THE BOATMEN

Day 22, April 12^th

Today is a travel day, but not the usual travel day.  We are taking a boat from Siem Reap to Battambang with the purpose of getting from one place to the next as well as see the floating villages.  This was Patton’s discovery.

Local transportation.

We are up early and downstairs right on time at 5:45am.  The bus is late as usual.  At least we get to have breakfast.  The bus arrives and there is room for three people and five people to pick up.  Typical.  Atypical, they leave the extra two and pick up only mom, dad and I.  We are shocked.  We take off.  Only a few blocks away we stop.  This is our rest stop/food break.  Typical.  I’m sure it is relatives again.  Apparently, the boat will not have food available for purchase.  I don’t believe that.  A few people load up on food and we are off.  We pass by our hotel again, go a few more blocks and stop.  Another pick up.  Despite being full, we are picking up three more people.  Two of them are the original two from our hotel.  Disorganized.  This is more like it.  Twelve people and only seats for nine.  This is becoming very common in Cambodia, worse than any of the other countries we have been in. 

Another pick up.

We get to the boat and it is an open-air boat.  Hardwood seats.  No leaning back.  Upright the whole time.  The description of the trip is 6 ½ to 9 hours, or more.  Again, this was Patton’s idea.  Off we go and it is a little less than interesting,.  The canal we are in is pretty barren and the engine is deafening.  We break out of the canal and into Tonle Sap lake.  The lake is huge, but it can’t be deep.  There are sticks standing straight up across the lake with colored flags tide to them to mark directions.  A few fishermen on the lake, other than that, nothing.  We eventually get to the other side of the lake and enter into another canal, the canal that leads to Battambang.

Weaving through the canal is slow going, but nice.  People live on floating houses and any kind of wake created by boats causes the houses to start rocking.  On top of that, the boat is just like the busses.  We are constantly picking up and dropping off people.  This is their transit system within the canals and on the lake.

A stark contrast.

This is likely the only way we could have seen true river life.  It really is amazing.  Score one for Patton. 

One interesting observation about river life is the level of poverty contrasted by the opulence of their temples.  In some areas where people’s houses are half way in the river or their walkways or walls seem to be made out of the most weathered of sticks, they have these grand temples.  Big.  Beautiful.  Sturdy.  Painted.  Extremely ornate.  A complete contrast to their living conditions. 

The river restaurant.

I knew it!!  There was no way that rest stop/food stop this morning was the only opportunity to buy food and drinks.  We stop at a river restaurant.  This guy was expecting us.  Family or friend as usual.  The crew of the boat eat free.

The bathroom is weird.  Four walls and no floor, just places to put your feet on the sides.  It’s just going to the bathroom in the river.  Mom and dad pass on the food and just get some drinks.  I see one drink that I have to have.  No idea what it was at first, doesn’t matter.  Black Panther.  There is no way you can not try that.  Upon a further look see, Black Panther Beer.  A must.  Cause 60% of the time, it tastes great every time.  That plus some rice with ‘sauce’, and it is a fantastic river meal.

60% of the time...

Now the trip is just dragging on.  Even Patton is ready to get off.  It seems like we are on an endless series of drop offs.  Weaving back and forth across the river from bank to bank letting people off.  No docks.  Just get as close to land as possible and hope they can make it.  We are beyond the 6 ½ to 9-hour range.  We are in the ‘or more’ range now.  This is described as the most enchanting boat ride in all of Cambodia.  I would hate to be stuck on the second most enchanting boat ride.  Plus, there is an ominous cloud forming overhead.  I hear thunder.  I think I saw some lightening.  It’s only getting worse.  I hope we get to the hotel before the downpour.

After 11 hours on this boat, we finally get to the dock in Battambang, and by dock I mean an area where several men try to yank you off of the moving boat on to a cement step before you fall in the river.  There is no dock.

Advertising knows no boundaries.

Before we left in Siem Reap, mom was handed a brochure for a hotel and it jives with the description in the book.  I don’t feel like sweating a place to stay right now, so we are going straight there.  As we pull up to the ‘dock’, the shore is covered with tuk-tuk drivers yelling and shouting, pushing and jostling.

One kid catches my eye.  He has a salty set of whiskers and the energy to match.  Yelling.  Elbowing.  Plus, he is holding a sign that says free ride to the hotel we are going to.  I point at him.  Eye contact.  Head nod.  The deal is set and he springs into action, pushing his way through to get to mom, dad and I.  He grabs our bags and off we go.  He seems like a great kid.

We get there, check out the room, looks good, settle in.  I chat with our tuk-tuk driver, Dara, and we make arrangements for him to be our personal driver for all of the next day.  I don’t know if it is common for the tuk-tuk drivers to do this, but Dara gives free rides to foreigners arriving on the boats or busses to their hotels in the hopes of securing much more business from them for the duration of their stay.  It worked.

We head down to the local market and get some food for dinner and we are done for the day.  Rice.  Fruit.  Chicken.  ‘Sauce’.  Shower.  Masks.  Sleep.

Disenchantingly yours,

Kevin Fantana

www.kevinarmstrongphotography.com
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