The Mekong Diaries – Angkor Ban, Cambodia
Sunday, 8th July 2018 – Day 2 of “Classical Civilizations” cruise aboard ms Jahan
Angkor Ban, Cambodia is one of those rare places that managed to survive the civil war and Khmer Rouge relatively unchanged. While the people who live there are certainly survivors, the village itself escaped the worst of the bombings and subsequent destruction as it was used by the Khmer Rouge for supplies storage.
It is a lovely reminder of an ancient people’s way of life that is these days endangered by the modern world. We were proudly shown the hand pump that the villagers have recently had installed and most of the village had electricity now.
Angkor Ban is in the Battambang Province of Cambodia’s north-west and is a window into how Cambodians may have lived, had their lives not been turned upside down by the upheavals of the 1970’s. We were allowed to visit a local lady’s house to see how the structure was made and how they live within it’s walls. I was lucky enough to have her greet me and give me a welcome hug. I felt very privileged.
Images: S.Patton
You can visit Angkor Ban on a 7 night ms Jahan River cruise.