The King Father

Cambodia has a king.  They also have a president.  I'm not going to get into who holds the power because it's confusing and this is not a political blog.
 The current king is Norodom Sihamoni.  His father, Norodom Sihanouk, died in Beijing last week.  

The Khmer people loved this king.  As his body was brought back to Cambodia, the city lined the streets.  

I went with Sunny and her friends.

This is everyone who was there...basically...everyone

We waited for hours.  

By 'hours', I mean more than 5 hours.  

There was a Gamelan orchestra. (I did not have to google that to know what it was.  I just know.  Occupational hazard of the World Music Cultures TAs.)  For those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about, I have a clip for you. 

It's an acquired taste. 

After many hours in the hot sun, when it was close to setting, the king's procession came. 

even in Cambodia, where people are small, the policemen are fat
a random little girl who lingered around us
and the tourist police...in case I, ya know, cause trouble.

People cried and knelt in the streets.  Others stood with cameras running.  Some held flowers, incense sticks, or pictures of the old king. 

Then we left.  I don't know what I expected.  I suppose I expected the unexpected.  I ran into some more missionaries who tried to proselyte to me.  I had no idea of the dress code, and didn't have the clothes to follow it even if I knew what it was.  Pattica made a ribbon for me, so at least I got one part of it right.  It was incredible to see the world stop for this man who has caused his country both joy and grief.