For Our Afternoon Trip We Were Off To

Tonle Sap Lake, which is huge,

Tonle Sap Lake is one of the largest freshwater lakes in Asia, swelling to an expansive 12,000 km2 in the rainy season, it is fed by many rivers like the one we are travelling parallel to now, above is one of the houses that line the river bank, 

it all looks peaceful now,

 

but all of this area a few months ago was under a meter or two of water,

this road totally impassable except by boat,

as we make our way to the jetty there are rice fields on the left,

and lotus fields to the right,

the rice fields looking so lush and green,

a lotus farmers house,

as we arrive at the jetty some work is going on making I guess a building for one of the official agency's,

 

a walkway leads down to the boats, basically 8,000 people live on the lake or on its shores in the dry season,

 

although the high season many tour boats are laid up,

Diana getting ready to go down the jetty,

this is all new,

Jeff and Da looking froward to the trip,

a floating food stall for last minuet supplies,

and then we were on board,

 

our captain for the afternoon,

 

all set and we are nearly off,

the controls look almost the same as a car,

 

the jetty starts to fade into the distance,

 

naturally I have my tourist Cambodia hat on,

 

we are now picking up speed,

 

I was amazed at the number of boats out here, last time admittedly 8 years ago there were so few,

 

we are now heading down river to the lake,

 

if you want to boat it from here this is the boat you can take from here to Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia if the water levels are high enough,

 

one of the tour boats returning,

at this moment in time the floating village is tied up inshore, there are shops like this one that along with the rest of the inhabitants stay out on the lake for several months of the year,

this is a floating machine shop to service and repair boat engines,

 

some bamboo ready for use in one project or another,

 

boat building and painting is a never ending occupation,

 

one of the larger tour boats,

 

 a wood mill,

and I am guessing a police unit,

 

some of course can not afford a boat, these homes we were told can be carried to high or low ground by 5 or 6 people,

 

the kids are just happy to play no matter where they live,

 

a local fisherman gets ready to cast his net,

 

and in it goes, I wonder if he had any luck,

 

a small speed boat roars past in the sunset,

the Chinese cemetery,

 

it was all too much for Jeff,

I was not quiet sure what this boat was,

 

till we went round to the front of it, a floating church,

one of the many shops,

like this one,

 

if you look carefully you can see the original boat, but the house has been built over the top of it,

another shop,

it appears you are never to young to take up boating,

and being afloat does not mean you can not take up sports, this is a full size basket ball court,

and where would I be with out the ice making boat?

a lady makes her way home,

and of course a floating school,

with a population of 8,000 there must be more than a few kids that need an education,

this boat has seen better days,

a fish pen,

 

this one was being cleared out of fish as we went past,

the river has now opened up into the lake, to give you some idea of the size of it, standing in the middle if you look round 360 degrees you would not see any land,

we make our way to a floating shop and restaurant, but we are not eating here we are just sight seeing,

 

a slightly different engine/steering combination,

the restaurant,

there are some fish pens where you can feed the fish,

 

there are also some crocodiles, some of which live in the lake, I am not so sure I want to go for a paddle now!

dried snake for anyone that has not tried it,

Mr. Johnny explained the layout of the lake,

croc skins for sale,

 

there were also some fish traps on display,

 

along with some local fish,

this one please, pretty please!

some of the village tied up for the season,

we were told not to give money to beggars like this one, the guide says it just encourages more to harass the tourist,

 

although Diana looked calm she gave out quiet a scream when she first saw the snake,

this is what I guess they call a Mexican Stand Off, Jeff has got the body weight, the kid has got the snake,

 

the sun starts to set,

just because you do not have a boat it does not mean you can not get around,

these kids are professional beggars,

the snakes are the tools of their trade,

a small floating convenience store,

and a large one,

this boat is engine powered, the fuel tank? look at the bottle,

at least you know when you are going to run out!

as the sun starts to set we make our way back to the jetty,

the kids are still playing in the water, just watch out for the crocs,

 

nothing has happened to the bamboo yet,

nearly there,

 

then home and dry,

our boat leaves,

 

to park with the others,

we decided to watch the sun go down,

with a coffee and a beer,

a nice sunset, then back to the hotel for a shower and a change then out for our evening meal.