Soma Norodom's Blog

A Royal View at the Opening Ceremony of the Water Festival

 





 

Note: This blog was written on November 21^st, one day before the tragic stampede incident on the bridge at Diamond Island. My prayers and thoughts are with the victims’ families as they cope with the loss and heal the pain in their hearts, and try to move forward with their lives, without their children, brothers, sisters, and parents. I am thankful that my sister, Seda, and her friends did not make it to the bridge that horrific Monday evening, November 22, 2010, but I am still saddened by this tragic event.  As stated by Prime Minister Hun Sen, “the stampede is the biggest tragedy to strike the country since the communist Khmer Rouge ruled in a reign of terror in the 1970s.”

The annual Water Festival is the biggest holiday celebration event in Cambodia. This three day event welcomes over 2 million people into the city of Phnom Penh. It is a celebration which marks the end of the rainy season and when the Tonle Sap River reverses its flow. The Royal Palace is lit up with lights, and vendors and food stalls adorned the streets from NagaWorld to Diamond Island. More than 300 boats take part in the boat race on the Mekong River, as visitors lined the riverfront to watch this annual competition. In addition to the boat races, the Water Festival’s activities include concerts, boat light shows, and fireworks every night.

We attended our first Water Festival event on November 20, 2010, at the Opening Ceremony held on the riverfront. Our cousins, Prince Norodom Amarithivong, and Prince Norodom Narithipong, invited Seda and I to join them and their wives at the Opening Ceremony of the Water Festival. Their father is Prince Norodom Chakrakong, who is King Norodom Sihanouk’s second oldest son, and is the half brother of His Highness King Norodom Sihamoni. My father and our cousins’ father were close. In 1965, my father was the Director of the Air Force Flying School, and Prince Norodom Chakrakong was one of his students. Queen Sisowath Kossamak, King Norodom Sihanouk’s mother, which is Prince Norodom Chakrakong’s grandmother, requested my father to visit her at the Royal Palace to talk about her grandson, Prince Norodom Chakrakong.

At the time my father was so busy with the Air Force, and had to turn down the queen’s invitation. Queen Sisowath Kossamak requested that my father attend this meeting, or else he will be arrested and put in jail. Immediately my father dropped everything he was doing and went to visit the Queen. She asked him to watch over Prince Norodom Chakrakong and to make sure he attends flying school, and to keep track of his performance. Prince Norodom Chakrakong was a good student pilot, which made my father’s job of reporting to the Queen an easy task. Because of his stringent work ethics, Queen Sisowath Kossamak had only the highest respect for my father, and he became one of her favorite great-nephews.

This exclusive VIP invitation to the Opening Ceremony was not just a great seating view of the boat races, the boat light shows, and fireworks, but it was in the same area as Prime Minister Hun Sen and First Lady, as well as His Highness King Norodom Sihamoni. It was an exquisite ceremony on a beautiful night in Phnom Penh, and Seda and I were honored to be a part of the tradition.

My father did not attend the Water Festival Opening Ceremony because he used to attend them as a high ranking military official in the Air Force, and also a member of the Royal Family. Now since he is in a wheelchair, he doesn’t want to burden anybody, and would rather watch the ceremony on t.v. with the caretaker. He says it’s the same procedure every year, but wanted us to experience it first-hand. It was indeed unforgettable.

The Royal Family section is where the cameras like to focus on, with His Highness King Norodom Sihamoni in front, and Prime Minister Hun Sen and his wife behind the King. Prince Norodom Sirivudh, half brother of King Norodom Sihanouk, also known as our “Grandpa,” and Prince Norodom Chakrakong sat behind Prime Minister Hun Sen and the First Lady. The Royal Family is to the left of the King, filling two rows. If you are watching it on t.v., it would be to your right. I mentioned to Narithipong’s wife, Ermine, that we must smile all the time, and not to pick our noses. It was her first time attending as well, and she followed my advice and was seen on t.v. many times by her nanny, smiling.

