the festival really belongs too).

I had only made plans to attend the first day of the festival, but ended up returning the following two days. I couldn’t tire of the beautifully colored boats, the cheerful shouts of “Hello, Hello!”, or the high energy running through the participants. I was drawn back each day to become a part of the masses joyfully celebrating life.
One of my favorite parts of the Festival was the procession of Illuminated Floats, which celebrates the full moon and is believed to bring great merit and prosperity to the country. The procession begins when the King lights the first float. Amazingly, the Tourist Pavilion was right next to the Royal Pavilion. So, guess what? I saw the King of Cambodia!!! Granted, it was at a distance, but still! Even better than seeing the King Sihamoni myself, was watching Vuthong’s reaction when she saw Him. While I was excited, she was absolutely thrilled (jumping up and down, clapping her hands and squealing). Her delight was absolutely catching : )

Kampong...ummm, something or other

I recently began reading “Eat, Pray, Love” by Elizabeth Gilbert, detailing her journey across Italy, India, and Indonesia. I absolutely love this book so far; probably because I can relate to so much of what she writes about traveling and living in another culture. During her time in Italy, an Australian back-packing through Europe asks Gilbert for directions to the train station, Gilbert writes of this encounter:

"When I heard her plans, I was stricken with such a dumb spasm of jealously, thinking, I want to go to Slovenia! How come I never get to travel anywhere? Now, to the innocent eye it may seem that I am already traveling. And longing to travel while you are already traveling, is, I admit, a kind of greedy madness. But the fact that this girl asked directions from me (clearly, in her mind, a civilian) suggests that I’m not technically traveling in Rome but living here. However temporary it may be, I’m a civilian".

However temporary it may be, I am living in Phnom Penh. While I’ll never pass as Khmer, as Gilbert says, “traveling-to-a-place energy and living-in-a-place energy are two fundamentally different energies”. I’ve settled into a new way of life (complete with routine responsibilities) and I sometimes find myself longing to travel…something I couldn’t quite explain until I read the above passage from Gilbert’s book.

This past week, I had a week off from school (thanks to the King’s birthday, Coronation day and the Water Festival) which presented itself as the perfect opportunity to travel! I started planning a trip to Sihanoukville (a lovely beach town); but soon discovered that Christine had been invited to one of her student’s homes in Kampong…umm, something or other. All she needed to know was that it was on the beach (really, who needs to know the name of where one’s going?). After some confusion, I finally discovered that she had been invited to Sihanoukville in Kampong Som Province. Christine’s relaxed-go-with-the-flow attitude and my let’s-have-a-plan-and-be-prepared approach clashed somewhat during our trip. However, it was still an amazing weekend and I think we appreciated each other more by the end of it.

It was with great anticipation and excitement that we set off on Friday morning, hailing a Tuk-tuk to take us to the bus station…and at last, I was traveling again! Sihanoukville really is a small paradise which is just now being discovered by the rest of the world. The beach was gorgeous with crystal clear water and sand beaches. We strolled along the beach, munched on mangoes, swam for hours, soaked in the view, and watched the sun set. Not as enjoyable are the vendors and beggars that are constantly approaching you on the beach. However, certain things about Christine and I alert them to the fact that we aren’t simply tourists (such as when we are able to speak to them in Khmer). The two of us always take delight in the things that reveal that we are living in Cambodia. Such as when Christine rides side-saddle on a moto, or when we buy food from Khmer vendors, haggle moto-dubs down to a fair price, or when we run into Cambodian friends while we are out and around the city. I think our enjoyment stems from the fact that we are indeed adjusting to the culture and making some sort of impact on those around us. While it may seem like some sort of “greedy madness” to want to travel while I’m already abroad, and while I’m very content with living in Cambodia I hope to continue to travel whenever the opportunity presents itself!