What can I say about Battambang? It was absolutely lovely. The town itself is very small and a bit
sleepy, but the serendipitous nature of our visit was unrivaled in the whole of
Cambodia. The stars were truly aligned
when these 5 strangers boarded a river boat to Battambang and were fortunate
enough to pick Sambath out amongst the 2 dozen tuk-tuk drivers. I can only hope
that anyone who visits Cambodia has a chance encounter similar to mine. I hope luck is on your side because without
this group of United Nations, this trip would not hold such a big place in my
heart.
It started by joining forces with Guillaume from the South of France. We met in the hostel in Siem Reap and coincidentally were hopping on the same river cruise to Battambang. His friend, Inka, from Poland met us at the dock. Once there, we boarded a rickety (at best) double-decker river boat.
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| A super crowded bus to the ferry |
During the course of the 9 hours, we passed through amazing floating villages where you would think they auditioned the happiest people in Cambodia to live. For people that have nothing but the love of their families, these people are the richest of all in Cambodia. They are rich with love, laughter and whimsy. They are super friendly and although we were warned via Lonely Planet that they do not take kindly to the River Boat since it creates unnecessary waves, these people were exuberant to see us.
Every floating shack we passed met us with waves and smiles. Every dirt mound we passed greeted us with smiling and laughing children showing off their diving, jumping and twirling skills into the water. Naked toddlers and adolescents were throwing themselves and each other joyously in the air for a chance to show off their amazing skills to the westerners crossing the river. It was a fantastic sight.
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| Naked kids showing off their sweet jumping skills into the river |
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| Since it took 9 hours, we got to see the sunset! |
We picked up a German, Tini, and a Spaniard, Lorena, on the
boat as well. We shared tour guides and
stories and decided as a group that we should all stay in the same hotel and
try to catch the circus that evening. I
had planned to stay at Chhaya based on the Lonely Planet’s recommendation and
they agreed to stay there as well. That
is how we met Sambath. Sambath was one
of 5 or 6 tuk-tuk drivers holding up a sign for the ant infested, run down
Chhaya Hotel that was marginal at best.
He and I made eye contact, and I secured a tuk-tuk for the lot of us.
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| Sambath, our amazing tour guide! |
While on the boat, we had discussed things we wanted to do
in Battambang. Lorena wanted to go to the
circus, the German wanted to go to the Bamboo Train, Guillaume wanted to see the
bat caves and I wanted to take a cooking class (however, since the boat took
too long, we missed that opportunity), but we did the rest. We knew we would have a lot of driving to do
the following day, so we negotiated with Sambath to pick us up at noon the next
day and hired him out for the full day for $15 ($3 each).
That night, however, we visited the Phare Ponleu Selpak's circus (http://www.phareps.org). It was basically an after school program developed in 1986 to help kids deal with the trauma of war by providing social, educational, emotional and cultural support. Their art school teaches kids music, art and acrobatics with a Circ du Soleil type of theme. It was marvelous!
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| Ouch, the contortionist and the acrobat creeped me out |
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| Super balancing guy |
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| The high fliers! |
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| Flaming jump rope! |
The next morning, Sambath was right on time, smiling and friendly. He helped us run a couple of errands to the
post office etc and showed us some statues and important buildings around town,
then took us to the Bamboo Train.
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| This statue is a symbol of peace. It was created after the Khmer Rouge regime ended and is made up entirely of old gun parts. |
The Bamboo Train was on Tini’s wish list. I think the rest of the group just acquiesced
her at first, but it turned out to be a hoot!
The Bamboo Train is the last remaining site of the original Cambodian
railway and it is expected o be torn apart in the coming year. It is a single-track railway with cars
constructed of 2 wheel platforms and a bamboo bed on top.
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| Tini, Emily, Lorena, Inka and Guillaume on the Bamboo Train |
When we arrived, we paid $5 each to hop aboard. They had laid a rug and pillows down for us to sit on. Just prior to boarding a friend that we met the night before from England also randomly showed up.
The Bamboo Train is fabulous. It goes about 50km/hr and you barrel through the jungle on this rickety platform powered by a lawn mower motor and a Cambodian guide. When you approach a car coming toward you, both guides stop (thankfully) and whichever car has fewer passengers must get off the track, literally. Everyone gets off the platform and the 2 opposing conductors lift the platform off and place it to the side of the road, then pull both axles off the track, move the other train forward, then rebuild the original train back on the track behind the opposing one. It’s Fantastic! You have to dissemble and reassemble the cars several times during the round trip.
At the end of the line is a small village selling whole coconuts, t-shirts, pants, scarves and other Cambodian knickknacks. There are also tons of children selling friendship bracelets and making palm leaf grasshoppers that they give away and affix to ladies’ hair. I imagine it is a way to pass time for them, but also an income generator for those generous enough to contribute. I rewarded my generous benefactor with 500 real (12.5 cents), to which I was reciprocated with a huge hug and a smile.
