Cambodia and the Voice of God

I woke up this morning at 7:30 on a SATURDAY to a scary, angry voice on a loudspeaker followed by traditional cambodian music blaring. Literally, minus the music I thought the voice was having a horrible one-sided, schizophrenic argument and urging us all to go to war. Not the greatest wake up call. I mean NORMALLY a 7:30 wake up call wouldn't bother me, as you know Andrew and I like to run a half marathon every morning at sunrise (up hill through the rain no less haha) but last night we may have par-taked in 1 too many...what are the kids calling it these days? oh yeah, BEERS and while listening to the awful racket was contemplating suffocating myself with a pillow. (Inevitably, I chose not to as I thought a Cambodian funeral may be a hard for my parents logistically). I know it sounds very culturally ignorant to not appreciate the music, but to my hung-over head it sounded like Andrew's niece, Jasmine, rocking out on her $5 keyboard mixed with fingernails scratching down a chalkboard. Needless to say, I'm not buying the CD.

Finally able to fall asleep, Andrew and I rose a couple of hours later and worked our way to the breakfast table to inquire as to the 'lovely' symphony that was actually STILL GOING ON (4 hours later). A few fellow breakfast-goers were asking the same questions, with the commencement time of the music creeping closer and closer to sunrise. (I thought 7:30, people apparently heard it at 6) Upon further inspection, it seems that the scary announcer guy and the wonderful melodies were part of a wedding ceremony! You can imagine my surprise when the waiter told me that not only dose it start early in the morning, that it's actually a 3 day event!

We promptly checked out of the hotel and will be heading back to Pnomh Penh tomorrow. The leaving may or may not be related to the wedding music, however, it was good motivation.

And now my internet time is up, and I hear the wedding music again (of course). May be I'll drop in for a dance b/c you know I enjoy it so much.