Out on an excursion to Kampong Phluk (meaning 'Harbor of the Tusks'), a commune and village outside Siem Reap.
It takes about one hour (22 km!) in a tuk-tuk to reach it, which would be about the maximum I'd recommend
in this form of transport. Kampong Phluk is 'advertised' as a floating village on the Tonlé Sap, this isn't strictly
true, but more about that later. First some impressions from the road leading to the water.

Travelling through a few small communities, I failed to find names for them on the map, except 'Relouse'
which is the turn off from the N6 main road towards Tonlé Sap Lake.

Piggies going to market.

A suspicious glance to the man with the camera; what does she carry on the bike?

Perhaps they blasted this sandy road with a high-pressure water hose: all around was covered in brown dust.

The sign refers to www.waterforcambodia.org, bringing to our attention that over 50% of the rural Cambodian population do not have access to safe drinking water and 20% of the deaths of children under 5 are due to waterborne diseases; and how to help by donation.

From a taxi or van I couldn't have take photos like these, so a tuk-tuk was the best option here for me.

Our destination came in sight. We reached a gate, just visible there, where we had to pay a considerable fee: 25 US dollars. All for the good cause of ecotourism and contribution to future growth of the region. A hefty fee, considering the wages here; wonder where that money goes too: foreign investors I suspect, cynic that I am!
The fee does keep many tourists away, of that I am sure.

The office to charter a boat; the tuk-tuk had brought us here, over a very bumpy, badly maintained road.
We got a voucher at the gate, if I remember correctly, and handed it over here at 'the desk'. A boat driver
was pointed out, we got back into the tuk-tuk to get us to the boat. In the wet season one embarks at a much earlier point, perhaps at that gate (which was a brick building so probably didn't get flooded).
There may also to be the option of visiting it over water from Chong Khneas, the floating village nearer to Seam Riep

During the wet season the water level rises more than six meters.

Our boat and driver get their picture taken; we were (again) the only guests (not the last time either).

The driving seat, not exactly hi-tec is it?!

Nice to see evidence of a school: Kampong Phluk Secondary School.

The boatride was an interesting part and I forgot all about the bitter taste of a usd 25,- entrance fee.

Fishing is all done with netting and I guess he is patiently awaiting our moving on before he throws the net.

I never saw something like this and was pleased I had undertaken this trip.
What would these people do with a baby crawling around or exploring on his baby walk?

Well, this kiddo made it down safe at least; nice little shoes she (rings!) has on.

Watching the boats go by.

Evidence that the iMadness has reached Cambodia too.

Boat repairs.

The river winds through the village and the prop of our boat kept picking up dirt, which effected the power and ability to make the turns. So regularly our 'captain at the wheel' had to clean the prop and on each turn he used the pole to get the boat in the right direction. This slowed us down a lot and others kept passing us.
Though I did feel some irritation that we seemingly had been assigned the worst possible boat, I resigned myself to the thought that we were in no hurry.

Removing the dirt and waterplants; but throwing it back in the water did not prevent reoccurrence I would think.

The last bit to the lake is easy going, the river is wider and somewhat deeper.

A guide is calling in her imminent arrival, I suppose.

Not exactly 'ecotourism' I would say, but then the tourists are always in a hurry.
The floating village is much smaller than Chong Khneas (link bottom page).

The area is home to many ethnic Vietnamese and numerous Cham communities, living in floating villages around the lake. Approximately 1.2 million people living in the greater Tonle Sap make their living by fishing on the local waters.

The Tonlé Sap (‘Large Fresh Water River’, but more commonly translated as ‘Great Lake’) is a combined lake and river system of major importance to Cambodia. The Tonlé Sap is the largest freshwater lake in South East Asia and is an ecological hot spot that was designated as a UNESCO biosphere in 1997. This lake is unusual for two reasons: its flow changes direction twice a year, and the portion that forms the lake expands and shrinks dramatically with the seasons. From November to May, Cambodia's dry season, the Tonlé Sap drains into the Mekong River at Phnom Penh. However, when the year's heavy rains begin in June, the Tonlé Sap backs up to form an enormous lake. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tonle_Sap ;

 

We were heading to this restaurant where someone had taken a resting pose in a hammock.

After having enjoyed a refreshment we were offered a tour for usd 5,- each which we accepted.
At this point I have to explain that in the excursion was also mentioned 'The Flooded Forest' of which I had seen nothing yet, so I assumed we'd be taken there. Then we got in a very unstable, little boat, paddled by someone with a hip deformity. I felt a pang of guilt, thinking he would paddle us ashore.
But there was no Flooded Forest, for that is only in the wet season!
That young man paddled us for half an hour to a fish farm ('aqua culture catfish farms'!), but evidently the water is too muddy to see any fish; the boat was too unstable to stand in it and to look over the matting anyway.
Took his word for it that they were really big. Well, there wasn't much talking really.
With the midday sun burning down, and no protection, it was a good thing it didn't last longer than 30 minutes!

Back for lunch.
The main crop of the lake (as I have read somewhere) is shrimp and it tasted excellent with fried rice.

Heading back.

Fascinating tattoo. And a nice smile.

Exchanging jokes. Or perhaps he is making fun of our boat.

Thank goodness the river is more quiet now, perhaps all of them are on a lunchbreak.

A good view on the houses on stilts here. Apparently the tour did include the possibility of going ashore and walk around, but our skipper had lost a lot of time on the run in, keeping the boat going, and asked us in the most discouraging way if we wanted to visit the village. Or not.
We'd probably be hunted down by the locals to buy souvenirs.
So we agreed to sail on. Perhaps we should have taken the opportunity?

Pigs.

Doing the chores.

A friendly smile, hope he made a good catch.

Untangle the nets.

Back in the tuk-tuk, on the bumpy dusty roads.

More piggies going to market.

You don't see stiletto heels out here very much!

Finishing this report with a friendly wave!