11.5500° N, 104.9167° E

Over the last four days, Cambodians have mourned the death of the late King Father Sihanouk, culminating in his cremation on Monday night.

There were estimates of between 2-4 million more people in Phnom Penh for the occasion. I didn’t go down to the Royal Palace itself to see the ceremony but watched it from home on TV. This was because it was about 37 degrees and also because large crowds aren’t always that safe here (a few years ago there was an awful event where about 400 people were killed in a crowd crush at water festival on a recently constructed bridge).

Here are some pictures to hopefully give you a sense of what it was like – there were lots of canons fired which we could hear from our apartment.

So, first, here is the funeral pyre they built:

And here it is with lot of smoke from fireworks:

Here is the inside:

Here are the many (many) canons that were set off during the cremation:

Here are the many (many) guests and VIPs who attended cremation:

One of the parts I didn’t quite understand was what appeared to be a gift-giving ceremony which lasted almost an hour where the King and the King’s Mother gave gifts to what looked like “ordinary” Cambodians. The cutest part was three little children who went up in some Angry Birds pyjamas! It went on for a long time anyway, and as far as we could tell they were being given blankets or duvet covers? But don’t quote me!

At the end of the funeral there was some “funeral Kareoke” where kareoke lyrics in Khmer were run over footage of the King Father’s actual dead body and his son and wife grieving for him. For example, this is the King Father on the left after he died in Beijing:

And this is the King kissing his father’s face:

And so it continued:

Really interesting stuff, was great to have watched it, very special moment in Cambodian history.

KSD

Have just found this photo of us on Christmas Eve! As I have previously written, we went across the road to a buffet place and had a great meal. Here is me, FDC, DG and BS infront of the gingerbread house! Delicious!

KSD

For long-standing (?suffering?) readers of my blog, you will recall that just as I left Wellington there was the ever popular “Burger Wellington” competition, a competition amongst Wellington restaurants to create the best burger. I described the detailed and much debated ranking system created by burger eaters to try and determine what makes the best burger.

Well, I am pleased to announce two competitive entries from Phnom Penh.

Basic Burger Info

Where: Botanico, St 29. See further details here: http://nyampenh.com/tag/gastropub/. Very pretty bar / cafe / restaurant, surrounded by greenery and butterflies.

When: One hungry Sunday afternoon after I had been working late. Burger appreciation conditions were therefore high.

What: 2x burgers sampled by JBO et moi. First, a classic American cheeseburger. Second, an Italian style burger.

Burger Analysis: Classic Cheeseburger

Able to be picked up in one’s hands?: Yes.

Burger patty: very good. Well flavoured and sized

Cheese: good, added a good goo-iness.

Other features: onions and bacon – and an egg, which they forgot so it was on the side, which is fine because other wise the burger would have been too thick.

Juice-running-down-arms-factor: High. In contrast to the Italian burger this was juicy. Would benefit from more capable bun.

Sauces: classic – Tomato, mayo, maybe a little mustard.

Chips: present, but controversial. Chips as in “crisps” provided. But well salted and added missing “crunch” factor.

Other sides: salad. Nothing to write home about.

Overall rating

6.5/10 – this is using the same ratings as I would give in Burger Wellington. In comparison to other burgers in Phnom Penh I would give it maybe a 7.

Burger Analysis: Italian Burger

[NB I can only give limited comments on this one as I just had one bite]

Appearance: sassy. 4x small burgers, in nice look capsicum bread. Classy salad on the side to give a peppery bite.

Juice factor: insufficient. Overall, burger was a little dry.

Flavour: excellent. Great herbs in the patty.

Additional extras: sundried tomatos and olives. Added great flavour but should have been inside the burger itself. Becuase they were so small they kept falling off the top – had they been melted into the cheese it would have been a different story.

Originality: good. A well executed alternative burger type.

Able to be held in one’s hands: yes.

Overall rating

6/10

KSD

[not mine]

I have been meaning to post about Cambodian weddings for weeks – they are utterly lavish affairs. They last for several days, the invitations are several pages long, and they take place out on the street under pink and white marquees set up in front of shops. The bride wears many different outfits throughout the days and much food (and a lot of drink) is consumed. I think they are both tacky and fantastic in equal doses. While we were in Siem Reap there was a bridal party getting their pictures taken (several in fact) and back here in Phnom Penh traffic is regularly delayed because of congestions caused  by weddings. The biggest wedding I have seen so far involved buses of guests arriving, all bearing beautifully wrapped and presented fruits. I dearly wish I had been invited to a wedding while I was hear (my flatmate who works with a different organisation has been invited several times to weddings of her colleagues and speaks highly of them). Maybe next time.

