Day 41 - Floating Village

Taking a break (not my idea!) from the temples, the Khmer Project takes us to the local floating village of Kompong Pluk. This is my second floating village and yes, again the second viewed from land. This was however a little more interesting than the Nimh Binh attempt.  The houses here have stilts so long the houses are at least 5m off the ground in the dri(er) season. The rainy season here is April to September so it is a little worrying all over that so many things ( rice planting, boat trip, floating village) are so affected by what appears to be very little rain. However, the water levels are up apparently by 1m, I was told there were another 11m to go.  This is the central Cambodian plain and the great lake of Tonle Sap, which is in fact the Mekong, expanded - it triples its size.

First though, we had breakfast at the Blue Pumpkin, my favourite Cambodian restaurant. founded about 12 years ago by a Frenchman and his wife as a bakery (of which there are very many both here and in Vietnam) it has expnded to do ice-cream and also lunch and dinner. the food is the best ive had since leaving home. 

We took a very long tuk-tuk ride to get here however as there was no boat running along the river to the village. On the way, past what I would swear were hawthorn hedges, we saw fisherman in the muddy water, vetch, butterflies. The tuk-tuk almost went over on at one occasion too. It was a hot clear day. Sunrise at the temples today would have been good!

The village was fascinating. A veritable traffic jam of boats on the bends of the river. We did get stuck on the way back and had to push frantically against other boats. We arrived at no particular spot and walked the high street. Courgettes were growing everywhere. 

There were fishing nets and hydroponic growing of seedlings in halved plastic bottles. Tarring of the boats keels with tree resin, followed by drying it off with a lighted fire.

They had a bad fire here four years ago and lost 200 houses. They had to knock some down to make a fire break. Fortunately they got some compensation which is why they have some corrugated iron roofs.

There was a wedding going on in the Main Street. All the villagers know each other.  We saw boats being built and repaired. We saw the long ruddered propellers, up out of the water. (I later asked why they prefer these over the 'deep engined' ones, it seems there is no particular reason).

We went up to the pagoda (of course there is one, it is on the high ground and has its own concrete docking steps. It is the only place not flooded in the bad floods two years ago). There we saw the village drum having its hide replaced. It is used to wake or alarm the village. We found a large 'precious' wooden framed mirror in the pagoda, just as in the Temple of the Emerald Buddha in the silver pagoda in the Royal Palace.

Finally we set off in the boats again to venture out on the Great Lake itself. We did see a couple of floating restaurants and a number of elaborate fishing traps. Also, my favourite, some flooded 'mangrove' forest, sunlight glinting through the branches onto the water. Out on the lake we paused for Sython to give us a lecture out on the prow. The lake is 40km across here and can have serious thunderstorms. The Chinese ambassador in the 13th century came up this way by boat to Siem Reap. There are probably crocodiles. (They breed crocodiles in farms at Siem Reap for handbag leather).

  Mt Kulen.

We went to a great restaurant over a lotus pond for lunch before setting off for the silk farm. The heavens opened on the way and Kue, our little driver, got drenched.  The silk farm turned out to be part of the Artisans d'Angkor organisation that makes silk, candles, incense etc. It is well established and the farm was beautifully presented. Unfortunately we were late so it was a bit rushed.

Mulberry bushes. White mulberry I think.

We saw the whole process from larvae to woven silk. We looked around the shop and then headed back to the town. Supper was at the Butterfly Garden restaurant. Unfortunately too late for butterflies but we did see some cocoons, a bat or two (they are everywhere) and some frogs singing. The food was excellent. After that it was back to the not-so-late market.