{"id":3641,"date":"2022-05-30T09:29:51","date_gmt":"2022-05-30T14:29:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.charlesconklin.com\/4cambodia\/?p=3641"},"modified":"2022-05-30T09:30:47","modified_gmt":"2022-05-30T14:30:47","slug":"battambang-kuy-teav-and-a-not-so-bamboo-train","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.charlesconklin.com\/4cambodia\/2022\/battambang-kuy-teav-and-a-not-so-bamboo-train\/","title":{"rendered":"Battambang, Kuy Teav, and a not so Bamboo Train"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In January, we made a long weekend trip to Battambang province to celebrate Sokea’s engagement. We have been waiting to write about it until after she announced her engagement on social media (which she did earlier this month). We travelled by bus with Ringsey and Doungchann. It was a very long, very bumpy ride due to national road 5 being renovated. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
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Charlotte is now old enough to read Charlotte’s Web by herself.
Where did my baby go?<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Our bus ride.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

After arriving we took a walk along the Sangkae river in Battambang and then through one of the city parks. Battambang is the second most populous\u00a0city in Cambodia after Phnom Penh. Thailand, then Siam, annexed Battambang in 1795 and ruled it for six generations until 1906 when the French forced them to return it to Cambodia (then a French colony). Thailand took advantage of France’s defeat during World War 2 to start it’s own war against the French<\/a> and in the Japanese brokered armistice Thailand annexed several provinces including Battambang. The Thai later returned the provinces to Cambodia (once again a French colony) after the defeat of the Empire of Japan when France threatened to veto their application to the United Nations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Sangkae river in cool season. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Walking on a cowpath<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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The river floods to the upper banks.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Ringsey and Doungchann outside of Battambang’s most famous Pagoda<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

We ate fried noodles at a stand by the river. The next morning we asked some local kids where the good Kuy Teav was and they guided us to their favorite local Kuy Teav shop<\/a>. The shop was just someone’s house but, indeed, the Kuy Teav was absolutely delicious. Some of the best that I’ve had. It was also some of the cheapest that I’ve had. Funny how that works sometimes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The good Kuv Teav is that way!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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We followed them several blocks.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Not much to look at from the outside.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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But the Kuy Teav was delicious!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Then we headed to the larger of Battambang’s two “bamboo” trains. I put bamboo in quotes because it wasn’t bamboo. That was the smaller, original, and absolutely terrifying train. We went with the larger, safer, and metal train…which is still called “bamboo” for marketing purposes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Giant elephant outside.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Tiny traditional houses inside.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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The famous “bamboo” train.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

We took the “bamboo” train up through the hills by cliffs and farmland. I felt a little nervous whenever we approached a turn but it was safe enough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Just a little nervous.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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We got going pretty fast at times.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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The brush covered cliffs were beautiful.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

At the end of the “bamboo” train track was a sprawling garden. It was lovely. I already shared many of the flowers<\/a> so I’ll only include a few non-flower photos from the garden.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Tandem bikes!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Is it midnight yet?<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Termite mound.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Hippy nop.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Fun old style playground.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Catherine climbing the stairs terrified me.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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One big Cat.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Of course then we had to ride the “bamboo” train back down to the train station. There was a cool manual turntable for the “bamboo” carts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Too fast!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Small garden at end of tracks.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Umbrella garden.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Battambang mural!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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The turntable being turned.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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The cool turntable.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I’m going to stop here for now but I’ll continue in Mountains and Bat Caves.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In January, we made a long weekend trip to Battambang province to celebrate Sokea’s engagement. We have been waiting to write about it until after she announced her engagement on social media (which she did earlier this month). We travelled by bus with Ringsey and Doungchann. It was a very long, very bumpy ride due… <\/p>\n

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