Following our trips to the temples our next excursion out of town was to the Tonle Sap lake. We asked Chantha to take us to the less visited Kompong Phhluk village. Little did we know the adventure we would have to undertake to get there! After 30 minutes on a paved road then 10 minutes on a bumpy mud road the tuk tuk finally came to a stop. At this point, during the wet season, you can simply take a boat out onto the lake. But the wet season had not yet arrived, Chantha unhitched the tuk tuk. Another guy turned up with a moto (motorbike). With me (Dave) on the back of Chantha's bike and Claire on the back of Mr New's bike we travelled another 10km on a severely bumpy dirt track. This felt like "real" independent travelling. We finally rolled into what was like a surreal wild west town. It had the obligatory dusty road running through the middle and all the houses were constructed from the stereotypical well worn wood.... the only difference was that these houses were 20 feet up in the air. That's right all the houses were supported on long wooden stilts that wood keep them safe from the Tonle Sap's annual expansion. From here we took a boat out on the lake. Even at this, the end of the dry season it stretched off as far as the eye could see in every direction.
On our way out onto the lake we passed mangrove forests that, before too long would find themselves completely submerged beneath the surface of the mighty Tonle Sap. I would love to say we were the only tourists this town had seen in years but I said Kompong Phhluk was less visited not unvisited. There were many children & we went inside the local school (see children opposite). There were few other farangs/fabangs/gringos/whities whatever you want to call us... but not many. We counted our blessings as we got back on the motos that it hadn't rained. the road would have been impassable. Once back safely in the comfort of the tuk tuk Chantha headed back towards town. As always he couldn't resist throwing in a few extra stops....
First he swung into the courtyard of a working Buddhist temple then he stopped outside Bakong, a 5 tiered pyramid temple.It is part of the Roluos Group - the very first site of the Khmer civilisation and the inspiration for many of the temples that followed. As our pass had expired we could only admire from outside. I think we had psychologically moved on from the admiration of temples anyway and so were happy to head on back to town.
That evening we went to Kantha Bopha Children's Hospital where every Saturday the Swiss hospital founder/director, Dr Beat Richner, plays works for cello by Bach along with some of his own compositions. He told us of his efforts to provide free health care to every child in Cambodia. He was a medical Dr working here in the mid 70's before he was forced to leave when the Khmer Rouge took power. This amazing man has opened 5 hospitals in the past 15 years in Cambodia. We made a monetary contribution and the next day Claire contributed 350mls of blood. They need blood that is free from Hep B & HIV as many children need transfusions as a result of dengue fever with underlying TB. Cambodia has one of the highest rates of HIV infection in SE Asia.
Below: Chantha wearing traditional Khmer checked scarf called the "krama"
Chantha dropped us back at our hotel for the last time. He had been so good to us all week.....bringing us warm bread at 5am, introducing us to such delicacies as baked bananas, jack fruit, deep fried grasshoppers and the myriad of "other" foods for which he would accept no compensation. We bought him a t-shirt at the landmine museum but it was a fight to get him to accept it, and in the end he would not accept our $20 tip either. Claire was exasperated trying to force it on him but he humbly told us to donate it to charity. What a guy. 
Apsara Show Traditional Khmer Dance Performance:
We felt like VIP's because there were long rectangular tables leading all the way to the stage (a buffet meal was included) and there was one circular table for two people right at the front at the side of the stage. Yep, that was for us! The performance only lasted 1 hour but it was a quality show. It was like a play in that the dances depicted farming & fishing traditions not to mention a liberal sprinkling of courting traditions.
Blue Pumpkin, quickly became a favourite for breakfast. Comfy sofas & free WFI not to mention fab food.
Another cafe of choice for us was the Singing Tree Cafe, a not for profit cafe which offers training/employment to disadvantaged youths. The food was fantastic & the service first class.
http://www.singingtreecafe.com/
Roadside treats: grasshoppers
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