Explorations in SE Asia: A puppet parade, hordes of kids and a lady boy show.


Hello crowds

What a truly incredible evening. I met up with my new Cambodian friend and after hanging out all afternoon we headed into town to watch the Siem Reap Puppet Parade. There were people everywhere and SO many kids!! The ginormous puppets are made by local NGO's. Grace House made a Clouded Leopard. The kids had SO much energy! They shouted and sang and chanted and jumped around all evening. I suppose for many of them, this parade is the biggest event the get to see/take part in all year. It was only slightly less than chaotic. :) But so much fun, and so incredibly hot and humid; all those bodies moving and so close together. Keeping up with all the kids and walking in the jammed crowed for an hour.....we came out looking like we'd just been in the pool with our clothes on. Afterwards I had dinner from a street vendor with my new Cambodian friend. We sat on the curb and watched the parade die down and ate out noodles. It was great! Later we went to watch her brother perform. Little did I know that he dances at a gay bar. He does a killer dance to 'Billy Jean.' There were a few lady boy acts as well. That's definitely something I've never seen before. It was pretty amazing. Oh, and her brother is 18. What an evening!