Tonle Sap - the large freshwater river aka the Gre
Trip Start
Nov 01, 2007
1
6
26
Trip End
Nov 20, 2007
Tonle Sap,
Cambodia
Monday, November 5, 2007
Tonle Sap is a combined lake and river system of huge importance to Cambodia. It is the largest freshwater lake in South East Asia and is an ecological hotspot that was designated as a UNESCO biosphere in 1997.
For most of the year the lake is fairly small, around one meter deep and with an area of 2,700 square km. During the rainy (or monsoon) season, however, the Tonle Sap river which connects the lake with the Mekong river reverses its flow. Water is pushed up from the Mekong into the lake, increasing its area to 16,000 square km and its depth to up to nine meters, flooding nearby fields and forests. The floodplain provides a perfect breeding ground for fish.
This morning I went to Tonle Sap, which is about 15 or 20 minutes away from Siem Reap by tuk tuk. The trip out was fun and I felt that I saw something more real of Cambodia than I have so far spending time in Siem Reap. Siem Reap, I think, was a small place that's grown up in recent years as a tourist destination because of its proximity to Angkor Wat. Having written that, tourism is a big reality in Cambodia so perhaps places like Siem Reap are as much a part of the country and the culture as the villages. The houses and shops that we drove past changed dramatically as soon as we left Siem Reap. The buildings are all elevated far from the ground on stilts so that if the area floods, the buildings will remain intact and safe from the water. Nearer to Siem Reap, the structures were large and constructed of wood, but as we got further into the countryside, they were built of straws and reeds and were smaller, simpler and poorer. On the drive we saw fields and fields of rice, lots of water and a lush and verdant landscape with a plethora of greens. Breathtaking scenery!
On arrival at the border of Tonle Sap, our tuk tuk drivers had to hand in tickets. I felt like I was crossing into another country, not just a different part of Cambodia. Tonle Sap is a series of villages built on the huge lake of Tonle Sap. We drove to where our boat was waiting and embarked. I'll try to describe the boat: imagine a large canoe with seats, two across and big enough for 10 people. It felt pretty stable and was close to the water. Our driver got on and we were off sailing on Tonle Sap.
It's rainy season in Cambodia so the place where we got on to the boat is dry for a large part of the year. We had to sail for a good ten to fifteen minutes to appreciate how amazing the floating villages of Tonle Sap are. I've never seen anything quite like this; it's more amazing even than Lake Titicaca in Bolivia! There are rows and rows of houses on stilts just floating in the water. Clearly they're anchored but I'm no expert and there was no one around that I could ask. Even though these are floating homes, they have everything that we have on dry land: kitchens, living areas, bedrooms, even TVs and stereos!
As we sailed past on our boat I felt a bit intrusive peering in on the lives of the people who inhabit this amazing place. Women cooked, children played, men swung contentedly in hammocks, and life was busy and animated everywhere. There was so much to see, I could hardly take it all in. Not only are there houses, though; there are also shops, places to eat, and I even saw two Catholic Churches! There are also schools so that the kids get a good education. The one we passed looked like the morning session of kids had just finished. I learned that in Cambodia, kids go to school usually either from 7 - 11am or from 1 - 5pm. The time they aren't at school, they're helping their parents in the fields, fishing, or earning money by selling stuff, such as the kids at Angkor Wat. Every school child that I've seen since I've been in Cambodia wears a smart uniform. I was told by a Cambodia man that as well as contributing to the family welfare and income by working, the kids contribute towards their education, providing funds towards paying for their uniforms and school books.
Tonle Sap is a massive expanse of fresh water and is, I believe, the source of about 70% of the fish consumed in Cambodia. That's quite a lot! So unsurprisingly there were lots of small boats out with people fishing. As well as fishing, I think now that tourism plays an important part in the national wealth, so there were lots and lots of tourist boats taking people like me to experience a part of Cambodian life. After we'd been sailing for maybe an hour we stopped at a tourist shop, and this was so not what I was expecting. As I climbed up the platform I looked over a railing to see a whole bunch of crocodiles in a container. When I say a whole bunch, there were two containers in the water and there must have been at least 20-30 in each!!! I was told that they're kept like that because Cambodians race them, then sell them on for their meat and skins - total yuk! There was also a container with enormous fish, no idea what kind, but when you tossed food in for them, they went mental. Not my bag at all.
All round the platform of the floating shop there were little boats full of people begging or selling drinks and bananas for a dollar each. It really got to me, especially the women who looked so poor with tiny babies and toddlers looking so sad and quiet. I wanted to give money without buying bananas (since I loath and despise them) but I'm always a responsible traveler so I paid the buck and had an enormous bunch or bananas. I shared a lot of them out with the guys I'm traveling with and when we got back to dry land, I gave the rest of the bunch to a small boy who was delighted with his prize.
We walked through one of the land villages, although all the houses were built on the water again. Everything was so busy in the village: people cooking lunch, small children and babies running around naked, totally unsupervised, men playing pool. I've noticed an entirely different attitude in childcare here, and I think that the experience is changing me. I'm not a clingy mommie - clearly not since I happily leave my son with his very capable daddy so I can go off and explore for three weeks - but I do spend all my time with Nathaniel during the day and I don't let him out of my sight when we're out. I'm not for a moment considering allowing him to roam unsupervised and naked around the place we live, not even in his own garden, but these kids, with no nappies and no clothes seemed happy little chipmunks. That said, they seem to behave the same the world over, beating each other happily, crying when mommie's not paying attention or they're tired or hungry.
All-in-all, this has been another awesome and humbling experience for me. I wish I had more time in Siem Reap so I could go back and talk to the people, learn more about their lives.
