Continuing my boat trip to Siem Reap (the beginning) - now in the narrower part of the river.

Photo:  Boat trip: Battambang to Siem Reap, Cambodia → The bank of the river became really flat and there are no trees.

Photo:  Boat trip: Battambang to Siem Reap, Cambodia → There are still some people living here, but not as many as in the previous part of the river.

Photo:  Boat trip: Battambang to Siem Reap, Cambodia → Some very interesting houses, which show the local people's ingenuity, which reflects scarceness of materials and their lack of money.

Photo:  Boat trip: Battambang to Siem Reap, Cambodia → I think people use these boats to travel from where they live to the fields where they grow rice or other plants.

Photo:  Boat trip: Battambang to Siem Reap, Cambodia → Here are the boats a little closer, as we are passing by them.

Photo:  Boat trip: Battambang to Siem Reap, Cambodia → And the river is still getting narrower.

Photo:  Boat trip: Battambang to Siem Reap, Cambodia → Passing some hats.

Photo:  Boat trip: Battambang to Siem Reap, Cambodia → They look somewhat futuristic, like the crouching machines from Star Wars.

Photo:  Boat trip: Battambang to Siem Reap, Cambodia → Just following the river...

Photo:  Boat trip: Battambang to Siem Reap, Cambodia → They build similar houses in South America. BUt these here are quite high, and I bet there are times when the river floods the are and their now standing on dry land dwelling would be in the middle of it.

Photo:  Boat trip: Battambang to Siem Reap, Cambodia → Another house.

Photo:  Boat trip: Battambang to Siem Reap, Cambodia → The boat goes through many curves now. The flows through a flat area, with no trees and their roots to hold the soil in place, so the river gets its way at sculpting the landscape, and meandering. It must look like a snake from above.

Photo:  Boat trip: Battambang to Siem Reap, Cambodia → I knew there will be more children on the way! They are always happy to see the big boats and strange tourists. Passing boats like our must be a big event for them, and entertainment in their otherwise i imagine lives without all the toys which the Western kids have.

Photo:  Boat trip: Battambang to Siem Reap, Cambodia → Uh, this part is pretty narrow. I think the river is no wider than 10 meters in some places. It's not easy to maneuver for the captain, and one of the crew stands now at all time at the front and helps maneuvering with a long paddle. Still, a few times, we hit the shore and get to smell the growing on them bushes. The guy on the right is taking care of his net, which is suspended in the water by use of empty water bottles.

Photo:  Boat trip: Battambang to Siem Reap, Cambodia → A bit wider again, but I am sure not for too long. The water is very muddy and has zero visibility, which is I am sure due to all the soil it carries from meandering.

Photo:  Boat trip: Battambang to Siem Reap, Cambodia → It also becomes very narrow again, which means a curve. Let's see what beyond it, but that's on the next page