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Post by hwinpp on Jun 16, 2009 6:15:41 GMT
From Phnom Penh to the Phapaeng FallsLast Friday the whole company piled into a 35 seater coach and took off for a long weekend of team- building in Cambodia's northernmost province, Stung Treng. Being just 52km from the Lao border, an afternoon at the Mekong Falls in Phapaeng was included. On the way north the trip was broken at just past the halfway mark in Kratie, one of the last places to see the extremely endangered Irrawaddy freshwater dolphin, on the way back we stopped at the 100 Pillar Pagoda in Sambor, also on the Mekong. Here are some of the pics I took: The main Stung Treng City pagoda, right next to our hotel: Small Lao market by the river: The 'bustling' port: Small garden in Thalaborivat: Pre Angkorean yoni with naga motif on the right: Bye bye top Thalaborivat: Lunch at the falls: The Mekong Falls at Phapaeng: Those were the falls that stopped the French expedition under Henri Mouhot from reaching Yunnan by boat.
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Post by bixaorellana on Jun 16, 2009 6:27:33 GMT
Wow ~~ what a weekend, HW!
Your photo of morning breaking over the Sekong is so beautiful.
The pagoda is quite unexpected -- I wouldn't have guessed that's what that is. It's exquisite, but somehow looks secular to me.
Are people at the port boarding a little ferry?
Lunch! I clicked my teeth quite hard on the monitor going after that fish!
The falls are pure water power foaming over those toothy rocks -- no wonder they stopped the expedition.
GREAT peek into Laos -- thank you!
please note that your yoni w/naga pic is missing.
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Post by hwinpp on Jun 16, 2009 6:34:30 GMT
Ha, ha, sorry Bixa, I thought the dawn Sekong photo wasn't working and deleted it (couldn't see it myself). Will now post assorted other photos then answer your questions
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Post by hwinpp on Jun 16, 2009 7:00:51 GMT
Dawn on the Sekong. The view is eastwards towards the new Chinese- Cambodian Friendship Bridge and ultimately Vietnam. This is, BTW, the river that Captain X goes up in Apocalypse Now. I've traveled it further up beyond Ban Lung and it gets a funny atmosphere up there (probably because I saw the movie). And the local tribes still sacrifice water buffalo by chopping off their heads: The contents of the baskets the Lao women were hawking on the pavement. Mainly fish but also vegetables and herbs. And 'Pring' (following picture), a small local fruit that tasted surprisingly like cherries: A small pre- Angkorean temple in Thalaborivat, our reason for crossing the Sekong and the Mekong in the first place. One way to see it is older than the classical Angkor period is that the walls were made of bricks. People still worship there as you can see by the golden umbrella and fresh incense sticks:
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Post by hwinpp on Jun 16, 2009 7:19:12 GMT
Wow ~~ what a weekend, HW! Your photo of morning breaking over the Sekong is so beautiful. The pagoda is quite unexpected -- I wouldn't have guessed that's what that is. It's exquisite, but somehow looks secular to me. Now that you say it, yes, they don't look like places of worship. This is the style that Theravada temples have more or less in all of SEA. I prefer the smoky, incense laden, Tao temples, they're so much more mysterious and atmospheric (see Jack's thread with photos from Saigon). The Theravada Buddhists consider themselves the 'true' branch because they're stricter than the Mahayana followers. Are people at the port boarding a little ferry? Yes. They're actually boarding the wooden ferry right at the back. The metal ferry that looks like a bridge is actually the vehicle ferry just accross the Sekong. Used before the bridge was finished. Lunch! I clicked my teeth quite hard on the monitor going after that fish! Yes, the fish was excellent. It had been caught that morning and there were actually three such plates! We also had green papaya salad, very good, and lunch boxes from Stung Treng that were crap, rice, fried pork and a fried egg. We'd brought them because we'd been told the restaurants at the falls were very expensive. Turns out that was untrue. The fish cost 5000 riels, 1.25USD per cooked kg! As cheap as at the markets in Phnom Penh. ... please note that your yoni w/naga pic is missing.Are you trying to pull my leg?
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Post by Deleted on Jun 16, 2009 11:39:52 GMT
Thank you hw,every shot intrigued and the commentary accompanying splendid. Our own private breakfast tour(a.m. here). I'm glad you didn't sit in a cyber cafe. Thanks so much! The fruit in the bowl does resemble cherries,had you never seen/tasted before? I've been fantasizing about having a little Vietnamese kitchen garden,the climate here seems so similar.
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Post by imec on Jun 16, 2009 12:09:34 GMT
I too enjoyed this, thanks. I'd love to see more of Asia.
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Post by traveler63 on Jun 16, 2009 13:41:25 GMT
HW:
Your pictures are truly exceptional. Thank you.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 16, 2009 17:10:29 GMT
Stung Treng and Kratie have been on my list for quite some time already. One of these days I'll finally get there!
Those are great pictures, HW. I'm sure that most of us will agree that photos of daily life, people and markets are just as if not more interesting than trying to take pretty pictures of monuments.
