The drive to Battambang should be around four hours but there was construction so it took closer to five and a half hours. Our driver honked as we passed each motorbike, tuk tuk and car. We had an accident when our side mirror clipped another car, however our driver as well as the other car did not stop as if this was a standard thing. Other than that, it was a peaceful drive.
Bric-a-Brac Hotel is an off the beaten path gem. We arrived during a black out and the entire town was without power. The owners (one a chef and the other an artist) and staff were super friendly and made us feel like we were staying in their home. We loved breakfast on the balcony each morning.
The restaurant, Jaan Bai was recommended by folks in Phnom Penh and Battambang. They had a generator so we ate an early dinner. We quickly discovered why it was so popular. Our food was delicious and the restaurants does a lot for the community. They work to address the global orphanage crisis—their literature states that more than 80% of children around the world are not really orphans but are trafficked to raise money. This aspect of human trafficking is often overlooked because donors feel they are doing good. We returned for dinner our last night. The chocolate cake was surprisingly light—more like a soufflé.
The central market had everything from jewelry to home goods to food to seamstresses. Unlike other markets, each vender was not pressing us to buy something.
The circus was a popular nighttime activity. The show was performed by students at the circus arts school. The performance was more like a polished dress rehearsal. If (and when) they made mistakes; they redid the move to get it right. It was fun and made us smile.
Touring the area is best in a tuk tuk and we did a full day and a half around the area with our driver Nicky. He was friendly and spoke openly about Cambodia. We passed numerous temples, bridges and other interesting sites where we would stop to take a photo and talk. We were out in the sun and rain.
At one Monastery we learned about the punishments for different types of sins. While there a group of children watching and listening. Just as we were leaving they let us take a few photos.
The old bamboo train line was more fun that we anticipated. It was a little touristy but the train ride along the rice fields was beautiful. When we stop at the next village to turn around we were bombarded with children selling bracelets and shop owners begging you make a purchase. We knew we would never leave until we bought something so we purchased a few bracelets from twelve-year old boy who loved mathematics.
The Ancient House was the home of a royal commander in the 1920s who retired to Battambang with his wife. Two of his seven children moved into the home upon his death and it is currently occupied by one of his grandchildren. During the Khmer Rouge regime, the house was used as a place for threshing rice and storage. There was some damage to the kitchen area but luckily the home stayed intact because of the quality woods and workmanship of the home.
We crossed over one of three suspension bridges built to provide easier access across the Sangkor River. We had to squeeze next to the wire railings when motorbikes crossed. The guide warned us to be careful and not fall into the water—he said it happens often. Hopefully he was joking.
We drove through a Muslim fishing town. It was a Sunday and there was no one fishing. We saw groups of boys hanging out and a few tourist walking through taking pictures.
There was a quick stop to see fruit bats hangout during the day. It was crazy to see so many in one tree-a foreshadow of the mass exodus from a cave later on in the day. There was a Monestary nearby.
Phnom Banan was built in the eleventh century and got a Buddhist makeover during the twelfth century. The temple was constructed on top of a hill and to get there we climbed 358 uneven steps. Our guide said this was the best time to visit—it was 90 degrees and the stones were dry. In the rainy season it gets dangerously slippery because moss grows on the stone. At the top, there are five remaining buildings (there were originally nine). Some of the stones looked like they might collapse at any minutes and the “Danger” signs everywhere reinforce this concern.
We ate lunch at the bottom of the hill next to the water. The cool breeze felt great as we drank coconut water and ate noodles. The area is popular with locals and tourists.
Our final stop was Phnom Sampeau-a place known for its temples, gorgeous views, and one of the Killing Caves. Access is up a steep road. One fork in the road takes you to a temple and the cave. Locals and tourists visit the cave as a way to remember the past. A staircase lines with greenery leads you down into a cave where there is a golden reclining Buddha adjacent to a memorial filled with bones and skulls of people killed the the Khmer Rouge regime.
The other road leads to a complex of temples, golden stupa, Russian artillery pieces, and a deep canyon. We walked down 144 mossy steps into a natural arch of creeping vines and two Angkorian warriors at the bottom. We returned up a different (and more challenging) stairwell to a sunset pavilion. There were monkeys around the site and most stayed away. One started to approach Ian but move away quickly when he moved. Our guide carried a rock just in case any got aggressive.
In the cliffs of the mountain is home to what is called the “bat cave.” Chairs line the street so visitors can watch millions of bats fly out of a massive cave in the cliff face for over thirty minutes at dusk.
It was poring rain the following morning and our driver wanted to cancel. The hotel owner suggested Baset Temple. Locally Wat Baset is known as the “ruined temple” because it needs much renovations. The Khmer Rouge attempted to dismantle the temple but stopped when convinced the spirits were not happy (we wonder what happened). More recently a local effort to improve the site and paint some of the carvings yellow and blue but that has mostly worn away. There seems to be some attempt to rebuild and there are some excellent lintels (the decorative blocks over doors, windows and portals). We were the only people on the site and our guide said most tourist never visit this location. This was reinforced by the fact that the signs were in Khmer.
Adjacent to the temple was the Srah Srong or the king’s bath. It was 20x12x10m deep and needed some restoration, too. The rain made it very muddy and we washed our shoes off at the local Monastery.
We stopped on the side of the road for sticky rice and beans cooked in bamboo. Delicious.
Then we stopped to see how they made rice paper for rolls. The first step is making the rice paste in a process similar to cheese. It is then cooked over steam and then dried in the sun. They made us some fried and fresh spring rolls with peanut sauce. We no longer needed lunch.
Our final stop was in Wat Ek or Ek Phnom. It dates back to the eleventh century. The carvings were excellent, the resident cats were friendly and the flowers pretty. The temple’s construction was ordered by the king himself and is sometimes called the “temple of the west.” We saw two other people when we arrived but they left the site and wandered around before entering the nearby temple. Just as we were heading back down the stairs to leave Sunshine stepped funny. She knew at the time it was off and iced it when we return to the hotel. After dinner we got a thirty minute reflexology and hopefully it will feel better for more exploring. (Update—Sunshine wore a compression sock for a few days and it healed quickly.)