To the right of His Highness King Norodom Sihamoni are the top government officials, headed by Senate President, Chea Sim and National Assembly President, Heng Samrin.  Behind the top government officials were the Ambassadors, representing 30 countries, including the U.S. On the other side, behind the Royal Family, are government officials from all the Ministries. Our Aunt Malika and my friend, Mariam, sat behind the Ministry officials as guests of the VIPs. My colleagues asked me to take lots of pictures, because this event is an important part of Cambodia’s culture, as the King lights the torch celebrating the start of the Water Festival, and to be seated in this area is a privilege. Seda and I weren’t aware of how grandiose it was, until we walked onto the red carpet.

Preparing for the Water Festival Opening Ceremony was like preparing for the Super Bowl or the Academy Awards. There will be thousands of people attending and watching you, and the question is: What am I going to wear? At the Water Festival Opening Ceremony, your attire is already chosen. A Cambodian traditional silk skirt and white lace top, with a silk sash across your chest is the etiquette dress code. But it was the color purple and pomegranate shade, the color of this day, Saturday, an important detail. If you do not wear the appropriate attire and color, then you will not be able to get into the event, even if you are royalty. It’s about honoring your tradition and culture and abiding to the dress code protocol.

We had our outfits made in less than a day. It’s nice to have family members as tailors. The only dilemma was getting a sash to match the color of our skirt. Seda found them at one of the markets in Phnom Penh. While I waited for my fitting, I went to get my nails done, and also shopped for white high  heels. I was advised to carry a white purse, and either wear white or black shoes. I wanted to match my purse with my shoes, and I didn’t have white high heels, and I had to go shopping. Luckily, where I had my nails done, across from the shop was the perfect white high heel I was looking for: a pair of bebe (knockoffs) shoes.

We stayed at the tailor shop longer than expected, and had only half an hour to get ready. Seda and I had to meet our cousins at their house by 2:30. The ceremony started at 3:00, and all guests had to be on the Red Carpet by 3:00, and seated before the King arrives. We made it to our cousin’s house on time, but we didn’t get to the ceremony until 3:30. Mariam called to let us know that the procession line started, and we were late. Yes, we were late for the procession line, but we managed to arrive before His Highness King Norodom Sihamoni, who showed up around 4:30, as their father, Prince Norodom  Chakrakong , accompanied the King to the ceremony.

As we walked down the street from the entrance of the Royal Palace to the Red Carpet entrance at the riverfront, thousands of people were standing on the sidewalk, with police officers holding hands, as a barricade blocking the crowd from the VIP guests. Since we were late, our two cousins, their wives, and Seda and I were the only ones walking, as all eyes were on us. The crowd waited for a couple of hours, hoping to get a glimpse of their beloved King, a favorite public figure of Cambodia. Many of the people attending the festivities are from all the provinces and villages and still respect the monarchy. When we went up to the Red Carpet, after the metal detector area, someone shouted, “Seda.” It was Seda’s colleague, David, a lawyer, originally from San Francisco, California. We waved to David, and his girlfriend, Anja, and Seda felt like a true celebrity.

When we finally got to our assigned seats, we were in awe of how beautiful the decorations were, and of course, the breathtaking view of the riverfront. Another dilemma occurred before we were seated; our sash was not on the correct side. A lady who worked for the Royal Palace had to adjust our sash and put it over our left shoulder. Then Ermine, Ling, Seda, and I sat down and watched the boat races as we waited for the King’s arrival. Seda and I greeted our “Grandpa” Prince Norodom Sirivudh, and took pictures with him. He introduced us to the other Royal Family members who sat in front of us. We recognized my father’s cousin, Prince Sisowath Phandaravong, in his black sunglasses, and his young, pretty wife, and we came over to give him a kiss on the cheek. We had to do our socializing before the King arrives. Once the King sits down, we cannot get out of our seats and walk around. This was a tough task, but I managed to stay in my seat for three and a half hours, and also was quiet.