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Post by bixaorellana on Jun 17, 2009 6:11:28 GMT
HW, what is the significance of the free-standing wooden entry on the temple? It's great that you work with people who'd be interested in visiting this kind of history.
I have looked & looked at the picture of the market lady's fish, & can't figure out what the thing with the "fingers" is -- some kind of crustacean, but what?
Have to say again what a stellar photo-visit this is -- thank you!
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Post by spindrift on Jun 17, 2009 7:36:39 GMT
HW - I have really enjoyed looking at your pictures.
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Post by hwinpp on Jun 18, 2009 8:48:05 GMT
It's Thursday and I haven't made it this far down the roster of threads since I posted here the last time. Further up (not bad actually) and work have occupied me too much! The fruit in the bowl does resemble cherries,had you never seen/tasted before?No never. When I saw them I thought they'd be sour but they turned out quite sweet. The juicier ones tasted like cherries and berries. Quite good actually. I also tried fresh lotus seeds, boiled lotus seeds and boiled, dried and spiced lotus seeds. The simply boiled ones were best. When I get out into the provinces again I'll make a pictorial guide to eating lotus seeds I too enjoyed this, thanks. I'd love to see more of Asia.
Your pictures are truly exceptional. Thank you.
HW - I have really enjoyed looking at your pictures. Thanks. Mainly due to the camera I think... Stung Treng and Kratie have been on my list for quite some time already. One of these days I'll finally get there!Yes. I just discovered it on this trip myself. I'll definitely be going up to Kratie again, a little village about 30 minutes outside it really captivated me. And it had a guest house called Mekong GH. HW, what is the significance of the free-standing wooden entry on the temple? The figure of the old man beside the temple you mean? He's an old animist protector of 'spaces'. Predates even pre- Angkorean and Hinduism here. And still going very strong in Cambodian society. I have looked & looked at the picture of the market lady's fish, & can't figure out what the thing with the "fingers" is -- some kind of crustacean, but what?You intrigue me... I didn't see any crustaceans, only fish. Maybe you can 'cut' out what you mean and post it?
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Post by bixaorellana on Jun 18, 2009 15:13:46 GMT
HW, what is the significance of the free-standing wooden entry on the temple? The figure of the old man beside the temple you mean? He's an old animist protector of 'spaces'. Predates even pre- Angkorean and Hinduism here. And still going very strong in Cambodian society. The old man? I cannot see that at all. (even though I noticed the plastic water bottle abandoned in the grass) I was referring to the entryway, which when I viewed full-size saw that it's of stone, not wood. You intrigue me... I didn't see any crustaceans, only fish. Maybe you can 'cut' out what you mean and post it?
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Post by distantshores on Jun 18, 2009 15:34:57 GMT
hw... I too truly enjoyed your photos and your comments to go with them. These are places I would probably never see if it wasn't for your kind generosity!
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Post by Deleted on Jun 18, 2009 18:08:26 GMT
Don't be afraid to go there, DS. Cambodia is a marvelous country.
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Post by hwinpp on Jun 19, 2009 11:21:18 GMT
Ahhh, I understand. The entry is made of stone, and the wedge shaped contraption is a modern addition to stabilise it. It's function is to prevent the top lintel from collapsing. And those 'spiny' things behind the yellow/brown fish? Well, they're frog hands or feet. The frogs have been skinned so the flesh sort of contracts and leaves the fingers longer (and the webs are gone of course). I'll upload a pic of the old man I thought I'd done it already
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Post by hwinpp on Jun 19, 2009 11:25:23 GMT
I too truly enjoyed your photos and your comments to go with them.
Thanks DS. As Jack said, Cambodia is safe and a good place to visit.
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Post by Jazz on Jun 20, 2009 12:30:01 GMT
A truly satisfying breakfast trip up the Mekong...it is dawn here. Your photos are special and I could ask a hundred questions about each of them, or not. They are simply great. You have composed a beautiful story, rich with images, shapes, colours and smells. Your economy of words is perfect.
I love the pagoda with the wonderful ochre colour and its shape... the beautiful colours of the women's skirts, the 'smells' of the 'bustling' port, the statue at rest silently in the green, the rounded basket of pring...and, dawn on the Sekong.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 21, 2009 9:53:31 GMT
Very interesting pictures, hwinpp. Is frying fish the normal way to eat it in Cambodia? I would think that boiling or steaming would be very common in a place like that. Oil can be a major expense in some countries.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 21, 2009 9:58:31 GMT
Fulgenzio,perhaps you could apprentice hw in the fine art of pressing olives(after your lovely thread).
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Post by hwinpp on Jun 25, 2009 8:49:42 GMT
Fulgenzio, you're right. Usually fish will be cooked in a soup so that nothing gets lost. Grilling or frying is more seldom and rarely done at home or at cheaper eateries. On the other hand most people find it tastier if fried ...
I saw that thread Cas. It made my mouth water. Olive oil is the most expensive oil available here, even more expensive than sesame oil.
