29.11 - Day 319 - Battambang to Bat Cave
Friday 29th November - Battambang to Bat Cave (Day 319)
A walk along the dusty roads has me amongst the throngs of well turned-out school children on their scooters zipping to school which starts at 7am. Two important collections; iced coffee (5k Riel / $1.25) and washed laundry (4.5k Riel).
Moving day, but only 15 minutes down the road and checkout not till midday leaves time for us to walk out for breakfast at a bustling duck noodle cafe followed by finishing the week’s schoolwork.
A third and final visit to the Library Cafe, Sienna having finished the children’s English books followed by a tasty small lunch at MC cafe, a quiet oasis in a glass panelled room surrounded by greenery - recommended if you find yourself in Battambang.
At 2:30pm a tuk tuk wedges all four of us and luggage in together to tootle down the main road, passed by thundering trucks belching out exhaust fumes.
We arrive at the Family Batcave Homestay, greeted by host Saro and a plate of fruit. Also at the table is John, a 65 year old Australian and Cambodian girlfriend - he is very chatty and interested in Seb and Sienna’s sporting endeavours.
The homestay has 4 wooden houses raised on stilts, beds with mosquito nets and shared toilets and (cold) showers. Despite, or because of this, it has immaculate ratings online perhaps because of the types of people it brings together.
Sienna is immediately smitten by a puppy who she names River, carrying him around as he sleeps. Other dogs and cats wander around the property with several chicken coops containing chicks.
Sienna and Seb play with the animals / Lego / watch iPad while I join a tour in the back of a ute with John plus Martij and Slyvia, a Dutch and Italian couple (travelling 9 months more off the beaten track than us through Philippines, Cambodia and South America).
The sharply rising hill we can see from our homestay is where we head - firstly to a small temple painted inside and out with the story of Buddha’s life, built only in the 1950's.
But in darker times in late 1960’s it was a holding / interrogation point for an estimated stream of 10,000 people who were then killed and bodies dumped in three killing caves, one for each of women, children and men. An unnerving tourist site but very glad to have heard the story from Saro and its effect on his family.
If your imagination can’t picture the scenes there are also unrelated statues as to what happens to those who have led a sinful life - liars tongues pulled out, gamblers heads replaced by roosters.
It is good the monks have since reclaimed the temple and Saro introduced us to the Buddha tree, a species which it is believed Buddha was born under, meditated under and died under. Folk stories mean pregnant women drink tea infused by the pretty flower blooming from it.
Further up the hill we are the only ones to walk down into a large cavernous cave, somehow more beautiful as not tainted by any grisly history. Up on the top of the hill we find more tourists again and several small temples and glistening gold stoupa.
The setting sun provides special views over the flat, paddy-filled countryside even if you have to keep your wits about you for the confident monkeys looking to steal food or drink.
Back in the ute we race down the hill to the Bat Cave as 6.5 million bats stream and squeak out the mouth of the cave. Kate, Sienna and Seb have walked here for this nightly phenomenon and it is a very impressive sight as these millions of small bats head out to find food.
Dinner is a communal affair prepared by Saro’s wife, with Martij and Slyvia willingly or not end up playing Rummikub with us before late showers and bed.
