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Published: July 21st 2008
After the splendors of Angkor Wat, we spent several more days exploring other aspects of Siem Reap. One particularly meaningful experience was a visit to the landmine museum, run by the Cambodian Landmine Museum Relief Fund
. The project was begun by Aki Ra, a former member of the Khmer Rouge Army. Though only a child when he was enlisted, he was taught to work with explosives and to lay the deadly weapons. Now, years later, he has removed and decommissioned thousands of these mines, often without anything but the most rudimentary equipment. In addition to raising awareness and funds for landmine victims, the organization has taken in more than 30 young people who have been severely injured by mines and other weapons.
It is estimated there are between 8 and 10 million unexploded landmines still left in Cambodia, the majority being found in the provinces in the north and west of the country. Though the number of landmine deaths per year is decreasing due to de-mining efforts and improved awareness, over 30 people a month still lose their lives to unexploded ordnances; many of them children. Those lucky enough to survive are often severely crippled: to date there are over 40,000 landmine amputees in Cambodia.
These statistics are extremely sobering, and the effects of the deadly mines are visible even in the more affluent areas of Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, where disfiguered victims, many missing multiple limbs, beg for money.
Later, we traveled to Battambang by boat, across the Tonle Sap, Southeast Asia’s largest freshwater lake. The rich mixing of sediment from the Mekong and Tonle Sap rivers provides a perfect environment for marine life to thrive. The vast majority of fish consumed in Cambodia come from the Tonle Sap. In addition to the impressive amount of wildlife, the lake and river are also famous for breathtaking scenery and floating villages.
Our guidebook had warned that travel can be a bit slow during the dry season when the waters recede, but I was still wasn’t expecting our supposed three hour journey to turn into an all-day ordeal. The first hours of the ride were splendid; we were loaded into a boat bright and early in the morning at the docks outside of Siem Reap. In the morning mist the lake was so vast it appeared to be as endless and
Village
Tonle Sapinterminable as the ocean. About and hour and a half later we reached the mouth of the river, traveling between the lush green banks and passed fishing villages where the children ran out in packs to wave at us enthusiastically.
Farther upriver, however, the water slowed to a muddy trickle the boat kept getting impossibly bogged down in the sludge. Our daring crew attempted to push us free of the mire with long poles, and when that failed would simply dive in and attempt to un-stick the rudder. This continued to several more hours; getting stuck, pushed to freedom, floating, stuck again….
Eventually, it was deemed useless and we were unloaded in a field; 40 people and all their baggage crammed on two pickup trucks. To be fair, the Cambodians ride to work with double the amount of people packed precariously in trucks, cruising down the highway with a mound of humanity clinging to the wheel wells. Still, for me the situation seemed a bit too precarious, the ground was deeply rutted, and the trucks tipped unstably as they slowly trundled across the uneven earth. Hours later we arrived in Battambang, thirsty, caked in dust, and sore;
our clothes torn from passing branches. Ah well, its all about the journey...
The beauty of the lake was definitely worth it, but to anyone out there thinking of repeating this experience in the dry season: I would settle for a nice long tour of the lake and then take the bus to Battambang!
Battambang is Cambodia’s second largest city, and quite famous for its well-preserved colonial architecture. It sits picturesquely along the sleepy Sangkar River. After taking a much-needed shower in the guesthouse we walked around looking for a place to eat. There was some kind of carnival going on, with rides for the kids, balloons for sale, and games. We got some cane juice from a vendor and sat along the river, watching families passing by. It seemed to be a very interesting city, unique from the bustling tourist centers of Phnom Penh and Siem Reap. Unfortunately, we didn’t get a chance to explore too much since we needed to head toward the opposite border before our Vietnamese visa expired. The next morning we caught a bus back to Phnom Penh.
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