Cambodia| Going to Kampot City

happened on March 9, 2016

relaxing view of the river

We woke up early as we still have  a very long travel ahead.  Too bad, I wasn't able to bike around.

the Casino building

We first went to the Swan boats to have a glimpse of the nice view and try the boats since we arrived here late in the afternoon the previous day.  It has a very nice scenery of the lake.  It's so picturesque.

I can sit here all day

 

We stopped over another newer temple and said some prayers for protection.  The details are also interesting.  

We almost missed out the real Old Palace where the Royal Families lived during the earlier times.  Just like the old French Catholic Church, I fell in love with this.  It's located off the road and very evident as an abandoned place,  Molds are slowly consuming it.  

the giant Buddha is so visible here

It was a five hour trip after but this time we were sweating due to the hot weather.  The van's air conditioning system can't even keep up with the weather.  We are definitely no longer in Bokor.  I missed the cold weather up there.

Kampot is located in southern Cambodaia and the capital of Kampot Province.  it is situated at the Praek Tuek Chhu river. It is the capital of the Circonscription Residentielle de Kampot under French rule and Cambodia's most important sea port after the loss of the Mekong Delta and before the establishment of Sihanoukville.  Its center is unlike most Cambodian provincial capitals composed of 19th century French colonial architecture.  The region and town are well known for the high quality pepper.  (source: Wikipedia)

It is evident that it was a French colony with some of the architecture in the city.  

The scenery of the river will give you an instant relief from the hot weather.

Since it's lunch time when we arrived, we went to the public market to buy some seafood and have them cooked.  This is the practice here.  We rented a cottage with hammocks overlooking the river while our food is being cooked.  Some peddlers will sell cooked crabs, delicacies, hats, sodas, water and anything there is.

fishing for crabs

these sales ladies were such a snob that we went away from them

you can also buy cooked seafood

their famous fish sauce

We just people watch and let our bodies rest from the long travel.  It's so hot that you wanted to jump into the river immediately.  

After our lunch and enough rest, we proceeded with the travel to the pepper farms.  Kampot is also known for this so we have to see the farm even it took another detour of one hour.

the huge farm

the peppers

We were not able to buy samples here but from the groceries instead.  I must say that their pepper is of great quality.  I'm still using it now for my dishes.

The travel may be longer and uncomfortable but it was all worth it.  I'm not even sure if I will return here.  My heartfelt and sincerest gratitude for this unforgettable trip A!