Whereas Phnom Penh is hustle and bustle, Kampong Cham is peaceful and pleasant. It has remnants of its French colonial past with wide boulevards and ornate balconies. The pace is definitely slower here although it is the third largest city with population of 65,000.
Its big selling point is its location on the Mekong River. Kampong means riverside and here the river is wide and blue with much of the town, including our Mekong Hotel, based near it. The sun rises from the other side of the river making for gorgeous sunrises. This is definitely my favourite time of the day - peaceful, beautiful, calm and cool. Or not boiling anyway.
Kampong Cham is also famous for two bridges that contrast tradition and modernity. The first bridge pictured is the Kizuna bridge (2001) named after the Japanese ambassador who got Japan to build what was the biggest bridge in Cambodia and the first to span the Mekong. I go running across this bridge in the mornings. Well twice.
The second bridge is a little different. It's made of bamboo. But is actually newer than the Kizuna bridge because it is built anew every year after being swept away in the wet season. The Bamboo Bridge (Spean Russey) takes a month to build and everything can go over this bridge and at the same time; motorbikes, cars, 4x4s - the lot.
However, it is an absolute nightmare to cycle across. Those who read this earlier blog may remember me complaining about cycling over cobbles. This wasn't as bad but then there weren't cars coming towards you on that cobbly bridge. Plus, we had to pay twice the price that locals have to because we're "barang", which actually means French, but is used to describe any white, long nosed foreigner.
Kampong Cham also has a few a Buddhist temples, which we are yet to visit, and a few markets. Visiting the market is usually an interesting experience, which I think may be worth a whole blog in itself. So you'll just have to wait.
But since Claire left you with a Cambodian saying last time, I will do so too.
"Songsaa ch'ran, pan-ya-haa ch'ran; pon tai pan-ya-haa la-or" which means "many girlfriends, many problems; but good problems". I think our teacher may have been a player....
Gordon
However, it is an absolute nightmare to cycle across. Those who read this earlier blog may remember me complaining about cycling over cobbles. This wasn't as bad but then there weren't cars coming towards you on that cobbly bridge. Plus, we had to pay twice the price that locals have to because we're "barang", which actually means French, but is used to describe any white, long nosed foreigner.
Kampong Cham also has a few a Buddhist temples, which we are yet to visit, and a few markets. Visiting the market is usually an interesting experience, which I think may be worth a whole blog in itself. So you'll just have to wait.
But since Claire left you with a Cambodian saying last time, I will do so too.
"Songsaa ch'ran, pan-ya-haa ch'ran; pon tai pan-ya-haa la-or" which means "many girlfriends, many problems; but good problems". I think our teacher may have been a player....
Gordon
