Rediscovering Cambodia: Inside royal walls
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E-mail CNTV, October 8, 2012
Of all the resplendent buildings in the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh, the Royal Palace has to be the most attractive, and it dominates the city skyline. Cambodia’s royal family has experienced many rises and falls over the past century, but their influence remains as solid as the Palace itself.
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Of all the resplendent buildings in the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh, the Royal Palace has to be the most attractive, and it dominates the city skyline. |
Modest, amiable, and respected. All these words can be used to describe Norodom Sihamoni, the King of Cambodia. The King used to be a professional artist in his early years, and he’s a very private person. It’s a rare privilege for a foreign TV crew to capture these images of the King attending a ceremony for the release of a documentary about a children’s hospital. But his home is always open to the public.
As with royal palaces the world over, Phnom Penn’s palace is a big attraction for visitors, both domestic and overseas. The lofty roofs and golden surfaces of the palace reflect the characteristics of the royal residence. All the buildings open to the public have their own special functions.
It’s the first time these children have visited the palace. Some of them are not able to go to school. Their lunches are provided by a foreign funded charity organization. Meak, a tutor in the charity, insists the children need to know some history, despite being from among the poorest families in the country.
The children are not the only ones paying their respects here. Sam Sathya used to work as a dancer at the palace. She’s now a dance teacher at the Royal University of Fine Art. Her deep bond with the Royal family brings her to the palace every year, and she collects flowers to give to them as a special sign of respect. She believes it will bring her good luck.
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