Where there are people, there are food sellers!Today marks the first day of the Cambodian 'Water Festival'. The highlight of this festival is river-boat racing, waka style. The city is buzzing and excitement is high.
Phnom Penh is built on the banks of three converging river systems: the mighty Mekong River, the Tonle Sap River and the Bassac River. The Mekong is the 12th largest river in the world; 4800km long. It starts in China, touches Tibet, forms part of the border between Burma and Laos, then flows down Laos and right through the heart of this nation, before flowing on to Vietnam and into the sea.
To the north-west of Cambodia lies a very large lake - the Tonle Sap. The Tonle Sap River runs out of the southern end of this lake, and flows into the Mekong River river right alongside down town. a few hundred metres south, and another river carves away from the Mekong. The Bassac River flows roughly south, pretty well parallel to the Mekong in its meandering run through Cambodia, Vietnam and into the sea.
Waiting time ...
So much river water means that the boys just have to have fun. There are (at my count) 65 blokes aboard each waka. Today was initial heats. Like different swimming strokes, there were a couple of different stroke styles in the heats - waka-paddle style upright on your knees, and another style of standing and rowing forward - pushing on the paddles.
Water festival is invasion time for Phnom Penh. Over a million people come into the city from the provinces. Much of the central city is now blocked to traffic. We walked a couple of kilometres to have a look-see today. Quite noticeable too is the amount of hills-tribe people in town, many with their provincial crafts to sell. It is important to keep reminding ourselves - Cambodia is a rural nation. Phnom Penh is not what this nation is really like - 80%+ of Cambodians live in provincial villages.
On the Tonle Sap River - taken from upstairs in the FCC
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