A few weeks ago, Jeremy and I traveled to Battambang. Battambang is in the northwestern corner of Cambodia, not too far from Thailand. In fact, Battambang has actually been part of Thailand a few times in the past, as recently as during World War II.
In Battambang, we were able to experience two of the things on my "must-see" list. The first was the circus. Battambang hosts the training school for Cambodian Circus students. The circus is in the vein of Cirque du Soleil, but on a much smaller scale and with fewer bells and whistles and less makeup and razzle dazzle. I kept my expectations very low going in, but was pleasantly surprised by the athleticism, enthusiasm, passion, and talent of the young performers. Below is a picture of three young girls in one of those "how are they twisting their bodies like that" positions.
The second "must-see" was the bamboo train. The bamboo train was developed in Cambodia a few decades ago as an easy way to transport goods and people on the rail lines. "Train" is actually a strong word because it's more of a platform set onto two train axles with rolling stock wheels. The rail lines are all single track, but one train can easily be disassembled and removed in minutes to allow the other train to pass. Despite the noise of the rails, it was actually a peaceful way to enjoy a bit the countryside of Battambang.
No comments:
Post a Comment