R. Doug Wicker — Author | Stories of Mystery and Adventure

May 27, 2026 · 5:35 am

Cambodia – Taking in Traditional Khmer Dances at the Golden Temple Residence

Our reserved table for the Khmer Dance Dinner Show

Diving into Cambodian culture doesn’t get much more traditional than this — a dinner show featuring traditional Khmer dances. And yes, I got video. It’s on my YouTube channel, and I’ll link that toward the end of today’s article. As for this particular show, it’s a weekly event held at the Golden Temple Residence’s restaurant, which I gave you a glimpse of on Monday. While the everyday menu is very good, this dinner show offers something a bit more upscale on the cuisine level. Here’s our menu for this evening (5 November 2025):

As the restaurant is situated directly across from the pool and the poolside seating area, that seating area becomes the stage for this show:

The dinner is presented at the same time as the show, which features traditional Khmer dances. Those dances are described in the accompanying list available at each table:

As one would expect, the dances are performed in traditional costumes and, when appropriate, masks:

These next two photo galleries/slide shows show our dinner and the dances presented to us this evening:

Next week I’ll start showing you around Siem Reap via a tuk-tuk tour. This week’s Fun Photo Friday will feature Golden Temple Residence and Khmer Dance favorites. But until then, I promised you a video of our Khmer Dance Show:

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The Meaning of Memorial Day

Normandy American Cemetery, France

Honorably discharged veterans of the military are frequently thanked on this day for their service to their nation. And although we are grateful for the thanks, veterans would like to remind you that Veterans Day (formerly Armistice Day and also known as Remembrance Day to our Commonwealth Cousins) is the time to celebrate military service both past and present. Memorial Day is set aside to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of a grateful nation.

Overlooking Omaha Beach, Normandy

Memorial Day was originally conceived as Decoration Day in the immediate wake of the Civil War, and it formally commemorated the horrendous loss of life experienced by both the Union and the Confederacy.

Statue Titled: The Spirit of American Youth Rising from the Waves Normandy American Cemetery

The true meaning of Memorial Day has been all but obscured since Congress changed the date of observance from May 30 to the last Monday in May so as to create a three-day weekend. Now, unfortunately, it’s seen more as a quasi National Barbeque Day and the unofficial First Day of Summer. As a result its true meaning has been obscured to many.

M4 Sherman Tank on Utah Beach

Veterans Day suffered a similar fate – moved to the fourth Monday of October – but in this case Congress acknowledged the dilution of that holiday’s true meaning and moved it back to its hard date of November 11 a few years later. Congress really ought to do the same with Memorial Day. To me, that’s a much more solemn occasion deserving of even more respect than Veterans Day.

German Gun Emplacement Overlooking Pointe de Hoc

In April, 2012, I had the solemn privilege of walking through some of the battlefields of the D-Day Invasion in Normandy, France. It was a pilgrimage I had wanted to make since I was a youngster of nine sitting in a darkened theater at an Air Force Base in Ohio watching the classic film The Longest Day. The pictures I took that cold day in April are what you’ve been experiencing throughout this blog.

Pointe de Hoc, Normandy

Below are a few more reminders of what we commemorate on this solemn occasion. Included in those photographs are the markers for Medal of Honor recipient Brigadier General Theodore “Ted” Roosevelt, Jr. who died just five weeks after he led the landing at Utah Beach, and his younger brother 2nd Lieutenant Quentin Roosevelt of the 95th Aero Squadron (Pursuit), who also fell on French soil just two days shy of twenty-six years earlier — during World War I. They are two brothers separated by two World Wars reunited a quarter century later in hallowed ground in Normandy, France.

Normandy American Cemetery, France

Normandy American Cemetery

Brigadier General Theodore Roosevelt, Jr., Normandy, France

2nd Lieutenant Quentin Roosevlelt

Cambodia – Siem Reap and the Golden Temple Residence

Golden Temple Residence, Siem Reap, Cambodia

Time to begin another long series on yet another lengthy trip. Over the coming months I’ll be showing you our forty-day Southeast Asia adventure, which began in Siem Reap, Cambodia via Singapore on 1 November 2025. From there we ventured on to Bangkok, Thailand, then returned to Singapore for a two-night stay before embarking on a 14-night cruise. That cruise took us to Penang and Phuket, Thailand; Hambantota and Colombo, Sri Lanka; Cochin and Goa, India; finishing up in Mumbai, India. After disembarking in Mumbai, we began an extensive 17-day exploration of India. That tour took us to Jaipur, Ranthambore, Agra, Chennai, and finally to Mahabalipuram (Mamallapuram) before heading back to Singapore for two nights. So, as you can see, we have quite a lot to cover here on the blog over the next several months.

But before I get to the fascinating antiquities in and around Siem Reap, Cambodia (such as Angkor Wat), I’m going to do something I seldom even consider. I’m going to show our incredible accommodations here and, on Wednesday, I’ll show you the traditional Khmer dances we enjoyed at this resort’s restaurant during their weekly dinner show. Yes, we were that impressed with this five-star resort — the Golden Temple Residence on Angkor Night Market Street near Sok San Road and almost directly across from the Golden Temple Boutique, which is another five-star resort falling under the same ownership. Not only were the accommodations superb and the restaurant wonderful, but the location was also perfect. We found ourselves less that ten minutes’ walk from Siem Reap’s Art Center Night Market and other major shopping areas.

When you arrive to the Golden Temple Residence and pass through the nondescript outer wall, you’ll stroll past the pool (above) and into the entrance leading to the main lobby:

Before we take a look at our room, let’s focus once more on that pool:

We’ll head to the restaurant in a moment, but for now it’s time to show you our fantastic room:

After visiting the room, Ursula and I headed back toward the lobby and stepped into the adjoining restaurant:

Golden Temple Residence restaurant (reception area visible through the opening on the left)

Here you’ll find a restaurant that caters to local cuisine, which you can see at this menu link. If that’s not to your liking, however, restaurants featuring more western-style foods are nearby. But when in Cambodia….

Wednesday’s article returns us to the same restaurant, but this time for a dinner show featuring traditional Khmer dances.

Слава Україні! (Slava Ukraini!)

R. Doug Wicker — Author

Cambodia – Taking in Traditional Khmer Dances at the Golden Temple Residence

The Meaning of Memorial Day

Cambodia – Siem Reap and the Golden Temple Residence

Decisions

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