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| The Grasshopper hair piece modeled by Tini |
These children were so happy. They matched the infectious happiness of the
kids on the riverbanks and we engaged them with dancing to Psy’s Gangnam
Style. They loved it and loved watching
videos of themselves dancing.
Our next stop was lunch.
Sambath took us to a local spot that rewards him with free lunch for
bringing tuk-tuks full of passengers with him.
We asked him to join us for lunch and had a lovely conversation. During the course of lunch we learned that
his family owns an English School that is basically a non-profit. Those that can afford it pay $1 per month and
the teachers essentially volunteer since they only get paid $20 per month. He has approximately 150 students, but only 20%
of them can actually afford to pay. So,
to make ends meet, Sambath drives a tuk tuk.
He has aspirations of buying his own tuk tuk but more so to open up an adventure travel
company that takes tourists from Battambang to Sihanoukville over the mountain
with camping and adventure hikes. This
guy was super aspirational and was determined to do it on his own without the
help of grants or donations.
I loved this kid. I
loved his spirit and generosity. His dreams
were contagious and it just made me want to help. I intend to send some books and supplies to
his school when I return to America.
While there, we asked him where we could get the best Khmer
food in Battambang. We wanted local food and were sure he would have a good
suggestion. He was surprised that we
liked local food and that our stomachs could handle local cuisine. We assured him it would and he said, “my mom
makes the best food in Cambodia.” We all
laughed a little bit then asked if his mom would cook for us. He was surprised and said he would ask her if
we were serious. We were! I told him we would be happy to pay her what
we normally would for dinner, (about $3 each) and he rang her to ask. She said yes!
We had a dinner date set for 7:00.
Sambath told us that his school got out at 7 and we told him to call
back and tell the kids to stay late because we would love to guest teach….and
we did!
First however, we had to see the rest of Battambang. Sambath took us to the mountain to see the
temples. We teased him about being lazy
and he finally conceded to climbing the hill with us. It was our lucky day because not only did he
take us to the top, but he also acted as a tour guide. He told us about each Wat and took us to the
killing caves where the Khmer Rouge pushed their victims to the bottom forever.
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| Sambath giving a lecture on the Khmer Rouge history of the Killing Cave |
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| Offering area for the Killing Cave |
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| Inside the Killing Caves |
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| Having a little fun with statues |
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| Ew…monkeys everywhere |
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| Seriously, there were monkeys everywhere! |
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| nice view from the top! |
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| Cambodian countryside |
On the way home, we stopped at the bat caves. Nightly at dusk, 5 million bats migrate out
of the cave and around town to feed. Everyone stands along the road and for
40-minutes, thousands of bats fly over head until all 5 million have left the
caves. When you clap or make a loud
sound, the collection of bats flinch and re-navigate momentarily. The masses of them move in waves through the
sky. It looks like a cartoon swarm of bees or like what wind would look like on
an animated television program. Careful as you look up, however, it is not
raining. That is bat piss. Yep, it rains bat piss on all the tourists
for the duration of the migration.
Yay! It was time for school.
We went to Sambath’s house and joined in with school. We sat with 4-5 kids each and counted with
them and talked about vegetables, colors and all kinds of elementary
things. Then, they taught us how to
Khmer dance. They had a recital coming
up in a town fair that weekend, so they could use the practice and we could use
the education. It was fabulous. The children were so excited to have guest
teachers. They were shy to speak at
first, but excited and when it was time for them to leave (and us to eat), you
could tell they were sad they had to go.
They loved learning and knew how special it was for them to get to go to
that school and also to have guest teachers.
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| Inka and I's team of students! |
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| Khmer dancing |
I seriously considered staying for a while to teach but I only had a few more days in Cambodia and really wanted to see the beaches that I had heard so much about.
The feast….oh the feast. Sambath’s mom put out all the stops! There was rice for everyone, of course, but also some amazing pork strips, stir fried vegetables, some amazing soup, fried cauliflower, some killer fish sauce. It was all so delicious, I couldn’t consume it fast enough. I was so full in the end, I practically had to be rolled out. It was absolutely lovely. I feel so lucky and fortunate to have stumbled across this opportunity and wish that everyone I know could have this exact experience of warmth, whimsy, awe and culture shock some day.
If you would like to donate time, money or resources to Sambath’s school, please give me a shout and you can piggyback with my donation going out in July.
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| Best Tuk Tuk driver and tour guide in Battambang. USE HIM! |
The Luxury Bathroom
ReplyDeleteBathroom is the important place for you to relax with the massage comes from water, leading to furniture shop in Cambodia construction materials reported.
One more thing the bathroom being a space, you can have normally feel with your feet and hands and the design is very conscious of the surface textures and their respective temperatures.
Indeed the timber is selected for its smooth and warm feel and to contrast the selected flamed and brushed in the display cubicles.
In addition the concrete wall to the East, which is the outdoor brought in, the operable windows from the North, East and West provide a very brightening color of the natural light and make this bathroom very fresh, that is needed for the modern home.
