Countryside, Ox Cart Rides & a Floating Village!

Driving into the deep countryside of Cambodia you can't help but notice two things: the extreme beauty and the extreme poverty. People bathing in dirty canals, homes built from tarps, little children playing in mud piles and enormous amounts of flooding that will only diminish with time. The water was often spraying over the side of our car due to the standing water from the storm. Acres upon acres of rice was destroyed, which means lost income for many of these families.

Yes, that's a cow. 

Some huts, such as this one, were built higher so it was more protected from flooding. The top is a large room where everyone sleeps and the portion underneath is for gathering during the day. It remains open so air can circulate through. There is no electricity - no fans or lights and certainly no air conditioning.

I will admit that upon arriving to the ox carts, I had serious moments of doubt. The rain and wind were starting to pick up, tree branches fell and scared the crap out of the ox, causing them to run a bit crazy, and I was trying to take everything in around me (with very little English being spoken). Mr. Ta continued to smile which was reassuring. If I had noticed any doubt in his face at all, I was going to make a run for the car without turning back. Yep, safe in the Corolla is where you'd find me. BUT...I put my game face on and rode the damn ox. And now we can say we've ridden an ox cart through the country side of Cambodia.  

Look at the flooding!

And we're done! Look at that smile...he loved it! Never minded the wind & rain one bit. 

The purpose of the ox cart ride was to get us to the boat that would take us to the floating village. With the weather the way it was, doubt was again creeping into my mind. Adam's mind too at this point. The boat ride was a 2 hour trip and we were wet and cold (Yes, COLD!). We knew if the boys would be miserable, we'd all be miserable. But Mr. Ta was assertive enough to say that it was something we needed to see and do. So on we went....

Can you see why there was doubt?? 

 I was assured the boat was equipped with lifejackets for the boys. Yep, fits like a glove.

The boat was equipped with dining room chairs. Not bolted down in any way so you had to be careful not to tip them over.

 We rode on the boat about 20 minutes before we normally would due to the flooding. Usually we'd still be on the ox since this should all be rice fields.

I loved the point at which another boat passed and our driver turned off the engine. I asked why and Mr. Ta said, "If he doesn't turn it off, our boat will sink." Ahhh...that's reassuring. Nice and sturdy. 

A floating cemetary. When Mr. Ta visited this village three weeks ago, they were performing a cremation there. Logs, fire and body. Ashes into the water.

This village houses 172 families. They live 100% of their time on the water. It's free to live there, they pay for their housing materials. Cambodians eat what comes from the land/water and most of the people here earn their small income from fishing and produce. There is a floating garden too.

They use the bathroom, bathe and drink from the same water. It doesn't affect their systems (generally) because their bodies are used to it. If you think about it, most of these people have been exposed to this water full of toxins since they were babies. 

Here you have a floating PIG PEN!

Pets still exist in the village. Mr. Ta said the "really poor" people tether their boat up to a house and put a tarp on top. They live, eat, everything from their little boat.

 Made a stop at the floating store/restaurant - where Adam & I ate SNAKE. By ate, I took a half bite. But I tried it! It was a little tiny place with a few tables and drinks for sale. In the above pic the boys are feeding catfish.

 There's even a collection of alligators there

The boys fell in love with this kitty and that sweet little boy fell in love with Luke & Drew :)
His play area was underneath one of the tables.

I love this picture. "School's out!" The morning session ended at 11am and all the kids were paddling home.

Three little sweeties rowing home. They couldn't have been older than 6.

 Here are the two teachers rowing home for lunch break.

The three floating school houses in this village. They obtain their supplies largely from donations and the small, small fee parents pay. 

We are SO thankful we took Mr. Ta's advice and saw the floating village. It was quite eye opening and we learned a lot. This village moves about 5 times each year, depending on the water levels and where fishing is the best. A larger boat hooks up one house at a time and moves it until all 172 families have moved down or upstream. There are 4 floating villages in Siem Reap and in Cambodia, approximately half a million people live this way.