Wedding Marquee near my house in Phnom Penh. Note in particular the spray painted bananas at the front.

The Wedding Land Rover. With flowers, to add a touch of feminine glamour.

Bridal party at Angkor Wat – I love the look on the bride’s face – off to get some photos taken in one of many outfits. The temperature would have been arly 30s at this point.

The rest of the bridal party.

(note how the tops are literally pinned to their bodies to make them super tights. Most wedding dresses and bridesmaids dresses are hired so they need to be pinned to size. Also note the fabulous and dangerously high heels for walking across thousand-year-old Angkor Wat cobblestones. Let nothing get in the way of glamour.)

KSD

# 3: Go to a silk farm.

This was super interesting – I like seeing how things are made because I think it gives you a greater appreciation of the end product. And seeing silk being made from scratch was really, really impressive. We went to Artisans D’Angkor, an NGO that gives free tours of their silk factory. Our guide was really excellent, great sense of humour and told us really interesting information about the process.

We started off seeing the different mulberry trees that the worms eat, and were told that the different leaves affect the texture and details of the raw silk. Then we went and saw the worms in the various stages of wormhood – up to the part where they spin themselves cocoons made of incredibly, incredibly thin threads of silk (and one thread lasts for meters and meters).

When they are at this stage, the tale turns nasty, and the worm is killed in a variety of sad ways – either being left out in the baking hot sun, or being

plunged in boiling water and so on. So this is what they look like after that:

After that, the poor dead silk worms get plunged into some sticky hot liquid which makes their cocoons unravel – and all the threads get caught together into one long thin threat which becomes an individual thread of silk.

Then the yellow silk (that is its natural colour) is gathered together on huge looms. From memory, some of it is dyed black at this stage and laid out in perfect lines so other silk threads can be woven across it:

*NB surprisingly cute “Burn Hazard” child

Anyway, then the real work begins, and the silk on the looms is divided up into hundreds and hundreds of sections which correspond to the pattern that will eventually be produced. Essentially each individual silk thread is dyed at different points and then when the threads are woven together the pattern is created (as opposed to printing the pattern onto threads once they have been woven together). It blew my mind at how detailed it was!

So these are the individual threads that are dyed and then they get tied onto a thick needle that gets passed from left to right and back again and eventually (painstakingly) creates a small amount of silk fabric.

Absolutely incredible process – and it has inspired me to buy some Cambodian silk while I am here. For my birthday, I treated myself to a few meters of 2x different kinds and have had them made into business skirts. I am really, really pleased with the results. These were the fabrics I chose:

The pictures don’t really do justice to how beautiful they are, but anyway, I am very pleased with them, and I appreciate them all the more now I know how much effort went into their creation.

Whoop!

KSD

[This begins an out of order catch up on my holiday when Mum and JBO came over just after Christmas – order is determined simply by the speed at which relevant photos are updated]

Another thing we did was go to a pottery class! Cambodia has a long history of using clay as a basis for pots and bowls and so on and so we spent a pleasant hour doing something somewhat cultural and creative at the same time. I am told that pottery has been used as a form of therapy and I can see why, it’s a very satisfying feeling to see a [wobbly, off centred, structurally unsound] “vase” or “pot” emerge from your own hands. The Cambodian lady you see in the photos was lovely – although my pride was hurt by her colleague who sniggered at my efforts. I don’t think pottery would be a safe alternative career choice for me, but it was good fun.

KSD

Don’t ask me why, but a popular past time in Siem Reap (where I went on holiday with Mum and JBO)  is to put your feet into a small tank and have the dead skin eaten by fish. Does that sound strange to you? Me too. But that is something I can now tick off my bucket list.

This post is simply a testament to the great power and variety of the human face. I cannot describe in words what the feeling of fish nibbling your feet was like – but I believe my face can. Enjoy.

KSD

*NB the title for this post is the title to a poem I read as a child. The poem, by Gyles Brandreth, is only 3 words long and reads “Oh wet pet”.

Friends, friends, it is difficult to work full time, maintain an active social life and maintain a blog all at the same time. But over the next few weeks I hope to make up for my sins and post all manner of interesting things!

