When Bicycles Mingle x Politics…
I learned only this saturday night that there would be the first time ever bicycle race in Phnom Penh since the end of the war (although there is a race organised in Siem Reap and one in Kep every year).
It comes under various auspicious signs and interesting circumstances. First of all, the race happens on the exact day that my daughter rides a bicycle without any help. Second a bird dropped some of its internal brew on my camera when I was taking these photographs, and that is supposed to bring me (or the camera) good luck.
As for the interesting circumstances: tomorrow the commemoration of January 7th takes place. That was the day in 1979 that the Vietnamese army took Phnom Penh and chased away the Khmer Rouge regime. Some see it as an invasion, others as a liberation, depending if you are against- or pro- the actual government. And as today’s race was held under the high patronage of the Phnom Penh Municipality, the January 7th date was mentioned time and again over the loudspeakers, or: where sports and politics meet… A cherry on that particular pie is that mountain bikes were compulsory for all contestants… except for a Vietnamese team which came with road bikes and obviously the Vietnamese won (at least the women’s race).
Needless to say the organisation, be it very enthusiastic, was rather messy, with contestants racing in both directions on the same street, confusing messages regarding the number of laps to cover, contestants being flagged out of the race for no reason etc…
But the riders had great fun and there is one VERY big positive thing: bicycles (lots of them) on the streets of Phnom Penh. The more the better…
I love bicycles. See here…
