Fabien’s eyes bulged.
On cue I ducked just in time for the branches to sweep over my head. Others weren’t so lucky and ended up with fierce lashings across their arms, backs and faces.
It was the end of December, and Cambodia was just emerging from the rainy season. The only way to travel through the flooded forests from Siem Reap to Battambang was by the boat. So early in the morning we boarded a boat that would traverse Tonle Sap (a larger fresh water lake right located in the belly button of Cambodia), through the flooded forests and along the winding river to the small town of Battambang. The boat wasn’t built for a nine-hour pleasure ride and the small wooden seats quickly became intolerable.
The logical thing to do (at least in my mind) was the follow the Cambodian men and some of the other foreigners and climb onto the roof of the boat. There Mandy and I nestled in between the backpacks, boxes and other traveler suppliers. The sun bore down on our defenseless bodies, and we felt like tiny strips of bacon sizzling on the tin roof. But the warm breeze in our hair and the incredible sights from our vantage point soon outweighed the harsh rays.
Much of the journey was through forests that had become flooded during the earlier rains. Entire families lived their lives aboard small wooden crafts, some just a meter or two long and only a meter wide. Boats of women and men, full of pots and pans and other cooking goods, with a child or three hanging in the hammocks, floated up to one another selling their wares. Soon we passed larger floating buildings… a floating church, and then a floating gymnasium, complete with basketball nets and court lines clearly marked. These people had completely accustomed themselves to life on the water. As we passed by, children ran out to see us shouting ‘he-llo… he-llo’, giggling hysterically upon our replies.
Giggles, smiles and laughter – from children, women, and men. Antonio, an Italiano living his second life in Cambodia, pointed out, “Cambodians truly enjoy life and each moment that is presented to them. They are free and they feel free. I see their happiness, and I can feel their warmth and their love.” That is what makes Cambodians so unique in South East Asia.
Recovering from the incredibly ruthless past of the Khmer Rouge regime lead by Pol Pot, Cambodia is a country that is looking ahead. This is incredible for a country that suffered mass execution, starvation, and overwork less than 3 decades ago, killing over 1 million out of 8 million people, simply because they were intellectuals, or past government employees, or foreigners, or opposed the violent regime… or… wore glasses. And now, it appears (on CNN at least) that the old regime is finally being tried and the Cambodians at last can live in peace. Well, at least somewhat.
But the history of the country is not what drew me to it - Angkor Wat did. Many have said, “You’ve got to visit Angkor Wat before it becomes a Machu Picchu.” And they were right. Built 900 years ago, Angkor Wat was the home and worship site for thousands of Khmers (Cambodians).
One of the first Western visitors to the temple was Antonio da Magdalena, a Portuguese monk (1586) who said that it "is of such extraordinary construction that it is not possible to describe it with a pen, particularly since it is like no other building in the world. It has towers and decoration and all the refinements which the human genius can conceive of". In other words, just go and do! That is, see it for yourself!
During our two weeks in Cambodia we experienced the dusty city life in Phnom Penh and were lucky to meet Nhean in Battambang, who graciously took us to the countryside to experience the rural life. Like a large part of the Cambodian population and most foreigners, we spent New Years Eve on the beach in Sihanoukville with Luke and Jesse (friends from Japan who we randomly bumped into) dodging fireworks, drinking Angkor beer and eating spicy seafood curry.
Ahhh… just another winter vacation in South East Asia.
