Country Rat, not City Rat

On the drive back from Battambang, we noticed a few roadside grills. Their specialty: rat. Apparently the ones from the fields are ok to eat, but you need to avoid ones from in the city. I guess that makes sense, if you are going to get over the idea of eating rat in the first place. 

No, I didn't try it. The fact that it smelled quite good was disturbing.

The Bamboo Train

I've heard about the Bamboo train before, probably from Anthony Bourdain's show on CNN. It is just as flimsy as you might imagine. A simple bamboo mat, two small train axles, a tiny motor, and rail line that would never be legal in the US.

I took a rather thrilling video of the roughly 10 minute trip to the other train station, but it's size is a bit much for the Internet here at the hotel. Just picture yourself hurtling down the line at probably 30 to 40 mph. The click-clack sound is accompanied by the unnerving lift of the vehicle. You can see the joints coming that are less than ideal, but there's nothing to brace yourself on:

Even with all that, it was quite entertaining. Apparently they have a good history of safety. Tourists are not likely to go crazy with the very obvious threat of injury far from even a marginal hospital. They do maintain the track and you can see new sections. Plus, the bamboo structure is quite forgiving so it acts as a natural shock absorber. I highly recommend it. 

Battambang Adventure

I took a long weekend and went to Battambang, the second largest city in Cambodia. I've never been there before but it's the hometown of one of our drivers. Unfortunately I was unlucky on the drive over and got tremendous food poisoning from a place on the way where we stopped for lunch. 

Normally when I get sick from food it's my own fault. For example, I specifically remember a time several years ago saying "I really shouldn't eat that tartar sauce, but it would go so well with this fish and chips." As you might expect mayonnaise is not the best option in a third world country. This time I was extremely careful with my order and tied to be very specific and picky about my order. Even with that I got to experience the closest thing the human body can do to turning inside out.

After a morning of rest I was able to take in some of the small temples in the area. 

This is Ek Phnom. It has stood the test of time for about 1,000 years. Now local kids play around the massive stones while one or two tourists take pictures. 

Battambang is a sleepy town compared to the bustle of Siem Reap. It was nice to see a slower pace with fewer tourists. I was also encouraged by the signs of economic progress like decent schools, new homes, good roads, and people who seem to be living fairly well.

From the top of my hotel you could see the tranquil nature of the town.

Next post: the Bamboo Train.