APAD 179: Romorque
These girls are off to work travelling by romorque to the market to sell their produce. I had a good shot of them when they pulled over beside the tuk-tuk (another kind of romorque but differently built),
A romorque is a motorcycle pulling a trailer. It is most commonly used by the working class, especially outside Cambodia. The yellow sign is not related to my story today but serves as part of the photo’s background.
APAD 129: Shapes and colours
… at the dry goods section located at the ground floor of the O’Russei Market in Phnom Penh.
I did some edits here using Picasa. You can find the original photo posted here.
APAD 023: Signs of mourning
The whole Kingdom of Cambodia woke up to a very, very sad news of the King-Father’s death last Monday.
True, we knew that the former King Norodom Sihanouk was ill eversince he stepped down as King in 2004 but news such as this always comes as a shock.
Yesterday, the King-Father’s body was flown back to Cambodia from Beijing, China where he had resided in the last years receiving medical treatment there.
Yesterday, the King-Father was flown back to Cambodia; he is finally home in his motherland, and with his people.
With this picture (which my brother took yesterday at the Royal Palace), I am going to pursue a different take on the “signs”meme this week.
The whole country is mourning. A sea of people lined up at Phnom Penh’s main thoroughfares to wait for the King-Father’s funeral procession.
Men, women, and children – young and old alike – gathered at the Royal Palace (and the city’s main streets) as early as 11am despite yesterday’s scorching heat. They wore white and black clothes with black ribbons and armbands, a conventional sign of mourning. It was difficult to estimate how many people were on the streets yesterday but it was clearly more than the expected 100,000.
I also observed that there are a lot of young Cambodian males who shaved their heads, such as the one in the picture. Young Buddhist males shaving their heads is a also sign of mourning and respect to the dead, usually an older family member.
I’m sure many of you, by now, have read articles about the King-Father’s colourful, controversial life. I like what my friend said the other day. The King-Father may be all kinds of things but he is larger than life. He really embodied Cambodia, its ups and downs, weaknesses and strengths.
Watching yesterday’s live coverage was very touching and emotional and it gave me goosebumps. No matter how cynical some foreigners may be to the Royal Family, I have seen with my own eyes how the Cambodian people truly, truly love the King-Father.
Cambodians brave the scorching heat to wait for their beloved King-Father’s arrival at the Royal Palace.
Welcome home, King-Father. May you rest in peace.
APAD 367 (002): Eyes wide open
There’s a boy waiting to cross the road.
Driving in Phnom Penh requires all your five senses and ESP. You’ll never predict what’s going to happen. Other vehicles come at you in all directions possible and pedestrians just jump right in front of you.
This boy crossed the road only a few metres away from an oncoming Land Cruiser. Luckily, the driver managed to step on the break just in the nick of time. From where I stood I saw the driver, an expat, raised his hands in exasperation. Ahhh, the what ifs.
One must have the steel of nerves to drive in this country.
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