Day 19 - Siem Reap - Part 1
This may be the most meaningful day of the trip. We have seen a lot of amazing and interesting things over the last few weeks, but today we got up close and personal with a culture very remote from our own. First we took an ox cart ride through a village where the people were as interested in us as we were with them. Then after a very bumpy ride we visited a floating village which depends upon the water for its life and moves the whole village as the lake rises and falls with the seasons.
Here's a view away from the fancy hotels built for the tourist trade
This is a cylocab, we rode these home from dinner last night
A village outside of Siem Reap
The ox carts were waiting for us
The kids welcomed us
Fish drying
This is how to wash your hair
This is the wife and family of our ox cart driver who invited us to see his house
Making lunch, the big meal of the day. Note the six-burner Viking stove in the background
This hut is on land near the "floating" village but must be moved when the lake level rises, six men pick it up and move it
Victoria's Secret has come to Cambodia
We walked another OSHA approved walkway to get to the boat
Today's transportation
Easy to drive
We are on our way to visit the "floating" school
Some of the kids were waiting for us
The rest were coming on the "school bus" - really! The kids must know how to swim before they can begin school
A "one room" schoolhouse - 6 to 15 year olds
The malaria cycle is obviously important to understand
Scenes from the village
The "grocery store" comes to you. I don't think you can order on the net
A "fish farm"
The high rent district
Pig pen
Raising crocodiles is a profitable business, the Thai importers pay a lot of money for the skins. It takes 5 years and a lot of fish to get a marketable product. are raised in pens in the land villages as well as here
The catfish are fed well and probably have been served in your local restaurant
The TV set is powered from a car battery and is black and white to save energy
Spin the die and bet on the winning number (sounds a lot like the dreidle game)
