Kompong Tralach and Kompong Chhnang, Cambodia
Today began in a wonderful way, with a brilliant, orange sunrise over the Tonle Sap River. After leaving the relative chaos of Phnom Penh this morning, we entered into a pastoral, green landscape as we moved farther and farther north on the river. We saw areas of rice paddy and swathes of water hyacinth, both of which are inundated by the river during the monsoon season when it reverses its flow. We cruised past makeshift rafts of bamboo, attached to fishing nets. Each of these was attached to a block and tackle and a winch, presumably to pull the nets up as they fill with fish.
Smoke was in the air as we cruised farther north, both from the burning of harvested rice straw and the smoking of fish for storage. We passed numerous Buddhist temples and also Muslim mosques along the banks of the river in the early morning light.
Late morning, we arrived at the peaceful village of Kompong Tralach and boarded our transportation for the morning. For most of us, this was a first-time experience, and we embarked with adventure in mind. Our transportation consisted of a wooden cart, pulled along by an experienced driver and two cattle. These “ox-carts” are used in many of the local villages to carry people and supplies over distance, but for the morning they were put into use to take us through the calming landscape of rural Cambodia. We passed emerald green rice paddies, water lily ponds, and beautiful pools of pink lotus flowers. We arrived to a Buddhist temple complex and were given an introduction to this faith by our local, Cambodian guides. We walked around the historic buildings, interacting with lovely children along the way.
After returning by ox-cart to our floating home, we relaxed onboard for lunch and continued our journey northward. We enjoyed the afternoon on deck, leisurely making our way through the lovely landscape. Off in the distance, we saw higher areas of land and mountains—the Cardamom Mountains—and eventually we anchored outside the city of Kompong Chhnang.
We made our way ashore by local boat, enjoying views of homes on stilts, a spirit house with bright red flags, and the ubiquitous swifts and swallows darting around us in flight. Arriving to the town, itself, we headed out in small vans to arrive at a village on the outskirts of this larger city. The village is known for its production of pottery, not for decorative sale, but for use by the locals in this village and many others farther afield. We walked through the local home lots, encountering many Cambodian people making their living off the land or the resources that it directly provides. After watching an amazing demonstration of pottery production by a local woman, we then proceeded to the home of a man who collects palm sap for a living. Converting the sugary substance into caramelized sugar and also fermenting it into alcohol, he illustrated his trade by climbing a palm tree (by way of a bamboo ladder) and collecting the sap that had been dripping all day into bamboo containers. With a contagious smile and a happy manner, he entertained us all simply by engaging us with his daily routine.
In the evening, we returned to Kompong Chhnang city and walked along the market stalls lining one of the main streets. Closing up for the day, the vendors were boisterously collecting their wares and products for sale. We returned to Jahan by local boat and relaxed back into our evening. It was lovely to spend a quieter day in this corner of rural Cambodia after our visit to the capital city, and we were privileged enough to spend time with the local people that make this country one of the friendliest in the world.