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Post by bixaorellana on May 14, 2010 1:24:24 GMT
Just revisited this wonderful thread, HW, because of reading about the proposed Sambor dam ~~ If built, the Sambor dam would block major fish migrations between Southern Laos and Cambodia’s Tonle Sap Lake, destroy critical deep pool fish habitats, and interrupt the river’s hydrological, sediment and nutrient cycles, impacting the river’s wider ecology. Ultimately, the project would jeopardize the fisheries vital to Cambodia’s economy and food security.
A 1994 study estimated that over five thousand people would need to be resettled if the Sambor dam was built. That number is sure to have increased by now. The dam also threatens the habitat of the critically endangered Irrawaddy dolphins, whose territory includes the deep water pools close to the proposed dam site full article: www.internationalrivers.org/en/node/3299When the Mekong runs dry By Brian McCartan, May 12, 2010VIENTIANE - Low water levels on the upper Mekong River have renewed criticism over hydropower dams China has erected on the waterway's upper reaches. Environmental groups and governments have pinned blame on China's inward-looking water management policies, although some experts say the real culprit is unusually severe drought conditions in southwestern China, northern Thailand and Laos. read the rest, + more: www.savethemekong.org/news_detail.php?nid=105
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Post by hwinpp on May 17, 2010 1:59:54 GMT
The Chinese have hydropower dams up there. That means water has to flow, if they're to get electricity.
The Thais (and those seem to be the sole critics) are very two faced about it. They're criticizing the Chinese but they're financing practically every hydro electric dam in Laos.
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Post by bixaorellana on May 17, 2010 2:07:10 GMT
What is the benefit to the Thais of aiming criticism at the Chinese? Also, do you think the both quotes above are inaccurate?
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Post by hwinpp on May 24, 2010 9:59:05 GMT
If I were more cynical I'd say that's the Thai way. Everybody's to blame but themselves (though not in this case) but it's easier to blame and shame the Chinese than blame it on global warming or climate change or whatever and be seriously consequent about that.
Or, to be even more cynical, tell the farmers in the North it's the Chinese fault... Thailand's most famous Chinese is Thaksin Shinawatra, the last democratically elected PM they had ;D
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Post by hwinpp on Jun 1, 2010 4:40:31 GMT
Here's one differing opinion. His argumentation makes sense. And it's the reason the Thais are blaming it on dams. If they'd accept deforestation as the reason, they'd have just themselves to blame. After plundering their own forests, they robbed the Burmese, the Lao and, during the KR time, had a cozy relationship with those, timber (and gemstones) for cash, weapons and ammunitions. They don't like being reminded of that of course... A bit big, sorry! PS, now, by magic, smaller PPS, and now even better! I really should pat myself on the back... ;D
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Post by bixaorellana on Jun 3, 2010 23:13:18 GMT
Great article, HW, although I had to wait for the page to stop jumping and flicking. It's so BIG, as big as a damn dam!
What van Mansvelt is saying is simple, logical, and proven. The effects of deforestation have been seen over and over again all over the world. Do you suppose his standing as an environmental scientist means there is a chance he'll be heeded, or is he just another voice crying in the (dwindling) wilderness?
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Post by hwinpp on Jun 4, 2010 3:33:22 GMT
Great article, HW, although I had to wait for the page to stop jumping and flicking. It's so BIG, as big as a damn dam! What van Mansvelt is saying is simple, logical, and proven. The effects of deforestation have been seen over and over again all over the world. Do you suppose his standing as an environmental scientist means there is a chance he'll be heeded, or is he just another voice crying in the (dwindling) wilderness? He's being heeded here, but I suspect for the wrong reasons. For the Cambo government, his viewpoint is helpful, because it shows the Thais are talking BS, he's supporting China (the biggest 'no strings attached' donor) and, whether by coincidence or not, he said this long before this letter to the editor appeared in the papers, probably by a month! Now, whether they will seriously consider the consequences and change their attitude towards forests remains to be seen. There's been a bit of clamping down on private enterprises but nothing against the army. They're the truly guilty ones.
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Post by bixaorellana on Jun 4, 2010 5:47:51 GMT
It would be interesting to know how long the various concessions run. They must need to be renewed, which, if some investigative journalists were to ascertain when that was, would be the perfect time for environmental groups to pounce. The question is, could enough outrage be whipped up for it to be effective?
When you say the army are the truly guilty ones, are you talking about the army receiving logging concessions, or something else?
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Post by hwinpp on Jun 4, 2010 6:53:23 GMT
The concessions, usually called 'social development concessions', never 'logging concessions', usually run for long periods of time, 40- 50 years is not a rarity.
Since Global Witness exposed the ties and connections between the people profiting from illegal logging, the government has been very careful about whom to let into the country. It's not easy to just pounce.
Army camps up on the border are nearly always logging camps. They've got the man- power and they've got the trucks. And, 'power comes out of the barrel of a gun'.
By coincidence I met a guy who made a film about this for the first Global Witness report last night at dinner. The only reason he's still here is because GW didn't credit him at all so his name is not on any government list.
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