Floating Village of Kampong Phluk

I never dreamt that I would see the sights I saw today, I thought I would only read about them or see them on TV.  It is so hard to even find the words to describe what it was like being there.  My senses are so stimulated that i think that the connect to my brain to find words could not do them justice but I will try since I want to share today with you!

It all started when our faithful tuk tuk driver Mao took us on a long journey to somewhere he had not even gone before.  We did some research and decided we wanted to go to the floating village of Kampong Phluk. There are other floating villages and markets but we had read that this was the least commercialize and decided that was the one for us.  The weather was beautiful, probably the best since we have gotten here.  We traveled (or should I say bounced, because tuk tuks DO NOT have shock absorbers!) through country roads passing motorbikes with huge dead pigs draped across the back, open market places, and so many things that I didn't know which way to point my camera!  Mao had to stop a couple of times to get directions.

We finally came to a fishermen's village where we hired a boat and driver to take us on our adventure (as if the ride there wasn't enough!).  Since Mao has never been out to see the villages either, we decided to treat him to join us.  It was great having him there since we feel like he is our driver/body guard anyway.  Our journey began with a long ride up a river, it was very wide with no land in site.  The boat was rickety and something you'd see right off of the discovery channel.  At first I was amazed over all of the bushes all over when I realized that they are actually the top of trees and that this place spends half of the year dried up!  We saw men wading in the water by their boats trying to catch large snakes in the "bushes." They even held one of them up for us to snap a picture!

After about 45 minutes traveling up the river we reached the village of Kampong Phluk.  What makes this village so unusual is that there are no roads, no motorbikes, no tuk tuks, no cars.  The homes are all on stilts just sitting there in the water.  Everything they own needs to be on something floating, even cages with pigs and chickens...there is absolutely NO land!  They visit their neighbors by taking their canoes and small boats and the children run around mostly naked since they are in and out of the water most of the day.  We saw people in canoes that travel house to house selling meats, vegetables, and even items found in grocery stores.  It is like the market comes to them and they just come out of their homes and shop.  

Once again I observed a calmness and contentment flowing from these people, it seems to be the way here in Cambodia.  They seem satisfied with what they have and how they live.  They are relaxed and happy.  It is amazing how they have adapted to make it all work for them.  They had flowers and plants and even some hot houses growing vegetables.  Their tools and the way they built their homes looked like they were straight out of the Swiss Family Robinson movie!  So resourceful and so inventive.  We made a stop at a floating bar/restaurant where Heidi and Kali decided to try a Angkor beer and then off we went to head back to our tuk tuk. 

No sooner were we headed back than a huge storm started.  We had to lower the fabric on the sides of the boat but the poor driver was pelted with rain!  The tuk tuk ride home was a wet and muddy one but thanks to Mao, we made it safe and sound.  We are now back at our home listening the thunder and watching flashes from the lightening.  Monsoon season is definitely still upon us here!  

This little piggy went to market!

The countryside ride

The village before getting to the docks

Feels like the Jungle Cruise

The co-pilot

Our driver

Snake anyone?

Riding the bow

Our .25 raincoats!