Wednesday 22nd November
Happy Birthday Stan and Dorothy!
Tim got up at dawn (easily done when the traffic is already noisy at that time) and went down to the very scenic riverfront for pictures. Then we grabbed a swift breakfast before our tour group of 15 or so walked back to the river to pick up our boats for a trip around a floating village and Cham village.
Chau Doc riverfront at dawn
This time we avoided the constant background noise of two stroke engine and were rowed by locals in small boats (two to a boat). The floating village is very substantial with houseboats mingling with larger structures on pontoons, including stores and gas/ petrol stations. People also tend small gardens of pot plants and bushes on their porches which makes for some attractive "streets" where clear water allows boats to pass.
Fish drying in the floating village
One of the main industries here is (cat) fish farming and while it's also seen on a more commercial scale, many people have large pens below and beside their homes where the fish are fed a meal made of waste rice and scraps.
From here we paddled on to a village populated by the Cham people who were dominant in this part of the world before the rise of the Angkor civilization, and who then got squeezed by other peoples into marginal communities in Vietnam and Cambodia. Cham in this area are Muslim.
Cham mosque
Travelling rice factory, it appeared to do all stages of the process
Tim got up at dawn (easily done when the traffic is already noisy at that time) and went down to the very scenic riverfront for pictures. Then we grabbed a swift breakfast before our tour group of 15 or so walked back to the river to pick up our boats for a trip around a floating village and Cham village.
Chau Doc riverfront at dawnThis time we avoided the constant background noise of two stroke engine and were rowed by locals in small boats (two to a boat). The floating village is very substantial with houseboats mingling with larger structures on pontoons, including stores and gas/ petrol stations. People also tend small gardens of pot plants and bushes on their porches which makes for some attractive "streets" where clear water allows boats to pass.
Fish drying in the floating villageOne of the main industries here is (cat) fish farming and while it's also seen on a more commercial scale, many people have large pens below and beside their homes where the fish are fed a meal made of waste rice and scraps.
From here we paddled on to a village populated by the Cham people who were dominant in this part of the world before the rise of the Angkor civilization, and who then got squeezed by other peoples into marginal communities in Vietnam and Cambodia. Cham in this area are Muslim.
Cham mosque
Travelling rice factory, it appeared to do all stages of the processAfter the relaxing interlude those of us heading out to Cambodia had to get aboard our larger boat for the 3 hour ride to the border, and luckily it turned out to be a roomy, airy craft with plenty of shade. The ride was beautiful with great views of the local fishing and farming on either bank.
Border formalities took about an hour and we were able to spend every last Vietnamese Dong on food at a little restaurant before crossing over. Unfortunately our Cambodian boat, while faster, was not as pleasant. A metal structure, it go hot and had limited ventilation and views. There was some space to stand outside however and we took turns basting in the sun and standing in the limited airy shaded front section as we cruised up the Mekong.
We then transfered to a bus when the river hit a main road and we were in Phnom Penh as scheduled just after dark (6pm). With limited time to find anything we checked into a basic room in a local guest house (for $5) and had a good meal of local food there.
Border formalities took about an hour and we were able to spend every last Vietnamese Dong on food at a little restaurant before crossing over. Unfortunately our Cambodian boat, while faster, was not as pleasant. A metal structure, it go hot and had limited ventilation and views. There was some space to stand outside however and we took turns basting in the sun and standing in the limited airy shaded front section as we cruised up the Mekong.
We then transfered to a bus when the river hit a main road and we were in Phnom Penh as scheduled just after dark (6pm). With limited time to find anything we checked into a basic room in a local guest house (for $5) and had a good meal of local food there.
posted by Tim | 5:07 AM
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