After a beautifully cool and breezy night (got down to 21 degrees – the locals must have been freezing), it was a cool, breezy and cloudy morning for day 1 of the 3 day water festival. This was perfect touristing weather (although not such great photography weather), so it was off to the waterfront to see what this water festival thingo actually involves.
On the way was another military festival of some sort at the National Monument – the prince was inspecting the troops I think (I don’t think it was related to Remembrance Day, even though it was 11/11). The soldiers were lined up all the way around the monument roundabout, with the prince slowly making his way around. There was a chance to photograph him through a gap in the troops, but I was distracted photographing the royal Toyotas instead. Once that was done, all the generals and whatnot again piled into the back of the big old army trucks for a ride back to wherever, and the school children that must have been lining the streets waving to the price on his way back to the palace were everywhere walking home.
Movin' some sugarcane
On parade
Royal Toyota Crowns
All done - some "presents" for the monks
More monks heading off
Getting a bit bored
All done and dispersing - more military officials in trucks
School children everywhereAlso stumbled across the North Korean embassy, complete with display case of the Dear Leader doing his leading, and some text explaining how the defeat of socialism in Russia had not stopped North Korea from becoming invincible.
Abandoned posters showing the King, Queen and Prince
Concert stage
Lots of speakers - there is no such thing as too loud in Cambodia
More postersDown at the waterfront, there were long boats all over the water, and mobs of colour-coded boat crews wandering around. It seems the day was for practicing and possibly heats, so after snapping some photos it was back to the guesthouse to do some real work (for CARE).
First boat sighting!
The scarf around the knee / leg is to prevent rubbing on the inside of the boat
Sweep with special paddle - they whack it on the boat to give instructions
Hard at it
Cliudy day sorry: this is the usually bare far side of the river, now a camp for lots of boat teams
Chow time - large plastic bag containing smaller plastic bags containing lots of rice and some meat
RCAF Navy trying to look authoritative in a little boat
Front of boat decorations / shrines - bananas are somehow linked to the water festival, and most boats have some on the front
Watch the boat will you
Standing paddlers
What was behind the recently removed large green corrugate fence - flood mitigation works
Parking space is at a premium
Siesta - you need at least 2 paddles to lie on
Cellcard kindly providing shade for the MPs
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