We hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Although we missed all of you, our Thanksgiving dinner was complete with good food, including a turkey, and good friends doing their best to serve the people of Cambodia.

We've posted five photos in case you would like to see a little bit of the Water Festival, and why Phnom Penh's population swells by over two million people each year at this time. The authorities still have no clear answer as to what caused the stampede panic that caused so many deaths--over 400 now--but the city is now back to its usual pace. Much love to all. . .

As per a local travel website:

In November each year for the period of three days, Phnom Penh plays host to the most magnificent carnival in South East Asia, the Water Festival or Bonn Om Toeuk as it is known by Khmers. It is a celebration of the unique phenomenon when the great freshwater lake Tonle Sap reverses its flow. The city is adorned with colourful bunting and the Royal Palace is lit with rainbow coloured lights, the night air is filled with the sight and sound of fireworks. Parks come alive with food stalls and amusement rides and Khmer people travel great distances to be part of this wonderful and significant event.

More than three hundred boats take part in the annual race on the Mekong River, each propelled by a team of precision driven oarsmen. The boats are colourfully decorated and are a wonderful sight for the many spectators that line the shore.

The full moon of the Buddhist calendar month of Kadeuk is celebrated in conjunction with the festival. The Khmer people believe that the full moon will bring good luck and a bountiful harvest. On this special night a banquet is prepared and offers such cuisine delicacies as fish amok, fresh vegetables and fruit. A ceremony is performed where the chief priest lights candles and as the hot wax drips on the banana leaves spread beneath the candles, predictions are made about future harvests.

The Tonle Sap lake is the largest fresh water lake in South East Asia; it provides fish and irrigation for most of the population in Cambodia. From mid May to the beginning of October each year during the monsoon season an amazing natural phenomenon occurs, the Tonle Sap swells to three times its normal size and reverses its flow. At the end of October when the lake reduces in size the water flows back the other way as it did before the wet season. This process makes the lake of Tonle Sap the richest source of freshwater fish in the region. The Water Festival is held in Phnom Penh annually in celebration of this amazing, extraordinary, natural phenomenon.

The below photos depict our Water Festival experience a few hours before the tragedy on the bridge.

We are watching the boat races and crowds from the second floor of Kiwi Bakery. This photo was taken early in the afternoon. By nightfall, the crowds had increased to the point of standing room only. The weather was ideal.

Although just cruising in this photo, for the past three days these colorful boats were involved in races. Each boat has over 60 paddlers with a man at the front keeping them in rhythm with a megaphone, and a man bailing water that spills inside. An estimated 300 boats participated.

This little girl doesn't look particularly enthused to be selling inflatable toys while so many others are enjoying the festivities.

Now that the daily rains have stopped, "winter" breezes have brought out kite sellers. They can be found along the streets during the week and were busily working the Water Festival crowds as well.

When it got dark, a procession of nine boats, each intricately lighted in different designs, made its way up the river with a backdrop of a fantastic 30-minute fireworks display. The boats looked to be 60-100 feet long.