An Assembly on Steroids!

During the last few weeks I have been informed about an activities that will be occurring on International Children’s Day.

Cambodia celebrates many international observance days, including this day and it is formally a public holiday in the country.

The activity that I refer to is an concert/propaganda machine that I would rather refer to as an assembly on steroids.

The day began with me having breakfast (obviously this isn’t actually where my day began but this is where I will begin my story) at Soup Dragon, a Vietnamese restaurant on Pub Street that does an awesome Asian breakfast! After devouring a pork and rice I approached the nearest tuk tuk driver for a ride to Sama Pheap II. I mentioned that it was near BBU (the landmark that I was given and he said ‘Ahhh yes the wedding venue’. This gave me some confidence and we started our journey.

We drove past BBU, it was on the left hand side of the rode, and we kept driving and driving…. and driving… I started thinking that perhaps I should ask the driver how much further, but he hadn’t hesitated at all, so I thought ‘I’ll let this go on for another minute or so’. We were well into the countryside by now (which only takes about five minutes, in any direction, from the middle of Siem Reap) and I asked the question ‘how much further do you think it will be’. With this, the driver turns around in a huff and says ‘you said to keep going straight’. Funny this, because I hadn’t spoken for the duration of the trip and nor did I know where I was going. He must have had little Elysse voices in his head – poor love. Anyway, he asks me again where we are going and I politely say ‘Sama Pheap II’ and he begins again with ‘you told me no, keep going straight last time we were there’. Eventually I end up outside the entrance to the function centre and make may way inside. I had left the driver, who was chucking a strop because he was upset that I had only paid 2USD for the trip, he expected me to pay more because he had made a mistake. I think he was trying to scam me by driving past the destination.

The event consisted on children singing, dancing, playing instruments and eating free ice cream. My personal favourite was 'if you are happy and you know it'. Simply because I knew the words.

Below is Voleak, our lovely book keeper, who wouldn't take no for an answer and dragged me to the front, where all the barang were sitting.

The 'little drummer boy', who didn't look at all enthused about being involved in the event.

This is Sovann, the Kindergarten Teacher, escaping for a while to hang out with Voleak and myself. They are cousins.

This is the MC, who is the news presenter on Angkor CTV. They organised the event, and appeared to have co-sponsored it with the government, or maybe they are a branch of the government?

The famous pop group from Phnom Penh, who visited Siem Reap for the event. I feel privileged to have seen them 'play' live?!

This is the tree that people were dancing around, in a circle, it is a compulsory item... to have a dancing tree... wherever dancing may occur!