The highlight of the evening was the lighting of the torch onto the first light boat by His Highness King Norodom Sihamoni. After the lighting, we sat for about another hour watching the fireworks. The sky lit up with fireworks, in rainbow colors, as I watched with admiration. After 35 years, I can’t believe I am back in my country, watching fireworks on the riverfront, and dressed in traditional Cambodian attire. If only my father was here with us. But Seda and I represented him and the Royal Family with dignity, grace, and style.

The Gym Sports Bar…Bringing the NFL to Cambodia

Last week, a few of my friends and I watched American football (NFL) at “The Gym Sports Bar,” Cambodia’s premier sports bar and pub. There are a dozen televisions, one huge big screen, and over 5 feeds. Most of the major sporting events are broadcast “live.” The bar also include a pool table, darts, Quiz Night every Tuesday at 8.30 pm, pool competitions on Wednesdays and Fridays, and live music Friday and Sunday evenings. But “The Gym” is famous for the football and rugby matches displayed on large screens and its affordable food and drinks. Beer is only $1 and cocktails are $2.50. “The Gym” serves Khmer and Western dishes between $2.50 and $6.00. We had burgers, fries, chili, and beer. My dessert was an ice-cream bar. Delicious! At “The Gym,” sports fans can enjoy the ambiance of a real sports bar, with a friendly service.

This is American football, not fútbol, which is soccer, in other parts of the world. The football game played on Sunday in the U.S., which is Monday in Cambodia, featured the Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2) and the New England Patriots (6-2), the pinnacles of the NFL. Since free agency began in 1993, the Patriots’ .632 winning percentage is the NFL’s best, and the Steelers are second at .627. In quarterbacks, Brady’s .767 winning percentage puts him in first, and Roethlisberger’s .700 is second.

In week 10 of the NFL season, the Pittsburgh Steelers hosted the New England Patriots. The game was dominated by the Patriots early, with Tom Brady completing 10 out of 12 passes, with 103 yards, and a touchdown, in the first quarter. Hines Ward, wide receiver for the Steelers, suffered a neck injury in the first quarter and did not play for the remainder of the game. Brady was 30 of 43, for 350 yards, with no sacks or interceptions, and the Patriots defeated the Steelers with a final score of 39-26.

Brady now has 14 career touchdown throws and three interceptions against the Steelers. No other NFL team wins more games on its home field (Heinz Field) than the Pittsburgh Steelers. But no opposing player wins there like Brady, who has won 4 of 5 at Heinz Field, and 6 of 7 overall against the Steelers. The New England Patriots do look like Super Bowl contenders, led by their MVP quarterback, Tom Brady. The Patriots and New York Jets, AFC East-rival, are tied for the conference’s top record at 7-2.

Who’s your Super Bowl pick? I might just have to change my pick and go for the Patriots, representing the AFC. For the NFC, I’m still going with the Philadelphia Eagles. We will see on February 6, 2011, when the new Dallas Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, play host to Super Bowl XLV. The past several years I had the opportunity to attend the Super Bowl, but not this year, but at least I can watch the biggest sports event on television… at “The Gym” with die-hard football fans in Cambodia.

Fireworks, BBQ Ribs, and Boxing…Enjoying Cambodia’s Independence Day

November 9^th marked the 57^th anniversary of Cambodia’s independence from France. Independence Day in Cambodia is very important to the Cambodian people, as this is one of the most precious days of the year. They celebrate Independence Day with fireworks and parades throughout the country, with their families and friends, just like how Americans celebrate their Independence Day on July 4th. In the capital, Phnom Penh, the celebration is led by King Norodom Sihamoni, as he lit the ceremonial flame at the heart of Independence Monument, the morning of this patriotic day.

