Sunday, April 15, 2007

Happy Khmer New Year!!!

"Junpoh chnam thmei"....(wishing you a happy new year)

It's that time of year again...a time to get out your water bombs and talcom powder and wish your fellow neighbour a happy new year. Although if you are not in Cambodia (or Thailand & Myanmar, as it's their new year also) then it may seem a bit strange to cover your neighbour's face in talcom powder and throw a water bomb at them when they're not looking. Could be fun if you're bored though.

As for Ben and I, we are enjoying a very long weekend and a deserted Phnom Penh. We have stocked our fridge with an abundance of food so that there is very little reason to leave the house...and we have settled in to celebrate our anniversary...not of our relationship but of having arrived in Cambodia. I'm not sure if it feels like two years... or more...or less...but two years ago it was that Ben and I arrived in this fine country...and two years ago it was that Steph took us to Wat Phnom and I got caked in talcom powder, as I watched Khmer youth play games and "court" one another. What an initiation!!!

So with two years having passed one might expect Ben and I to reflect on such times and note what has changed and what hasn't...perhaps even what we have learnt from being here...

What has changed?....Shopping malls are quickly emerging across the city...
What hasn't changed?....It's freakin hot in April!
What have we learnt?....(well not Khmer that's for sure)...perhaps that it's always freakin hot in April.

4 comments:

Kratzy said...

Inspired by the latest Brittany Spears weirdo rant... "Your new blog design is like so cool. It's like green and stuff. Soooo cool! I love it, but not because it is cool but because the world is so wonderful." If you have no idea what I am talking about go here: http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=261198

Wow... It's been 2 years already? That is quite terrifying. Happy anniversary!

Ben & Becca said...

Poor Britney...she is one lost soul. Like you know? Australia sounds like a nice city. I mean if Britney likes it...then I might like, go there one day.

Yes, the new blog design is inspired by the new year and my (our?)boredom.

Happy Khmer New Year Steph!

Kratzy said...

One way to celebrate your anniversary...
__________________________

Irish pop star Ronan Keating to play Cambodia

Phnom Penh - Irish pop crooner Ronan Keating is to perform before tens of thousands of Cambodians next month, organisers said Monday, in the country's first concert by a major international act.

Some 30,000 Cambodians will attend the gig by the former frontman of boy band phenomenon Boyzone, said Kevin Kouch, a senior producer at the Cambodian Television Network which is sponsoring the concert.

"It's our first time (hosting a headline act) ... It will be a big success," he told AFP.

Keating's performance will be the highlight of a longer trip through Cambodia, during which he is expected to visit the Angkor temples and several orphanages, Kouch said.

Although Cambodia has hosted a number of minor foreign music acts in recent years, Keating's concert is intended to open the way for greater international exposure, municipal culture office official Mom Suth said.

"We hope the group will spread information regarding our culture and tourist potential to the rest of the world," he said.

Since first hitting the stage with Boyzone in 1994, Keating has racked up 28 top 10 hits and sold more than 21 million albums worldwide, according to his website.

His Cambodia concert, to be held in Phnom Penh's Olympic Stadium, is part of a three-date Asian tour which includes performances in Bangkok and Taipei.

Ben & Becca said...

First International act? How quickly people forget! Does the name "Michael learns to Rock" not mean anything to that reporter? Surely they are on par with Ronan Keating (although they didn't get a venue like olympic stadium).

Can you imagine a concert in Olympic stadium with the reverb turned up to max? I tell you if the Asian Tom Jones is playing at Intercontinental the night Ronan is playing it will be a tough call to know which concert to go to.

Ben and I would be much happier campers if you said Wilco were coming here to tour.