Cambodia 2015

Sunday15November

We leave Siem Reap to reach the city of Battambang. To do this, we take a mini-bus to Tonle Sap, then a boat will take us to our destination.

Waiting at the bus stop.

Mini-bus but maxi crammed passengers!!! Fortunately, the journey only lasts 30 minutes to reach Phnom Krom where we immediately take the boat.

We quickly arrive at Tonle Sap Lake, the largest lake in Southeast Asia. One can well imagine its importance for Cambodia. Then we pass over the Sangker River, a tributary of the lake. Throughout the navigation, we will cross several floating or stilt villages.

Here we are in the village of Prek Toal.

Here the only means of transport: the dugout canoe. Even for children!

Here, poultry levitate above the river, so no chicken coop to clean!  

Our boat making a short stop halfway.

8 hours after getting on the boat, we are finally in Battambang! Yes, by boat, you have to plan for the whole day!

Monday16November

Waking up in the Emerald BB Hotel.

From the balcony, we can observe the Dewey International University school, where for the youngest, it's time for the flag raising to the sound of the Cambodian national anthem!

We hire the services of a tuk-tuk and its driver to visit the surroundings of Battambang.

On this roundabout, the symbol of the city, King Dambang Kranhoung with his cup and his stick. The name Battambang means "losing the stick". To defend himself, the giant Dambang Kranhoung threw his stick which, missing its target, lost his stick, giving this name to the region.

This abandoned railway, too dilapidated, was reused by villagers working in the rice fields along the track. They had to build their own small wagons. The bamboo train was born. But as tourism increasingly invited itself into the region, the much more lucrative idea of diverting this friendly means of transport imposed itself...

Our rail worker driving our wagon...

To cross paths, nothing could be simpler: the one with fewer passengers dismantles their wagon to clear the track...

And off we go again.

We arrive at the terminus where a small terracotta brick factory is located.

Meanwhile, sardines are sunbathing...

The wheels eagerly await their passengers on the side of the road.

I'm waiting too, so I'm busy with this little weaver ant (Oecophylla smaragdina) and its leaf, which is far too heavy for it...

The bamboo of the bamboo train.... Yes, it's not just bamboo...  

We take the tuk-tuk again and pass through the south of Battambang, to take a look at the Wat Ta Mim pagoda.

The double staircase leading up to the balcony where a golden bas-relief represents the reclining Buddha.

Detail of the door at balcony level.

It's lunchtime for the monks of the pagoda.

A short stop at Madame Bun's, the only survivor of the Khmer Rouge, she managed to preserve her grandfather's traditional house, built in 1920.

Madame Bun

We continue our journey towards Kampong Pil pagoda.

Rice harvest

Before reaching the Pagoda, you have to cross this suspension bridge over the Sangker River.

The entrance is guarded by a panther. And then follows the usual small parade of human statues.

Buddha and his disciples.

Another Buddha.

A laughing Buddha with his big belly exposed...

We cross the suspension bridge again by its cables, and a few kilometers further on, we reach Wat Bay Damram temple where a tree kindly hosts giant bats.

Difficult to identify, but it seems to me that these are pteropus lylei...

Here we are now near another temple, Prasat Banan, but after this busy morning, we take advantage of these magnificent stilt-restaurant huts for lunch.

With integrated hammock for a good rest!  

Steps as far as the eye can see, to access the 11th-century temple 100 meters higher up.

At the top, a stone tower houses a Buddha surrounded by his incense.

The tower and its narrow light well.

Some Kesa bearers (the orange cloth). Men and statues...

The friendly children who fan us in the hope of a few riels.

The southern countryside of Battambang province.

We end the day with this temple located at the top of Phnom Sampeau mountain. The site is also known for its charnel caves, where the Khmer Rouge exterminated many of their compatriots. We will not have time to visit these caves.

View of the village, halfway.

And view of the valley.

By the way, a reclining Buddha...

Then the classic colorful statues.

Monkeys guard the site.

We arrive at the top of the mountain. A Buddha receiving offerings from a mischievous monkey and a benevolent elephant.

And there, the benevolent monkey mother with her little one...

But still wary of this little puppy, a bit too curious.

These monkeys are crab-eating macaques (macaca fascicularis), not very inclined to let visitors walk around peacefully...

The green countryside. We are just at the beginning of the dry season.

By looking a bit, a secret door, or at least an opening and its ladder, opens the way on the west side, sunset side...

The temples emerge from the top of the cliff.

Details of the temple spires.

The sun is setting gently. Just enough time to return to the temples while there's still some light...

Back to the sunset, superb over the Battambang countryside.

A cannon remained here. It was used to shell the neighboring mountain.

We rush down because at 6 PM, we have an appointment with one of the most surprising phenomena...

No less than a million bats emerge from the mountain for over 20 minutes! A swarm in the twilight, truly impressive!

Watch this video found on YouTube: