CHRISTMAS DAY 2008; PREY VENG PROVINCE, 60 MILES EAST OF PHNOM PENH

This is part of the jungle track, through banana plantations, that we travelled along to reach the village of Sreivon's family. Her brothers met us at the Neak Luong ferry and drove us the ten miles or so on the back of their moto's. Her eldest brother, who I had met before in Kandal province drove me, as he was considered the strongest one to carry me!! I am sure the locals must have got wind that there was a 'hairy monkey' in town as the track was lined on both sides with children and adults waving, smiling and laughing at my attempts to stay seated on the back of the moto without falling off! We had to cross three river beds, the approaches to which, were very steep and muddy; we, of course, got stuck in the mud twice but there were plenty of kids around to push us through.


It is difficult to describe the Khmer people without jumping up and down on a spring-board of emotions. Their smiles will lift your spirit and then their stories will send you crashing. This is a nation of survivors. From one of the darkest periods of history, they have emerged blinking into the light of hope. Whether or not the inhabitants of Prey Veng know it, they are the subject of nationwide sympathy due to its reputation as being one of the most poverty stricken provinces in the kingdom. I would never have guessed this from the welcome and generosity I experienced here.
My home for the night, 25th December, 2008.
The next door neighbour; the house of one of Sreivon's brothers.
Eighty-five per cent of Khmers live off the fat of the land. They are generally farmers, as with Sreivon's family, weavers or fishermen, with the majority wet-rice cultivators. Family is the core and familial bonds are very strong. The family unit normally extends far and beyond the immediate members to encompass cousins,second cousins, aunts, great aunts and so on.

Food is incredibly important. Not just because Cambodians know what it is like to be without, but because it acts as a means of connection. In Cambodia, physical displays of affection are awkward and almost non-existent, except between pals of the same sex. Therefore a mother will show her adoration for her son through a well cooked meal; a soup instead of a hug; a well grilled fish instead of a kiss.


For the older generations, faith is very important and regular trips to shrines to make offerings and to pray are still part of their regular activities. Much food was laid out in front of a small shrine by the house and incense burners were lit at regular intervals throughout the day. This is still very much a traditionalist country. Old customs are practised and values maintained.


More views across the paddy fields; dusk Xmas day 2008. Bitten to death by the ubiquitous mosquito but worth a but of itching!


The view from the house; dawn 26th December 2008.
Underneath the house serves as a storage area, home of the porker and a table to prepare and eat meals on. It also provides some much needed shade from the sun.
Huge porker!!
Little porkers next to the shower area.
Pork scratchings for a year!
The next six pictures are of various nieces and nephews in the family; I suspect that none of them had ever seen a white person before as they were very interested in my filmstar like appearance! When I had a 'shower', they all gathered around and laughed at my attempts to wash myself whilst trying to keep the sarong in place around my lower body! Water was pumped from the well by one of the brothers, collected in a sauepan like container and then I would tip that over my head and wash myself; sounds simple, but of course I am considerably bigger than these people and the sarong just about covered what was needed, much to the amusement of what now was a huge crowd of villagers who had come to watch. I felt a bit like Bruce Parry, from the television series 'Tribe', and once again despite my slight embarassment, I could not help but join in the laughter. The Khmers' live-for-the-moment attitude is what makes them so much fun. Walking past a group of Khmers who burst into raucous laughter might make you paranoid that they are making fun of you- they are. Taking the mickey out of others is a national sport ( Digs; you would be at home here! ), and their wit is as fast as a moto speeding through Phnom Penh. They love a good laugh, so if you ever come here make sure to pack your sense of humour!!! One small boy spent ages simply pulling the hair on my arms in amazement and wonder. That's a shower I won't forget!





Sreivon and her daughter Lisa, Xmas afternoon stroll by the Mekong.
Small fish similar to sardines are caught in these nets and these we had fried in chilli oil and coriander.
The fishing boat shared by the village moored on the banks of the Mekong, five minutes from Sreivon's house.
Believe it or not all the cooking was done on a very small homemade stove. Four rocks made a sort of oven, fuelled by wood from the jungle. We had fried fish, shrimps, chicken, eel, vegetables, pigs intestines ( not too keen on them!) and of course mountains of rice.
Fresh water crabs cooked in garlic and lime juice with Kampot pepper; Cambodian prawn cocktail!
Preparing food for dinner using the only source of clean water from the well.
Sreivon invited me to spend Xmas day with her family which I of course accepted graciously although she was worried that I would struggle to cope with the heat; there is no fan and no air conditioning here.
I am still not really sure who is related to who but that doesn't matter, everyone I met treated me like a long lost friend. This, and the next two pictures are the brothers and relations of Sreivon. Not one of them spoke any English but after a few Angkor beers that didn't seem to really matter. They took to me in a big way and we had many a toast to anything and everything!

Brothers-in-arms! Sreivon's eldest brother, hugging me, and the two other brothers are immediately to my left. This is exactly what I wanted to experience on this journey; something the normal tourist would never see. I could not have had better company than this on Xmas day.