The sights of Battambang

The Bamboo Train

Intrepid train travellers

Oops another bogey coming towards us

So off we got. Our bogey was removed, the others went on their way and ours was replaced back on track, literally. And we were on our way too.

The engine

Fishing

Casting his net

Boys fishing

The catch

Local lad

 

Driver's break time. 

This old system of moving people and their products uses old but standard gauge rail tracks. There is a plan to replace it soon with a more modern rail system.

A Chinese funeral in Battambang

I woke to the sound of music and Cantonese announcements over a loud speaker close to the hotel. I went off to investigate and discovered a funeral service had begun. The mourners and monks had gathered in venue come restaurant.  I noticed a photographer and videographer working amongst those gathered and checked that it was appropriate for me to take photos. Not only was I assured that it was fine, I was given a hand tied set of offerings.

These Tuk Tuks had brought those attending and were now waiting to follow the extraordinarily decorated hearse around the town.

The hearse

These ladies in dressed in white work in the Pagoda/temple cooking and cleaning for the monks.

Not the most flattering photo but it was dawn on a Sunday morning sidewalk ....

This is the little bunch of offerings which included flowers, incense and fake money which was given to me. 

Offerings for the pagoda being loaded onto the hearse

I want to say sweet n sour.....but they were actually raw and cooked !!!!'m more offerings

A large photograph of the deceased surrounded by fresh floral tributes

The drummers.  These boys would also be Lion Dancers at other ceremonial occasions 

Preparing to lead the procession

The coffin in place

Chief mourners

Another mourner

Perhaps a grandchild!

The gentleman with carrier bag was throwing fake paper money along the route through the town to the Pagoda to ensure the deceased had money in his afterlife.

The procession around the town 

At this point I returned to my hotel for breakfast. An hour or so later I resumed my wander and luckily came across the next stage of the funeral as the burial in the Pagoda was taking place. Again there was no issue with me taking photos.  I do know that certainly in the past in China one could actually hire professional mourners to join in funerals.

This guy wasn't so upset as to ignore his phone.

Here were the two pigs I had seen earlier in a tuk tuk as part of the offerings.

Offerings to help look after this gentleman in his afterlife.

This looked like it was a gift to the monks

The coffin with flowers and candles  before it was lowered 

Lowering the deceased to his final resting place

An assortment of offerings

A real cutie

Just in case no one believes me.... Recording for posterity

Inside the pagoda

The temple

The drummers leave

Chillin' 

This MC was still going strong 5 hours later when I noticed the attendees had regrouped at the first venue for refreshments.  What a send off and a eulogy which lasted 5 hours !

Weekend Trip To Battambang, Cambodia

It was interesting seeing more of the country during the 4 hour journey East.  However I would hope to hire a car and driver for long road trips in the future.  Comfortable it was not!

The lush green of rice paddy fields.

The rest stop is beyond describing. Truly, even worse than you think.

There was a doctor's office and clinic next door and this X-ray was being read with the help of the sunshine.

Refreshments and snacks for sale.

The charming local lad sitting beside me offered to share his snack...I was tempted feeling it would be impolite to refuse until I discovered that he was eating crickets from this bag😩 .

We were pleasantly surprised with the comforts of the Emerald Hotel @ US$18 a night.

The hotel organised a Tuk Tuk for us and the driver was a delight. His English was excellent with a strong Australian accent. He had been born and spent his first twelve years in a refugee camp on the Thai border. He took us to a wonderful french restaurant Au Cabaret Vert for lunch. It was like stepping back in time. 

Prawn mango salad.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

For those who have read or have had the story of the Very Hungry Caterpillar read to them ... here

it is explained:

This entry comes with a warning ...you may not find this as interesting as I did.  

Today Maureen and I visited a government run education centre for the design and production of silk.  It used to be supported by the EU among others but is now independent of outside aid.  The girls who spend a year being trained in the art of design and weaving then go to their home villages where they work in what is basically a cottage industry. They produce both raw and fine silk here.  There is a shop which sells the finished objects which at first seem to be expensive but when you realise how long it takes to weave a metre of cloth it's not expensive at all and the quality and colours were superb.

The Mulberry bush ... food for silkworms.

The female moths lay their eggs and die.

The eggs hatch into worms who live a charmed life, gorging on chopped mulberry leaves.

When the worms change to a yellow colour they are transferred to this large circular basket where they begin producing their cocoons.  The other layer/wrap is what is used for Raw Silk and the inner silk threads are what produce the fine silk. 

Happy worms busily weaving cocoons.

The worm inside the cocoon.

Their are two methods of killing off the worm...leaving them in the heat of the sun, which bleaches them.

Or, sorry to say: Boiling them. The worker then brushes the fine threads up to the spindle seen here which In turn feeds the threads on to the next stage.

So many threads and each do fine.

The spools feeding the warping machine.

At last the beginnings of the silk thread as we know it.

Cochineal, one of the natural dyes used.  There is only 10% natural dye and the rest is manufactured colour due to the instability of the natural colours.

This girl is using plastic to tie strands together to create s tie dyed effect. 

Her finished product was this beautiful piece.

The bobbins.

Working on an a length of fabric.

These girls were using bicycle wheel rims to weave the threads.

My treat a beautiful silk bag.

If you are still with me I do hope that you enjoyed the description of a fascinating traditional industry of Cambodia.