Siem Reap Boat Races
I went to Siem Reap to watch the Boat Races but also enjoy this delighful little city with its laid back pace, smart bars and restaurants .. and funky little places where some interesting people gather.
Siem Reap .. holding hands festival
I think last year's coverage on the Boat Race shows enough of the actual race event. This year I concentrated more on the people attending because there are thousands who come in from villages for one of their rare visits to the 'big city'. I guess that is why there are stalls selling toothpaste, laundry detergent and other practical provisions. In any case what I enjoyed so much was the easy manner of the Cambodian people. I would like to re-name it the Holding Hands Festival because it is something that seems so natural to them.
Unfortunately, the festival in the capital (Phnom Penh) did not prove to be such a happy event. Nearly 350 people were killed in a stampede there on the last night of the festival.
Unfortunately, the festival in the capital (Phnom Penh) did not prove to be such a happy event. Nearly 350 people were killed in a stampede there on the last night of the festival.
Picture Gallery of
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The nice spot on which I could not sit
After nearly an hour of walking in the 30C heat I sat down in the shade of this tree to rest. But not for long. It apparently belongs to Raffles Hotel and only the butts of hotel guests may rest on it.
GB friends
Here are two of the guys who work at my hotel of choice, The Golden Banana. They always have a smile .. both at work and in 'real life'.
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The enforcer
This is the security guard working for Raffles Hotel (Raffles Hotel Grand d'Angkor to give it its full title) who would not allow me to sit on their grass. Is it really theirs? Appears to me be be part of the Royal Independence Garden which is public, or at least should be public.
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The Foreign Correspondents Club
In previous posts on Siem Reap I sang the praises of the FCC and was looking forward to lunch there. Unforunately the FCC like Raffles seems to be enforcing elitism/racism. They had a security guard patrolling the public sidewalk in front of the FCC and only foreigners were allowed to walk on it .. Cambodians were told to walk in the street. Reminds me of the sign from British colonial times in China at the Public Garden on the Shanghai bund (waterfront), 'No Dogs or Chinese Allowed'."
I complained to one of the restaurant staff who claimed to know nothing of the policy. I pointed it out to him .. the guard was systematically excluding all Cambodians. He said he would look into it - too little too late as far as I was concerned. did not go to lunch there on principle.
I complained to one of the restaurant staff who claimed to know nothing of the policy. I pointed it out to him .. the guard was systematically excluding all Cambodians. He said he would look into it - too little too late as far as I was concerned. did not go to lunch there on principle.
Transport in Cambodia
I'm not sure if this little boy was actually going to go out in the river in his 'boat' but I liked the way he had recycled the polystyrene box. I have gathered several photos of transport that seemed 'exotic' to me. The slide show should appear in the window to the right. If not, click here.
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