Independence Monument is a representation of the independence from French colonization for almost one century, from 1863-1953. Designed by Cambodian architect, Vann Molyvann, and completed in March 1958, independence Monument is 37 meters high, 7 layers, and surrounded by 100 snake motifs (the Naga). The Naga is a symbol of Cambodian culture. Over 30,000 people, including Prime Minister Hun Sen, Senate President Chea Sim, National Assembly President, Heng Samrin, government and military officials, as well as students and scout members, were present to watch King Norodom Sihamoni pay tribute to the fallen soldiers on Independence Day.

Former King Norodom Sihanouk (King Norodom Sihamoni’s father) played a vital role in the attainment of Cambodia’s independence. France was surprised when King Norodom Sihanouk rallied for Cambodia’s independence and eventually restored it for the country. King Norodom Sihanouk’s greatest achievement was being able to restore independence to his country without the shedding of a single drop of blood. Until today, King Norodom Sihanouk is known as the Father of Independence.

That morning, my father and I watched the Independence Day ceremony “live” on CTN, Cambodia Television Network. He mentioned that the ceremony is the same every year, and it is better to watch it on television, instead of being out there with the crowd. Lately, he doesn’t like to go anywhere where there is a big crowd, as he is confined to his wheelchair. The only place he likes to go is to a restaurant, especially trying out new food. We made that happen by taking him to dinner at a popular ribs place in Phnom Penh on Independence Day.

Earlier that day, I had a chance to watch my first Cambodian movie called “Kiles”, which means passion in Khmer. It’s a love story between a young man and a young woman. The woman is forced to marry an old man, and she loses the love of her life. This movie reminds me of the American film, “Dear John”, starring Channing Tatum and Amanda Seyfried. The ending of “Kiles” is the same as “Dear John”.

I watched the movie at Lux Theatre with my friend, Mariam, and it was all in Khmer, with no subtitles. Originally constructed in 1938, Lux Cinema, is a cinema with a theatre stage, and seats 650. Mariam has been in the movie industry business in California for many years. She is very critical of Cambodian films, but did say that “Kiles” is one of the better Khmer movies made. “Having lived in Cambodia for almost 4 years, I can say that ‘Kiles’ shows a definite improvement of Khmer production values”, stated Mariam.

After the movie, Mariam and I headed to the restaurant “Alley Cat Café” to wait for my father and Seda for dinner. Alley Cat Café is a small cafe tucked away in a quiet alley in central Phnom Penh, serving quality Mexican Cuisine and the almost famous Fat Cat burgers (not a cat filled burger, rather a whopping double quarter pounder with the toppings of your choice). On Tuesday nights, the café is famous for its BBQ pork ribs, which is only $5.50 for a half rack. A full rack is only $8.00, and it is huge. Tonight’s side dishes were salad and macaroni and cheese. Seda and Mariam got excited when the waitress told them that it was going to be macaroni and cheese night. “Yes, the ribs and the macaroni and cheese were delicious,” said my father.

We got home around 9:00pm, and it was past his bedtime, but he did not go to bed right away. He stayed up and watched the championship boxing matches on t.v., despite the fact that it is late and he has dialysis early tomorrow morning. But this is Independence Day, and it is a day of celebration. Fireworks, BBQ ribs, and boxing, a winning combination on this special Cambodian holiday.

Last weekend, Seda, my father and I, and our friends tried the steaks and Mexican dishes at Alley Cat Café. Seda thought the Mexican food was delicious, and I loved the tenderloin fillet. Alley Cat Café is owned by Mark (from the UK) and Dallas (from the U.S.).

Below are the Daily Specials at Alley Cat Café from 7:00 pm-10:00 pm.

