My eBid Cap Trip to Laos & Cambodia!

[Oldandintheway]

Out & About - Phnom Banan (pre dates Angkor Wat)

And there's only 358 steps!

That's a doddle laughs Sil (no worries after the 1200 in Sri Lanka!)

At the top

However, the fan girl was required on a hot day!

After payment, she follows melting white westerners. (she knows how to make some Riel)






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[Oldandintheway]

More Phnom Banan:

'Yer feets too big'




Cactus graffiti (visitors scratch their names)

And so to a Cambodian lunch - Yum!

Then dessert

Moving on to Phnom Sampeau:

[Oldandintheway]

Out & About - Phnom Sampeau

A Temple complex atop a small mountain 12km south west of Battambang. 'Phnom' means mountain or hill.


Guide explains 3,000 babies were killed & thrown into this cavern during the Pol Pot era - 1970's

Pilgrimage spot filled with bones/skulls of Pol Pot victims

A reclining Buddha resides therein

This place is called 'The Killing Caves of Phnom Sampeau'

Back out in the pleasant sunshine

Herd of local Macaques (nasty types)

No direct eye contact or baring of teeth - they take that as a threat!



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[Oldandintheway]

More Phnom Sampeau






German made artillery piece from Pol Pot era


Till next issue! Happy Australia Day

[Oldandintheway]

It's just amazing. How much longer is their trip? I am sure they will be sad to go home

Yes sad, & back to work! (whoops, I mentioned that 4 letter word)
Arriving home on Feb 4th.

[Posbear]

This thread is brilliant, thank you for taking the time to do it, I've learned so much on their journey.

[Oldandintheway]

This thread is brilliant, thank you for taking the time to do it, I've learned so much on their journey.

Thanks Poscar, me also, in fact I've changed my opinion on that part of the planet since the trip began.
Glad your all enjoying the ride with me! Big thanks to Bro & Sil for their efforts on my/our behalf.

[deanosaur1972]

I have been to Battambang many times....... great to see the pics because the trips out and about are to places I haven't seen, in fact they are places I have never even heard of!

When I was there it was mainly with a military unit (du2) connected to CMAC (Cambodian Mine Action Centre) - I used Battambang as a base and then went out into wilds north of Pailin. If your brother and sister ever pass a CMAC office, tell them to go in - they usually have some displays of the types of ordinance in the area.

Just to give you an idea of what it is like out in the wilds in 98:

This is a patch of jungle which has been cleared - you can see by the dark patches (8) how many landmines were detonated just in this section in the middle of nowhere. This area was Khmer Rouge at the time but under amnesty, so an uneasy truce. Only a complete nutter would go there - note said nutter walking at the front.



Keep the posts and pics coming - really enjoying it

[Oldandintheway]

Thanks deano, Bro reads the forum, so I'm sure he'll get your message.
Cheers,Allen.

[Oldandintheway]

A Bit More Battambang

Around & about town for an easy day!

In honour of our PM knighting a Prince for largely keeping out of our way for six decades - we pretty much stayed indoors on the 26th.
This was necessary as the laughter of the many non-Australian Tourists can be downright cruel.
The morning sun on the 27th heralded a 35 degree day and that, coupled with the incredibly loud morning assembly music from the school next door, saw us up and about earlier than the optimum time of 7:30 a.m.
Off again with Borith and his 'chopped' Daewoo Tuk Tuk. He had painted one of the front doors overnight and it now sports a very good representation of Phnom Sampeau.
We visited a home-based rice paper operation - the lady involved churns out 1,500 pieces per day. These sell in bundles of 100 for USD $2.00.
Our next stop was at a local fish market / fish paste manufacturing site - a bit smelly I have to say. All the fish come from the local river as there are no fish farms as such. One interesting case of diversification - 'mouse' farming (see the photo). I must say they were rather large mice, all caught in the rice fields.
Next, sticky rice in bamboo preparation - a popular tasty treat in Cambodia.
Last stop on our short tour was at Wat Damrey Sar - the oldest Wat in Battambang. It managed to survive Pol Pot only because the man in charge at the time simply ignored orders to destroy it - a singularly brave thing to do.
Cheers,

Rice paper making


Preparing the end contents for the rice paper

Checking the drying section

Rice paper eating factory & product testing section! (note new Tuk Tuk door in background)

A fishy factory

An experience in smell hell

Honest Borith, there was a fish in there this big!

Vats of fish paste?

Drying room of the 'especial Siberian hamsters'

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