Kompong Luong. The villge that floats. The village that migrates.

The distance from Pursat to Kompong Luong is 35 kilometers. Or 40 kilometers, or maybe 42. It depends on the waterlevel in Tonle Sap, Cambodias enormous lake. Now in the rainy season the distance is at its smallest. It is moved back and forth every season. There are no stilthouses-all homes, shops, factories and offices are built on boathulls or rafts. Not surprisingly this village of 10000 souls is reliant on fishing, and it looks like it has everything-including neonsigns shining in the evening.
One can take a trip of a few hours from Pursat, as a stop on on the journey between Battambang or Pursat to the capital ( the Battambang option would easy turn into a stress exercise) There is also possible to stay overnight in a homestay in the outskirt of town. Beside what equals an highway. I opted for this. But not before i had tried a serving of eggs with embryo at the market in Pursat. I still haven't figured out whether or not i liked it....a weird meal it was in any case.

Arrival at the homestay. The transfer fee is 5 dollars. A room is 6. More than enough. The food is basic but good and fairly priced. And they do have beer, chilled in an icefilled box.

Homestay. Shop. Familyhome. Restaurant, takeaway and gatheringspot. This place cover it all. Lot of people pass trough its "doors" every day. It is a good peoplewatchingspot. And their 3 dogs are friendly enough.

My friendly host.

What i only saw at the very end. A cage-a small cage-with two distressed monkeys. They should under no circumstances be there. Certainly not in a cage like that!

Open air toilet. You will get the attention of countless small fishes.

In one of the central squares, complete with a well kept shrine.

Along one of the busy streets, a church.

A couple of the more well off raft homes. Most of them decorated one way or another.

A good sideview of a boat home. The homes themselves are fully permanent, albeit mobile.

The policestation.

Half of the village takes a nap in the afternoon. This is one of the few doing it without a hammock.

All boats have some sort of decoration.

Afternoon bath in the middle of town. In what is diluted sewage. The familydogs sort of participate. Every family seems to have at least one dog. They never see dry land.

Home and fishing.

The big Buddhist temple along the main road leading out trough the flooded forestareas out to the open lake.

One of two neighbouring petrolstations.

Shopping Kompong Luong style.

A packed Shop/home.

One of my favourite spots. They live on boats-but they make their surroundings nice considering their very limited space.

Home again, knocking the catch from the nets.

Spending the day slowly paddling the canals selling clothes.

Handling the catch.

Icing down fish and shrimps.

Transporting ice from one of the icefactories. There is one close to the homestay, it woke me up early in the morning when the engine running the icecrusher was started.

Mobility demonstrated. A building is slowly moved.

Several boats travel the streets selling food and refreshments. I flagged down these girls, trading in fried bananas.

At the transition zone between land and water.

Floating yard. They even have a wooden floating dock.

Visiting friends or family.

Boathandlingskills comes early.

Friendly locals. The majority is of Vietnamese origin. A smaller  village nearby, or rather a satellite to the main village, is inhabited by Khmer.