Its a bit like Country Music week in Tamworth, or like being in Sydney during the Olympics- lots and lots of people from everywhere all in the one city! This week Phnom Penh is holding the Water Festival, or Boat rowing Festival which is what its called in Khmer.
In my first year in Cambodia I lived near the riverside so I got to see crowds without having to go out. I didn't actually go to the riverside to see the boat racing, the crowds near my house were overwhelming enough. And as they are from out of town many of them aren't used to seeing white people so as I stare at them and wonder how they can fit 16 people in a five seater car, they are staring at me!
When Soeun was in his teens he came into the city from the province with some friends to enjoy the fun. I was surprised when he told me they didn't stay at a friends place or a guesthouse- but slept outside at Wat Phnom on the grass with the monkeys. Wat Phnom is like a huge park, that is also a round about/traffic circle with a temple in the middle of it. He said heaps of people just sleep where they can find a space.
According to the PP post record 4 million people are coming this year!
I'm not planning to go anywhere near the riverside, but we have a TV this year so we might watch the boat racing at home.
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