Submitted by Katie Bonnano on the 2013 winter session program in Cambodia and Vietnam sponsored by the Department of Art…
After falling in love with the city of Phnom Penh, I was a little wary about how the several smaller towns and villages next on our itinerary would compare. Luckily, our group is spending our time abroad in wonderfully diverse Cambodia, and I quickly found that the countryside is just as, if not more, incredible as bustling Phnom Penh.
This week was spent in places between Phnom Penh, our first stop in Cambodia, and Siem Reap, our final destination. First, we spent one night in Kompong Cham, where we enjoyed a bicycle tour around a beautiful island in the Mekong River. The only way to get to the island is by crossing a bamboo bridge, which bends and sways precariously as folks make their way across. The island was magical and our pack of 29 cyclists was hilarious, to say the least.
From Kompong Cham, we made our way to Sen Monorom, where we stayed for three days. Highlights from Sen Monorom include discovering fresh waffles made with coconut milk in the local market, hiking to the top of a nearby hilltop to watch the sunset, and visiting the Elephant Valley Project. At Elephant Valley, a non-government organization dedicated to rescuing elephants, we helped give the elephants their morning bath and delivered banana tree trunks as snacks for them. We also hiked around the preserve while watching the elephants roam around their home.
It was sad to leave Sen Monorom, which was breathtakingly beautiful and mountainous, but upon arriving in Kratie, our next stop, we excitedly boarded riverboats to see if we could catch a glimpse of Irrawaddy dolphins. The photograph below shows the small glimpse we ended up getting – mostly just dorsal fins! Either way, it was a pleasant ending to our time in the Cambodian countryside.
At last, we have arrived at our final destination, Siem Reap, and we are quickly getting to know the city as we explore the Angkor Complex and drink in our last week in this amazing country.