The Peaceful Place for the Family
ReplyDeleteThis interior is designed as the peaceful place for the family, leading to furniture shop in Phnom Penh construction materials stated.
One more thing, the design composed of a main residence, garage, stables and a large side building with four parking spaces and private offices.
In addition, the house is surrounded by a lovely garden with large lawns and ornamental stone with a total floor area of 450sqm.
Moreover, the house has a plenty of space for relaxation and family activities. Indeed, the interiors are mesmerizing and blend modern comfort with elegant traditional details.
Furthermore, the inside of the house visitor is overwhelmed with the spacious entrance hall, which communicates with the living room, kitchen and library. The dining area is surrounded by a glass pavilion, with views towards the garden.
Enlivening and understated by Robert MacNeille
ReplyDelete"The owners wanted a more inviting, light kitchen." said architect Robert MacNeille of the presented kitchen’s renovation concept, as delivered by trustworthy construction in Cambodia construction materials.
To fulfill the desired demand from owner, the architect added new windows for light penetration throughout the space and specified subtle palettes for the décor to alleviate the room. All of the fittings and fixtures in the design contributed to the old world.
"We chose a furniture-style cabinetry design to complement the decorative detailing evident throughout the house," stated MacNeille. "The painted cabinets and walnut island, which is like a table, also work with the owners' antique furniture."
The kitchen consisted of key features such as a separate pantry, new breakfast area and a coffered ceiling.
The Interior with Love English Sport
ReplyDeleteThis interior is just a great thing with lovely collection, trustworthy to furniture shop in Cambodia construction materials stated.
In addition, these eclectic interiors were spiced up with vintage elements by designer Timothy Oulton and thought of sharing them further.
As the designer explained, “some of them were inspired by the “Beat” culture of 1950s America, where writers and creative-types championed non-conformity”.
One more thing, the interior was dedicated to old English sports such as tennis, rugby and sailing and is said to exude “the class and refinement that once defined the world of sports”.
The Loft-Style House
ReplyDeleteWelcome to loft-style house, which has been designed by Architect David Hacin, trustworthy to furniture shop in Phnom Penh construction materials said.
One more thing, this house has been designed to offer studio spaces for owner’s artists as well as dedicated apartments – the money from the sale of which helps fund the studios, said architect David Hacin.
“I purchased the apartment in its raw state, which even then was impressive. I was very aware of the power of the full-height windows and was determined to create something that reveled in that”.
“The interior became a volume within a volume, with the bedrooms housed within a box structure that can be completely enclosed and which allows for the windows around the entire perimeter”.
Open ended by Nathan Shearing and Martin Gvardijancic
ReplyDeleteAccording to reliable furniture shop in Phnom Penh
construction materials information, intact with a stunning outlook, the featured habitation was design to maximize and capture it in every angle by designers Nathan Shearing and Martin Gvardijancic.
"We set the structure low on the long, narrow section as there was no need to build over two levels to capture the views. This in turn provides some privacy from a distance, as the hillside partly obscures the house from the street. It also helps ensure the house does not dominate the setting."
"To optimize views and privacy, we created a loose H-shaped design. The long central bar comprises the living space, which is much like a viewing gallery, completely walled in glass. A guest suite and garage are in the left-hand wing while the other, smaller wing contains the master suite.
"Indoors, the glass and steel design offers spectacular 180º outlooks from the long living area and both wings. In fact, the only room that doesn't take in the mountains and lake is the media room. We deliberately enclosed this space to provide a contrasting retreat from the light-reflecting snowy surroundings."
Luxury within a limited size by John Barman
ReplyDeleteAs successful furniture shop in Cambodia
construction materials informed, designer John Barman achieves an exquisite outline for the featured home despite its modest size.
"The apartment is in a 1920s building that has a distinct Deco style and elements of a French ‘40s look," said Barman. "I wanted to keep some of that elegant feeling on the interior."
"The bold blocks of color add a crisp feel," stated Barman. "Black furniture and accessories, such as the grand piano and the mirror above the fireplace, create further contrast for visual impact."
"Textures are also varied for added interest. Sofas, armchairs and a chaise lounge feature velvets and bouclé fabrics, while ottomans are upholstered in leather. Two long sofas are covered in a checkerboard Clarence House fabric, which has a graphic pattern reminiscent of the window designs. The position of the sofas, at either end of the room, provides visual balance."
Yesterday and today by Yong Pak and Charles Heydt
ReplyDeleteAs successful furniture shop in Cambodia construction materials informed, this dramatic and intimate house was the work of architects Yong Park and Charles Heydt who chose a modern classic approach towards its makeover.
Two-story, the house’s exterior appears as if it had always been there with authentic materials that display an old-world charm while the interior provides a more convenient ambience for the family’s need in a contemporary sense.
Park expresses his satisfaction towards the design: "What I like is that this is a real user-friendly family home. They live in it fully – they use every part of this house,"