To start, I have had a birthday, will post about that later. But, I bought myself a tripod which is going to be great for photography purposes! Also, for Christmas JBO bought me a ‘make-your-own’ pinhole camera which I am half way through making and hopefully will get some fun shots from. ALSO, in a fit of technojoy, JBO has purchased a new iPhone and has gifted his old one to me. Which means that I have wee camera with me at all times now! Exciting! It is taking a little time to get used to but here is one I have taken so far. Watch out for more soon!

Love KSD

I think this will be the last of the Christmas-themed posts, but just briefly I wanted to share with you the best Christmas presents ever.

One

JBO and Mum have come to visit! Each is here for a few weeks, it is absolutely fantastic to have them here.

Two 

* Present and photo courtesy of JBO, who has now started his own blog at http://jbotravel.tumblr.com/

Three

Other assorted treats, including a make-your-own pinhole camera, some earrings, a silver bangle, some perfume and a subscription to Cuisine magazine! I am a lucky girl!

Now I am off to have fun in the sun at the pool!!

Love

KSD

Here is how I spent a fairly unconventional Christmas:

5am: Skype call to JBO & Co. Get homesick immediately at the sight of sparkling wine being drunk while a leg of lamb is roasting in the oven.

5:30am: Skype call to the family. ATD is stoked with the headphones I gave him, delivered from Cambodia via JBO. I think he thinks they are better / more posh than they actually are. But they make him look like a gangster/hipster cross which seems to be the look he is currently going for, so I am fine with that.

6:30am: Freezing cold shower, get ready for work, get on the bus.

8:10am: cup of early grey tea and Anzac biscuit.

8:30am: Christmas songs are played in the office. I have created a playlist that combines the best of Michael Buble’s Christmas Hits with my favourite Louis Armstrong / Frank Sinatra / Dean Martin Christmas tunes. Also included: songs from Love Actually. Am delighted to find my workmates are not opposed (in fact, are in favour of) these Christmas carols. Some singing and dancing ensues. Little work is done.

10:30am: Call Boss and ask if we can “work from home” for the afternoon. Boss assents. I do a few more hours of actual work and then sign off for the day.

12:30pm: bus back home. On the way, the aforementioned Boss calls… my heart stops… but it is just to tell us that he has paid for all of us to get dessert at a nearby Italian place as a Christmas treat. Trip home amended to include espresso and a tasting plate of creme brulee, brownie and panna cotta.

2:00pm: go home via the tailoring shop to pick up something I was getting hemmed. Happen to see a fairly gorgeous 1960s style tulip shaped dress in their window, resplendent with orange and yellow flowers in a Japanese style pattern. It also happens to be 30 per cent off. And fits like a glove. I buy it.

2:30pm: back home again to do some more Skyping. More homesickness as various people tell me about their sunny BBQ lunches and dog walking and wine drinking and so on.

3:30pm: go to The Flicks to watch a Christmas movie! The Flicks is our local small movie theatre, where you lounge around on floor cushions as you watch. You can also get pizza delivered as you watch – brilliant. They were showing an old Tim Allen movie “The Santa Claus”. We shared the theatre with a Cambodian-German couple and their two little boys. I think we laughed harder than the boys did!

6pm: back home to do some tasks – pick up tickets for my upcoming trip to Kep. Scoot around the city with moto driver Peap on the hunt for Christmas DVDs. Go back to the Flicks to pick up my phone that I had accidentally left there (idiot).

7:30pm: Speak French with DG, my French flatmate. The subject of our conversation? The cheese and foie gras we were about to consume! DG seems to have an inexhaustable supply of cheese from various relatives and family friends who come to visit her. There is so much that we even have it in our freezer. She also came by some foie gras which has been kept strictly off limits until the appropriate moment.

8:00pm: settle down in front of the TV with DG and BS to watch another xmas movie “Jingle All the Way” – starring Arnold Schwarznegger (pre-Californian Governor days…). The morals are more dubious watching it as an adult, but still good fun. Foie gras is eaten with some mango jam, we consume lots of Caprice Des Dieux and goats cheese with champagne. Then we have takeaway Vietnamese noodle soup (we are nothing if not ecclectic).

10:00pm: movie ends, bellies are full, I collapse into bed and get half way through a Christmas Special episode of QI before falling fast asleep.

Was pretty ace. Now I am looking forward to having another Christmas on Saturday! “Another Christmas?!” I hear you say! Yes, I shan’t tell you why just now, but there is going to be lots to celebrate on Saturday afternoon!

KSD