Our day began early along the banks of the Tonle Sap River as we rose to avoid the midday heat. We tied up just outside of the village of Kampong Tralach near green rice paddies and flowering lotus ponds. Disembarking before sunrise, we were able to observe as daily life began along this stretch of the river.
This particular morning offered us an opportunity to ride in a form of transportation which has remained almost entirely unchanged since Angkorian times: the rural oxcart! Sitting “toboggan-style” two-by-two in the back of each cart we began our journey through the rice paddies. Arriving at a time of the harvest when the rice shoots were still maturing, we were treated to beautiful, verdant fields. Each of us rode along, followed closely behind by the two oxen guiding the carts behind our own. Our long and winding train made a stop at some of the lotus ponds, to see this holy flower of the Buddhist faith. Although the fields were waning a bit in their blossoms, we experienced many different stages of the flowering process.
We arrived at the local village of Kampong Tralach, amidst a great deal of fanfare. The children of the school were gathered in the tiny school courtyard to share with us some dancing, music, and the raising of the Cambodian flag. We next followed them into their classrooms to learn a bit about public education in rural Cambodia, and had wonderful interactions with each class and age group. Returning to the Jahan was a difficult process, as we felt so loved and welcomed into the community!
We spent the remainder of the morning cruising upriver on the Tonle Sap and our riverboat navigated small channels along the way. There were children shouting hello from the riverbanks, and we passed the occasional Buddhist temple in the distance. The highlight of our morning cruise however was the incredible bird life we found as we continued north. Pied kingfishers guided us with their black and white flash, and we were excited to see the occasional iridescent blue of a white-throated kingfisher. A major highlight was an incredible look at a black-shouldered kite surveying the riverbank. We had terns, swallows, martins, swifts, coucals, and a plethora of Javanese pond herons. It was a wonderful opportunity to experience a bit of the natural history of the region.
In the afternoon, we arrived to our anchorage across from the city of Kampong Chhnang. Local boats came to Jahan and ferried us to shore, where we quickly drove out of the city to the village of Andang Russey. This village offers an opportunity to see two traditional ways of making a living in the countryside: the collecting of palm sugar and the creation of clay pottery for home use. We learned about the fruits and flowers of the Palmyra palm, and how the juice and the flesh of each can be used to create palm sugar, palm wine, and palm whiskey. Mr. Ri, the palm sugar guru, illustrated the process of collection by climbing a rickety bamboo ladder up the side of a palm. He brought down the charred bamboo containers used to collect the liquid from the pressed flowers and then our guides discussed how this is boiled into a thick, brown, sugary substance, much like brown sugar. Our groups split at this moment to visit two different clay pot producers. Each woman creates 30-40 perfect cooking pots every day, without the use of a wheel or even a chair on which to sit. The pots are being created in the same style as they have been for generations and the knowledge of the trade is passed down from mother to daughter.
We returned to the Tonle Sap River at a different location, so as to visit the busy and bustling floating village to the north of Kampong Chhnang. The floating village is made up entirely of Vietnamese families who are working in aquaculture. Nearly every home has a net or cage underneath it, enclosing different species of fish which are raised for consumption. The early evening light was beautiful and highlighted the bright blue homes and colorfully painted boats in the village.
We returned to Jahan just before sunset and began the journey south, back toward the capital city of Phnom Pehn. We are reminded daily of the incredible, beautiful simplicity of life along this river system. Meeting so many of the local people has given us a window into the heart and soul of Cambodia, and we are beginning to understand why this country captures nearly everyone who visits it.
