Cambodia part II: 'life National Geographic'

Helena Nijs
Jun 3
3 min read

Hey dear reader

After two weeks in Siem Reap it was time to set course for another place! Get up early to sail to Battambang by boat. This should be a boat trip like a documentary on National Geographic. You should not do this unique adventure for the comfort but for the experience. We sailed between the reed fields through a channel that was narrower than our boat. I had to resist to not be hit by the hard stems. I had appropriated a wonderful spot at the front of the deck. From there I could see and admire everything well. How happy I was here again! Sailing through here was more than one in a documentary. That beautiful nature in this flat landscape, the small villages on stilt houses, fishermen everywhere, fishing villages, children playing in the water and the sweet Cambodians who kept waving and laughing! Oh, how I enjoyed another Cambodia or life as it is in Cambodia. This felt so much like LIFE! On the boat I met two Dutch women and a French couple. That evening we had a nice dinner together.

Day one I strolled through the dusty streets of Battambang. I stumbled upon some nice street art, a nice coffee bar and here and there a nice shop. Sometimes it doesn't have to be more, right?!

On day two in Battambang I visited the liane bridge with the two Frenchmen, which was actually made of cables (not lianas), the old French house and we experienced a very funny ride on the bamboo train.

The old owner of the house gave us a tour. The entire colonial French house on stilts is made of wood. Because the floors were also made of wood, we had to take off our shoes. He showed us the rooms, some pictures of his family, bombastic old wooden furniture and the holes in the floor where water used to be poured in to take a shower downstairs. Cute, how proud that man was of his house 💛. That bridge, we just walked over it, so nothing interesting.

Our last stop was the bamboo train. That was fun! That famous train had two bars with wheels on top of which a bamboo platform and cushions were placed. The three of us enjoyed this rather fast train! Actually, we rode for twenty minutes to drink a fresh coconut and then rode the same way back. This was great: when an oncoming train came, we literally had to get off the track with the train and all. The man crossed the highway while pushing the train. Great, isn't it, everything is allowed and possible in Asia! The rules are sometimes still vague here.

As the last trip of my trip in Cambodia I took the bus to Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia! If you are here, it is definitely worth visiting the royal palace with its silver pagoda. The sunbeams made the palace sparkle. Inside, a fascinating glimpse into the past awaited me, and outside I could wander through the enchanting gardens, with the majestic decor of the Mekong as a background. A moment of pure grandeur.

I always enjoy seeing the hustle and bustle of a city on foot. I let myself be guided by what I see and get lost in the streets to soak up the atmosphere. This city may not be the most pleasant, but it still had something and I enjoyed 'the big city life'.

That night I took a better hotel to rest. I felt I needed to relax by the pool and enjoy my slightly more luxurious room .