boating Cambodia style

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We were told most Cambodians don't take the boat anymore along the river and the gigantic Tonle Sap (Great Lake)from Siem Reap to Battambang, Cambodia's 2nd largest city, they take the bus. That should have tipped us off. We were warned the water is low this time of year, and trips take longer. But aside from the 8 1/2 hours on board when 3-5 were estimated, the journey was incredible. Once leaving Siem Reap we passed only two sizeable villages before Battambang but many smaller fishing villages on stilts along the riverbank, many houseboats, and many fishermen. Fishing is the way of life here. Fishing is not just for men--we passed a younger woman in a sarong and T shirt, cranking up one of the bigger bamboo fish traps rigged with a large pulley system. These folks are poor, by any definition, although a dip in the river on a hot day can make any child smile. Families live on houseboats that are little more than bamboo woven covers curved over the middle of the boat. They live in one room stilted bamboo shacks with no walls. They live on a platform with bamboo covering hitched to their fish trap. They have virtually nothing. We knew we were close to Battambang when motorbikes parked under houses and TV antennas started to appear. While in the parts of northern Cambodia that we are seeing, the average income and living standard have improved, a rising tide has not floated all boats. But so friendly! and smiling! the kids love to yell hello as soon as the boat (one a day we are told) passes by them. And pass by it did, at times painfully slowly as the overloaded longboat made its way around riverbends with oncoming local boat traffic. Two thirds of the way, we changed in a chaotic process to smaller more maneuverable boats. But still we grounded 3 times, and the motor quit a few times more. Infrastructure is not keeping up with demand--folks strain to provide services but they just don't have much to work with. Yet.

At first glance Battambang does not impress. But as we walked around, folks were friendly and helpful. The few things we bought we paid local prices or close to (as told by folks ahead of us). The town has electricity but almost everything stops at dark. The market shuts up, shops close, even the better restaurants are open till 9 only. The absence of large numbers of tour buses filled with Asians from wealthier countries is a relief. The town has one international school and one high end imported goods shop (a ittle bit of Dove, meusli, Heinz, etc), suggesting that some westerners live here. Food is cheap and incredibly delicious here, no more western priced rice plates at the Angor temples.

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