17th July 2007
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If you’re in Cambodia, don’t miss out on a visit to Tonle Sap Lake, the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia.
Reasons not to miss it:
1) Because it’s really large.
*there was a point where we couldn’t see land. It’s that big!
2) Because you get to ride a boat!
*what?! i love boat rides lar!
3) Because you can see Chong Khneas Village, the floating village.
*there’s even a school and church floating on the lake!
4) Because you get to see the lifestyle of poor locals living within the vicinity *small kids on ‘sampan’ chasing after boats to sell bananas :(
5) Because you get to learn about appreciation
*floating wooden shacks not bigger than a tiny bedroom makes out their entire living quarters….
6) Because you get to learn about sanitation
*locals cook with water from the lake, bath with it, wash cloths with it …i don’t know if they do pee pee and shit there too…
7) Because you get to learn about agriculture
*locals fishing and.. breeding pigs and chickens on the lake..gulp
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The road adjoining Siem Reap town and Tonle Sap Lake was in poor condition. The living conditions here were extremely terrible to say the least. Tiny wooden shacks belonging to locals decorates the landscape. You could see naked kids running here and there.
Run down wooden shack along the road…so small…
Boats were ready to be rented at Tourist Boat Arrangement Centre for i think USD10 per person. Again our ride was included in the travel package :) *yay!
Small size boats for rental
Our little hero, looking out for our safety on the boat
Floating Village.. living quarters are built on ‘sampan’
It was my first time seeing a community living on water. The water from the lake was extremely muddy. The locals used it to bath, wash, cook… basically everthing… *we saw a small girl squatting outside her home, washing plate using the lake water … Very poor hygiene…
Where’s the land?…only got muddy lake water @_@
Fancy a ride to school?
Or to church?
The boat ride brought us to something like a floating seafood restaurant. Once we reached the jetty, a handful of locals, mostly kids tried to sell us stuffs (especially bananas). *don’t but anything or everyone will be chasing you to buy after that! It was really difficult to say no coz they looked so pitiful…
On board there were stalls selling souvenirs and crafts. *so expensive compare to those we saw near the temple complex..almost double the price!
They are coming! Run! Run!
Guess what’s hidden beneath the restaurant? Crocs!
Did i tell you there were crocodiles beneath the restaurant? I think they breed them. Might be on the menu :P
Look at me! Roasted by the sun..skin so red…look at me lar not the snake
There was a little girl bout 7 years old or so carrying a big python on her shoulders. She was trying to persuade tourists on board to take pictures with the snake so she could make some $. It didn’t matter how much you paid her as long as you do after taking the photos. Some Japanese tourists obviously didn’t understand that *they didn’t pay her… so bad… she look so sad… :(
What a cool ride!
What did we learned from all this place?… One word. The word is HUMILITY.
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Note:
All nice pics taken with my Panasonic Lumix F8, the not so nice pics are courtesy of other PigDog Klan* members :P
