We said goodbye to Battambang at the crack of dawn. We had to catch a tuk tuk to the bus station and our reserved seats for Siem Reap. We bid adieu to our gracious host Jen and a couple of cooks that were up at this hour and hurried to make the departure time our…
Ek Phnom Temple The ancient ruins of Ek Phnom Temple are quiet most days of the week. Monks peek curiously out of their bare wooden stilt houses at travelers. Dogs sleep in the sun, leaves rustle and families from surrounding villages picnic upon giant blocks of weathered and chiseled sandstone. It is an impressive, but…
BY BEEJ The time came for us of course to leave the town of Battambang. It was a reluctant good-bye: a place we had gone on a total whim to investigate a possible segment for our Web series became one of our fondest memories of Southeast Asia and a must-return destination. The town and surrounding…
I’m quite sure that there is a fascinating cultural or folkloric root for these New Year shenanigans somewhere in the mists of Cambodian history.
But you can be sure that Beej is not contemplating this academically as he brakes, weaves, and struggles to avoid hitting these youths who seem mysteriously determined to be hit by somebody.
by Beej In the last post we talked about some heavy history. But Battambang has a ton more to offer these days. For example, there are places you can scarf down mezze platters while ogling fine art, browsing literary works of spiritual gurus, or watching indie films in a small theater. Namely, the Lotus Bar…
I’ve done the charming city of Battambang an injustice with the focus on horrible roads and personal injuries. Experiences here need not be confined to falling off motorbikes (not recommended) or sampling health care options (limited). There are some great places to see in Cambodia’s second city. Battambang’s recent history is not a glorious one….
What do they say about motorbikes? You’ve gotta get back on them? Or is that horses? Even after all our failed attempts to reach Wat Banan, Stax and I aren’t willing to let ourselves be deterred by a minor life-threatening crash or two. No way, not us. We hop directly back on the motorbike the…
by Beej. The Battambang tourist clinic is casual to say the least. The woman at the outdoor check-in counter is about to leave for the day as we pull up to the window on our scraped-up motorbike, which held up fine on our 25km journey back from the crash site. The woman kindly sticks around…
Originally posted on Gypsy. Tramp. Thief.:
I have a pretty good memory. I don’t forget many things nor do I lose [many] items. But there is one second in my life that is gone, a fluttering moment in time that my mind could not, until recently, recall. Let me try to capture it. Beej and…
by Beej and Stax The wreck happens during our third attempt in three days to reach Wat Banan, a five-towered hillside Buddhist temple thirty kilometers west of Battambang. We have heard from other travelers to expect a steep and exhausting climb in the 100 degree heat and humidity to the top of the temple once…
