Walk with Sandra: October 2018

I visited Battambang, a city in northwestern Cambodia, recently. The 5 and 1/2 hour van ride from Phnom Penh to Battambang cost a mere $8 a person. Arriving in Battambang at around 2 PM to a cloudy and wet day, I was greeted by aggressive touts at Capitol Bus Station. "No thank you, I'm walking to the hotel," I told them (Thank you, Google map!). It was a short 5-10 minutes walk to Holiday Hotel, a bargain at just $12.80 a night in an air-conditioned room featuring a large window on the sixth floor and an elevator (which many in the West take for granted).

The old colonial buildings in Battambang caught my eye and reminded me of those I had seen in Malacca, Malaysia and Hoi An, Vietnam. The city center is delightful and has a slow pace of life. Quietness fell over me as many shops were shuttered, and traffic was light due perhaps to the long holiday weekend - or is this how it is usually? I'm not sure. Most places in the city center are well within walking distance though there are tuktuks and even PassApp rides available for those less-inclined to walk. There are also well-maintained tree-lined sidewalks that make for good strolls and jogs as well as playgrounds and rock paths along the brownish-green Sangker River that runs calmly through the city of Battambang.

The arts scene here is robust and well-known. A few art galleries are dotted all over old town Battambang, but I only visited one - the must-see Romcheik 5 Art Space that displays locally-made artworks that are as good as those seen in western galleries ($2.50 entrance fee per person). Meal prices in Battambang are generally lower than in Phnom Penh. Not only are the portions generous, but the foods are also fresh, flavorful, and home-made! I particularly love the Spanish omelette ($2.50) at About the World, the beef noodles ($1.50) at a local eatery that is walking distance from Holiday Hotel, the mushroom burger with fries ($2.50) at Cappuccino Coffee House, and the all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet ($3.00) at Cafe HOC.

I took a half-day tuktuk tour to villages outside of Battambang city center where I saw rice fields, cows, roadside vendors, green trees, and plenty of open space. It was a refreshing change of environment. The old bamboo train ride is a must-try, if only once. I paid $5 to ride on the bamboo train to nowhere really. The driver sat in the back to handle the engine. There was no protection (read: no seats, seat belts, roof, or windshield), so I just hoped for the best. The exposure to the elements while riding the train was part of the fun. This includes direct sunlight and rain, wind on your face, hair, and everywhere, and the roar of the wheels on the tracks as the train sped forward in what I would guess to be 30-40 mph speed. The ride was invigorating as I saw flat green rice fields to our right and left and a flat horizon ahead of us. We stopped at a make-shift souvenir stand to sit and rest/drink for a few minutes before we turned and rode back. These bamboo trains were formerly used to shuttle people and goods to and from the fields. This mode of transport has now ceased for the most part, but its use today is mostly catered to carrying wide-eyed tourists from near and far who pay for the experience of riding on an open-air bamboo train.

My tuktuk driver Mr. Kamnat is also the director of AKD School, a local school just outside of Battambang city center. He took me to the school to see its facilities after the bamboo train ride. Over 200 poor Cambodian students attend complimentary English classes there on weekdays. At the moment, they are building a library at the school and would appreciate kind donations in books or funds to make this goal a reality. For more information, visit: www.akdproject.com.

Another worthy mention is Phare Ponleu Selpak, a Cambodian non-profit arts school in Battambang. It offers educational, visual arts, and performing arts programs in a nurturing and creative environment to children and youth in and around Battambang. Believing in the power of the arts as a tool for human development and social change, the school engages in community outreach and social development programs. Their graduates have performed locally and internationally to promote Cambodia's arts and culture. Here's a verbatim record of their history: "The spirit of Phare Ponleu Selpak - the Brightness of the Arts - originated in 1986 at a refugee camp on the border of Thailand, where French drawing teacher Veronique Decrop helped the children to overcome their traumas of war through the arts. After the camp closed, Veronique recruited the support of 9 of her young students to create an arts center in Battambang to help the most vulnerable children of the surrounding communities. In 1995, after a few years of work and construction, Phare Ponleu Selpak welcomed its first students." Each Phare show combines Cambodian dance, theater, original live music, and thrilling circus performance. Pre-sale tickets are available at select restaurants and hotels - cost $14 per adult; on-site price is $17 per adult. Shows start at 7 PM when in season. For more information, visit www.phareps.org.

Colonial and the Traditional in Old Town Battambang