Around the World (Again) Fishing Village and Siem Reap evenings

Fishing Village and cool Siem Reap Nights

After the last temple sites of Ta Pro, Banteay Kdei and Preah Khan we headed for the fishing village at the mouth of the Tonlé Sap river where it widens into the Tonlè Sap lake. This is an area of mangrove swamps and it harbours all manner of fish, shellfish and crustaceans, it is therefore obvious that a great deal of fishing takes place. There is only one problem, during the monsoon the largest lake in SE Asia is the catchment for the run off of much of the area North and East of Siem Reap, meaning that there can be a water rise by as much as 3mtrs. It would be quite useless building roads they would be of no use for 50% of the year and be just a mixture of mud and river debris for the rest. So the Road stops about 4km from the river mouth, the rest is reached only by boat. The local fisher-folk have built their village, it is a complete village with schools, police station, townhall and of course a great big Buddhist temple (well nothing would function without a temple would it).

It is a complete village, with pigs on floating pens, chickens running around the stilts, floating gardens and of course a lot of large floating restaurants to service the tourist. Here are a lot of the women folk earn a bit of money paddling tourists through the mangrove trees and selling trinkets and fish traps. The men are actually out in their boats catching fish.

The road to the village passes through many small villages and fish ponds, it in itself is very interesting, you then leave a fairly well un-potted track to a very potted track, be warned you will be thrown about a bit, but it is the only way in.

To get into this Eco area you must pay, it is $20 but they will try to get more if you are not with a group, this is when a good Tuk-Tuk driver is worth his weight in Dollars. 

I was due to my dear Tuk-Tuk driver able to jump the queue and get a boat all to myself, others had to wait in line and get on a group boat. I find traveling single does have a lot of plus points, but having the right spiv as a chauffeur, guide and companion cannot be measured. He knew all the short cuts and of course could go places that the mass tourist busses couldn’t.

My young boat’s “captain” was a Will of the wisp, he took no prisoners, cutting in front of larger craft and dodging in and out of the narrow tributaries, which form the roadways and streets through the village. 

The not to safe safety vest (but hell I wasn't expecting to have to be in the water)

A fisherman off into the mangroves

Full speed ahead

Then it was through the village at a far leisurely pace.

Passing the Town Hall, Police Station and school

Then passing the floating pig pens and vegetable growing floats

A floating pork farm

The vegetable patch

The wood cutters boat

The boat builder and repairer

Knocking the small shoal fish out of the nets

Fish traps ready to be set

The Hospital

The village ended and gave way to them mangroves, the floating restaurants and the women offering a trip through the mangroves.

Then the river started to widen, until it entered the lake, there gathered at a short distance was a load of day tourist boats, a little further out was the real fishing fleet, setting and hauling in their nets. The main catch being the small swarm fish, these are knocked out of the nets by the women folk (the ones not earning a bob or two from the tourists). I was actually allowed to take the helm as we turned for home, I was pleased as punch.

While I was passing through the village on the return journey, it was the finish of school for the day; it was amazing to see with what sureness of foot, they danced across the boats and floating pig pens to reach their homes on stilts.

It was then that my “captain” said one of the reasons I got preferential treatment was that he was actually on an errand to get some diesel for the motor of another boat. He then got hold of a 25 ltr plastic container and danced across the boats, pushing some alongside of the others as he moved with the grace of a gazelle. He was no less sure footed on the return journey, though not with the speed of the outward journey ( I saw neither pumps nor filling station). Firewood for cooking pots is also collected by certain woodsmen from the mangroves; this is stacked on a stilted woodpile and sold to the village residents. It was then back to the starting point, he slipped the boat between to larger vessels, tied up and that was a fantastic experience. We returned along the dirt tracks and roads passing paddy fields and fish farms, villages with their oxen and water buffalo until we reached a proper metaled road, that I remember coming along earlier. 

It was then back to my guesthouse to get ready for the evening, but first a little nap.

The town of Siem Reap has everything, from street food, cheap eateries and top class restaurants attached to top class hotels, but not to dine in the area that surrounds the market would mean you have missed out on a fantastic experience, even if you don’t eat, the snake, frogs, spiders or grasshoppers, just the atmosphere that this makes is fantastic. There is also a whole street that is full of pubs and the beer is cheap, cocktails very cheap (everyone does buy one get one free). The food is spectacular, there is everything to be had, but the river supplies the best, whether it be fresh water molluscs, the largest fresh water prawns I have ever seen and wonderful fresh water crayfish, of course not to forget the river and lake fish. There is meat in the form of steaks and chops to be eaten as well, but who wants imported steak from Australia or New Zealand lamb, it was fish for me every time.

I am putting all of the evenings revelries together because they all followed a similar pattern, foot and leg massage (they become addictive) a look around the art market (not a lot of art, but loads of silver, jewellery and pearls), then across the bridge and into the other covered market, this is the real market with meat, fish, fruit, veg and of course clothing, tons of it!

I passed an Irish Pub and thought what the hell is that doing in the middle of Cambodia and passed it by, well a little later I heard some of the best music I had heard in a long time, it was coming from Molly Malone’s. I went inside and there on the little raised up stage was a group (I believe called a band these days) of mainly elderly musicians, now these lads could play, all virtuosos, everyone a master of their trade. What music, everything from Rock, Swing R&B to the best Jazz I have heard for a very long while. I had an excellent couple of hours. I have put both evenings together just to give you a taste on night life in Siem Reap.

These will be put on later as I must pop off to pick up my visa

But in the mean while to keep you amused!

Now a bit about something that has been bugging you ever since I first mentioned it, some of you will of course have googled it and now know all about it, though not of course seen it carved in relief as have. That is the Hindu and later the Buddhist take on the creation of the Earth.

The Churning of the Seas.

This is the Hindu legend about how the gods and demons resolved their differences during the churning of the cosmos to make the universe, they with the aid of Shesha, the sea serpent who allowed his body to be used as a sort of large  rope, the gods turning one end the demons at the other, In the middle was the greatest god of all Vishnu, he was the co-ordinator and it was his staff that they twirled. The whole meaning of the churning was to make the elixir of immortality. It took then 1000 years before it was complete. But the demons reneged and a great battle ensued, with the gods coming out the better. There is quite a bit more to it than that (Brahma, Vishnu and Siva to name just a three). But I will let you into their part at a later date. Good night after a very good day, tomorrow is the Museum.