Monday – Margarita Jugs (6 glasses) $10

Tuesday – Rib Night – Half rack $5.50, Full rack $8.00 served with 2 different sides each week

Wednesday – Happy Hump Night -Happy Hour all night + tacos $1.50

Thursday – Burgers – Fat Cat (double) your burger or get chili + cheese on your fries free

Friday – FREE DRINKS – when you roll a double on two dice

Saturday – Steak Night 8oz Black Angus ribeye $11.00, 8oz Dan Meat’s tenderloin fillet $5.50 served with grilled vegetables, cumin potatoes and Texas toast, and choice of 3 sauces

A Celebration Honoring the King and I

 

I celebrated my birthday at NagaWorld Hotel and Entertainment Complex in Phnom Penh, and it was awesome! The birthday dinner was held at Pangea Fusion Restaurant, overlooking the Tonle Sap River, as my guests and I ate roast duck, sweet and sour pork ribs, steamed ginger fish, stir-fried greens, soup, rice, fruits, and a delicious birthday cake, made by my favorite French bakery in town. The guests loved the steamed ginger fish the best. Showcasing an ancient Khmer style, NagaWorld’s interiors are decorated with stone-carved Apsaras and traditional Cambodian motifs. NagaWorld is unique because of its on-site casino, live music, five-star hotel, and first rate service. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere but at NagaWorld as I celebrated my 41^st birthday in Cambodia on October 29th.

Guests included several of my colleagues from Pannasastra University of Cambodia; Bonne and her mother-in-law, Mara, Mariam, Kolap, Botum and her fiancé, and Dr. Keneth Robinson. My friends from my father’s dialysis clinic were Sopheak, a nurse, Nita and her sister, and Seda’s colleague, Wattey, and her brother, Pich, who introduced me to NagaWorld a couple of months ago. My friends, Sovanna and her husband, and my Auntie Malika, as well as my father’s cousin, Prince Sirirath Sisowath and his family also attended. My “Grandfather” Prince Norodom Sirivudh, Dr. Kol Pheng, Founding Father of PUC, my father’s cousin, Princess Santa Sisowath, also a member of PUC’s Board of Trustees, and my father’s close friend, Nady Tan, Senior Minister of the Royal Government, were not able to attend due to fundraising events.

Next, we went dancing at Darlin Darlin Club Lounge, located downstairs from Pangea Fusion Restaurant. My father left to go home, since it is past his bedtime. My Auntie Malika went to gamble, and never showed up at Darlin Darlin. She later told me she got lucky and won a lot of money. It must be in our genes, because I love to gamble as well, but I’m not as lucky as my auntie. I’ll stick to dancing. Prince Sirirath’s wife, Marina, booked us a VIP Room at Darlin Darlin, and we continued the birthday celebration at the club.

Darlin Darlin is known for its “Live” band performance and great dance songs. It is the hottest and hippest nightclub in Phnom Penh. We were the first people to get on the dance floor. The Filipino band performed and then they stopped and started singing “Happy Birthday” and walked toward our VIP Room. We thought it was for someone else at the club, but it was actually for me. My friends and I went to our VIP Room, as they serenaded me. In Cambodia, the Happy Birthday song is not like the ones in the U.S. The difference is that they leave your name out. Earlier, at the restaurant, my friends and family sang the birthday song, and added my name in it. Many of the guests were Americans, or have lived in the U.S. and were familiar with the traditional Birthday song.

The highlight of the night was the dancing of Dr. Keneth Robinson, Assistant Dean and Professor at PUC, and my sister, Seda. It was like a dance competition show when both of them were on the floor. The entire crowd at Darlin Darlin was glued to the dance floor as the two exchanged dance moves. The dancing continued in our VIP Room. At the end of the night, there were only 5 of us left, and I had to take off my shoes and lay on the comfortable couch inside our VIP room.

October 29^th is the Coronation Day Celebration of King Sihamoni who was inaugurated and formally anointed as King in 2004. In addition, his father, King Norodom Sihanouk’s 88^th birthday is October 31^st and the weekend is a long extended holiday for the people of Cambodia. When we were driving to the restaurant, fireworks were displayed outside the Royal Palace, and my father said, “Look, fireworks in honor of your birthday.” Thank you, Seda, for organizing the party, and especially to my father, for making my birthday memorable and special in Cambodia. The past several years I was not able to celebrate my birthday with my father, and this year…well my wish came true.

Happy Birthday to King Norodom Sihanouk as well!