BUT, some how, some way, I get drawn into these party events.....
I was up at 6 AM to watch the Super Bowl game. After an hour of attempting to stream the game on the iPad in the hotel room, I gave up and headed to Pub Street in a tuktuk.
Watched the game, walked around the market then came back to the hotel in another tuktuk.
Watched the game, walked around the market then came back to the hotel in another tuktuk.
Watching the Super Bowl game on Pub Street in Siem Reap.
Met my driver, Mr. Sarann at 2 PM. I went to the Siem Reap National Museum and spent several hours there, to avoid the midday heat and humidity. Then we were off in the tuktuk to Angkor Wat to watch the sunset over the towers.
Met a young Norweigian solo traveler, talked for 1/2 hour and shared taking pics of each other.
Earlier in the day, Mr Sarann mentioned inviting me to a birthday party for a 3 year old girl. I said sure.......I always enjoy a party.......even a party for a 3 year old. I thought it might be interesting.
Mr. Sarann took me back to my hotel to shower and put on long pants and then we were off to the party.
Through dusty, potholed backroads. It was dark......and we were in the hinterlands of Siem Reap. There were few lights other than oncoming motorcycle headlights. I had no worries, I trusted Mr. Sarann with all I had in my possession. I was confident that he could be trusted. He has been a faithful driver so far, but I had not a clue to where we were or where we we headed. I just sat back in the tuktuk and soaked it all in.
Travel. An addiction.
Through dusty, potholed backroads. It was dark......and we were in the hinterlands of Siem Reap. There were few lights other than oncoming motorcycle headlights. I had no worries, I trusted Mr. Sarann with all I had in my possession. I was confident that he could be trusted. He has been a faithful driver so far, but I had not a clue to where we were or where we we headed. I just sat back in the tuktuk and soaked it all in.
Travel. An addiction.
After a 20 minute ride through the outskirts of Siem Reap we finally arrived.
It was a big party. Maybe 300-400 people, about 50 tables with 6 or 8 Cambodians per table.
Women in sequined dresses and nice shoes. This was an event. Loud, booming music. Balloons. Several big tents. Nothing like a birthday party for any 3 year old girl that I have ever been to....
I was the only westerner there...out of 300-400 people.
But there were many smiles and welcomes. And stares......
The party was definitely on. Did not seem like a party for a 3 year old girl......felt more like a mafia party disguised as a party for a 3 year old girl....
There were gracious welcomes from everyone......glasses were raised...and toast after toast after toast. Glasses clinked, smiles exchanged.
These were all young Cambodians. Every 15 minutes more beer, ice and food was brought to every table.
In addition to being the ONLY westerner at the party, I was doubtlessly the oldest person there. My popularity was helped with bringing a 1/2 bottle of Jack Daniels. That broke the ice very quickly and was gone in 15-20 minutes. Most people were in their 20's, 30's or 40's. No old farts like me.
I was stared at often, but I have become accustomed to being stared at. Everyone stared at the big, lone, westerner with the ponytail.........
Booming music, strobe lights and of course.....food. There were 8 courses served to every table over several hours. Seafood, pork, chicken, rice, vegetables, you name it...they served it.
l left the party table and went to see where all the food was being prepared. There were about 20 people in the "kitchen".
l left the party table and went to see where all the food was being prepared. There were about 20 people in the "kitchen".
The largest woks I have ever seen. 36" in diameter....
My food bowl and my beer glass were constantly being filled....
Raising your glass and clinking glasses appears to be a cultural norm. If I clinked my glass once, I did it......say.......100+ times with about 8 people each time during the 2 hours I was at the party.
It never ended. Every 2 minutes, everyone at our table stood up, raised their glass and toasted each other. As I was the novelty at the party, I was in constant demand to share a toast and a picture.. Everyone toasted me...even the cook (that was cooking everything in the woks) stopped me as I was walking around his kitchen and he offered up a toast!
My cheeks are sore from smiling and my arm is tired from raising it to toast.....
What a hoot!! It was an unbelievable experience. The host of the party was working the crowd and stopped and shook hands with me several times and to thank me for attending.
Cambodian hospiltality at its finest.
I had brought a blank envelope with me so that I could leave a gratuity at the end of the evening. I was never expecting this lavish of a party.......for a 3 year old girl. Mr. Sarann initially refused to let me pay for him but I was insistent. He finally agreed to let me stuff an envelope with a couple of $20.00 bills and I insisted that he put only his name on the envelope. As we left, we again shook hands with the young host and Mr. Sarann dropped the envelope in the box with the hundreds of other envelopes. Just like a mafia party, I thought.
I had brought a blank envelope with me so that I could leave a gratuity at the end of the evening. I was never expecting this lavish of a party.......for a 3 year old girl. Mr. Sarann initially refused to let me pay for him but I was insistent. He finally agreed to let me stuff an envelope with a couple of $20.00 bills and I insisted that he put only his name on the envelope. As we left, we again shook hands with the young host and Mr. Sarann dropped the envelope in the box with the hundreds of other envelopes. Just like a mafia party, I thought.
What a way to spend my next to the last night after 2 months of travel in SE Asia......
This why I travel.......
Byron
Byron
Why you have become an honorary Cambodian......baptism by beer....
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