Joe and Nica's World: Water Festival festivities

Water Festival is a unique holiday that is celebrated in Cambodia to recognize the end of the rainy season, beginning of the dry season, the finished planting of the rice, and the reverse of the Tonle sap River. On the night of the full moon, it is also the time when people pray to the moon for a good harvest and for general happiness.

Even though the Water Festival is an annual event, this was our first time to celebrate it since it has been cancelled the last several years. In 2010 a pedestrian bridge collapsed killing over 300 people. :( Water Festival was cancelled for the next couple of years. 2012 it was supposed to be on again, but then the King Father died and it was cancelled again in respect of mourning. Last year, 2013, there was so much political unrest. So, everyone was excited when this 3 holiday was reinstated again this year, 2014!

Dinner with Friends

We got together with some other dear friends who also have young children. Instead of going to the over-populated riverside area to watch boat races and fireworks, we opted for dinner at home and watching the festivities on TV. A much more child-friendly option, and just as fun!

Choeun showed us how to properly eat a traditional dessert: ombok (not sure if I spelled that right! probably not.)

You take the rice flakes, add coconut juice (coconuts previously hacked open by Joe & Choeun), and stir in coconut scraped from the inside of the coconut. Stir and enjoy!

Bria hanging out with Mattai

Khemrin, Briana, Mattai...3 members of our 1 year old club.

Breakfast at the Riverside

We have been bombarded with stories of things that could go wrong during the Water Festival festivities at the riverside. From bridges collapsing again, fireworks malfunctions, and electrocution from so many people walking over extension cords to simple robbery, or so many people from the countryside trying to touch foreigners. Since we were advised by so many people to avoid that part of town in the evening, we decided to explore the area first thing in the morning! There were not too many people there yet, and we got to watch the boats practicing for their upcoming races that day. We got a good idea of what was going on, and had fun with our friend, James (from the UK), too!

Wes and his pancakes. haha

Delicious food by the river

All Bria wanted to look at were the little yappy dog toys.

She is SUCH an animal lover!

Riverside Water Festival explorations

Watching the boats practicing for the races

So grateful to have James working with us at PPBS this year!

I snapped photos of some of the snacks: from beetles, other insects, and clams, to popcorn, juicy pomelo, and baguettes with pickled veggies, there was enough to suit anyone's palate.

Whenever Wes saw anyone carrying something on their head, he would laugh, point, and say, "That's funny!!!" It's not like he's never seen it before...he must just be noticing it now. haha

Not just food for sale, though! bracelets, sunglasses, hats, and homemade toys. An extra 4.4 million people in town means opportunity to make money and an influx of vendors wherever you go!