J: Jungle Child

On the 13 January 2007, a young woman was reported, emerging out of the jungle at Ratanakerii Provence in the remote north eastern part of Cambodia.. She was naked, filthy, and to crawled on her hands and feet. A man was later seen and he was naked and filthy too. The woman had stolen food from a worker's lunch box. He had followed and tracked her into the jungle. A family from a nearby village claimed she was their daughter "Rochom P'ngieng" (born 1988) that they had lost 18 or 19 years previously at the age of 8 years. She and her younger sister were watching water buffalo in the jungle near to the Vietnam border when they both disappeared. The 6 year old was never seen again. The woman was called the feral child as she could not say any words.


A journalist thought she had been possibly kept in captivity. She had scars on her wrists and ankles. They thought the scars were due to rope injuries. The man who said she was his daughter, Rochom Soy, recognised her by scars she had on her arm, which she had received from a knife injury prior to her disappearance. Her father said her facial structure was similar to that of her mother's. It was arranged for blood tests to prove they were related  but the family backed out at the last minute. They found that after a few weeks later the girl struggled to  come to terms with a civilised way of living. She was timid and kept trying to run away back to the jungle.


A reporter who visited one day, thought it purely coincidence and that she had probably been the victim of sexual torture of some kind. By the condition of her feet she had not been in the woods for that many years. Apparently, she could eat with a spoon without needing anyone to show her. Through time she could speak three words, mother, father and stomach ache.

I: INDEPENDENDENCE

I seem to have a shortage of some letters and so I have spread my wings and have flown south to the coastline.

In 1955 the french/Cambodian construction team made a base camp in a part of the jungle which was unoccupied in  Kampong Som. This was to be the beginning of the construction of the new fishing port. A few years prior to 1955, Cambodia had maintained control of International sea fishing via the Mekong river. After the dissolvement of Indochina,  Mekong Delta took control of Vietnam. This gave them access to the ocean, control of fishing and the building of a new fishing port was agreed.  In 1955-1960 a new road was built. The funding for the road came from France and USA. The workers for the construction of the fishing port, lived in Kampong Som and once the project was completed it was renamed by the King, Sihnoukville.

Due to the fishing port being a great success they also built a hotel on Independence Beach or Sihanoukville and named it Independence Hotel.  Sihanoukville, is situated south west of Phnom Penh the capital of Cambodia.

The beach is long and narrow but when the tide is low there is enough space to relax and enjoy the peaceful sound of the ocean waves. What could be nicer, than wide open space, warm blue waters and soft white sands together with occasional palms to shelter you from the hot sun-rays. As you meander along the sand, the grass umbrellas and cool drinks are available to quench your thirst. Making your way north along the waters-edge, you feel the warm breeze from the ocean gently caressing your shoulders and the sand creeps up between your toes.  Further ahead is a fresh water lake, which is the fresh water source for the town of Phnom Penh.

It has been said, "Crocodiles have been known to bathe there!" 

H: (Hyelaphus porcinus annamiticus)

Hog Deer

Hyelaphus porcinus annamiticus (http://www.arkive.org/hog-deer/axis-porcinus) (http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=Hog+Deer&f=hp)
Hog Deer is a native of Cambodia. It is in fact a sub-species of the (Hyelaphus porcinus.) Here we have a handsome, strapping male stag, standing approximately 70cms to the shoulder. The female (hind) is smaller in comparison standing only at 60cms. They are both solidly built with long backs and comparatively short legs, unlike other breeds of deer. Their back-line gradually rises from the shoulders and up over their rump. Their ears are round in shape. The older deer are lighter in colour around their faces.

During the winter months their coats are brown to yellow colour, thick and woolly fur with a dark brown to yellow dorsal stripe, down the centre of their backs.  At the beginning of summer season, light brown spots appear on either side of the dorsal stripe from the shoulder to the point of their tail. Their tail's are brown with white long hairs at the tip which they use like a fan, this acts as a warning if a predator is close.

The male (stag) is only sociable during the mating season, otherwise they remain solitary darting off in different directions and rarely in a herd. When danger is close they give a whistling or barking sound. Males are aggressive and territorial, they mark their boundaries with glandular secretions and are always ready to defend their mate at any given time. Their young fauns are a light sand brown in colour and this species may not have spots when young.

These Hog Deer are almost extinct in certain regions and Cambodia. This is mainly due to the loss of wetlands because the land is being used for farming or building construction. Some of their main threats are hunting, lack of habitat and predators. These are another animal species red listed.

G: Giant Gourami

The Mekong river begins in Vietnam, flowing down into the Mekong basin in Cambodia, there it continues down into the Tonle Sap river. Over the years the Tonle Sap river has become one of the largest freshwater productive fisheries in the world. It helps to support and diversifies from the species and has become the home to some of the worlds, most endangered species of fish as well as reptiles and birds.

Giant Gourami - this fish is 50 cms when fully grown. Its scientific name is (Osphronemus exodon) Its natural habitat includes East Asia, Cambodia. China, Thailand to name but a few. It has been introduce to other countries because it is well liked. It's habitat is in cool lakes and rivers of the Mekong. During the wet season it makes its way up stream and does not return until after the wet season. When the river is low the Gourami migrates and in stagnant water it lays it's eggs near to the shore.

Giant Catfish (Pangasianodon gigas) all of wild life enclosed are red listed which puts them into the category for critical endangered species to name but a few. The last giant catfish which was caught in the Mekong, it weighed approximately six hundred pounds and was eight feet long. The catfish similar to the salmon swim up stream to migrate. The difference between the two fishes is that the giant catfish lives in the muddy water at the bottom of the river where as the salmon swim in from clearer waters, yet the still both swim thousands of miles up stream when they migrate. Over recent years due to over fishing, pollution, lack of damming, these fish are now in decline.  It is believed that over one hundred years ago there were around 1000 individual species. Due to the rapid decline in numbers they are trying to catch  and tagging them before setting them free.

The people of Cambodia rely on the Mekong to provide fish for market but if the Mekong river can't support the fish, then it wont be able to support the people either.

Birds, Reptiles and Monkey

The Redheaded Vulture (Sarcogyps calvus) The vulture has been in decline over the years and the professional's feel this is possibly due to the the local farmers treating their live stock with the various drugs. The vulture's are being poisoned when eat the dead carcasses. According to recent facts there are only 300 vultures left in Cambodia.

Sarus Crane (Boeung Prek Lapouv Sarus Crane) This beautiful bird has red markings to its face and grey body,  it stands approximately 5'9" high and is the largest flying bird.

The Bengal floricans (Houbaropis bengalensis) looks similar to a large duck with black plumage to the head, neck and belly. Its wings look white against their black bodies or when in flight. A very rare bird and there are only 500 are left.

One of the reptile species is the Siamese crocodile (Crocodylus siamensis) this is a native to Cambodia. Since the late 1990's this crocodile was thought to be extinct, however due to surveys there are more scattered throughout several other countries.

The Douc monkey (Pygathrix cinerea) which is grey, can be seen close to areas in Angkor City Complex. Their numbers have dropped also.

F: Flying

Prior to my trip to Cambodia I have a tale to tell.  A friend booked a lesson gliding for both of us.  The date was arranged and off we both went to the aerodrome in Northumberland. Perhaps I should mention here that my friend had been in the army and had flown all over the world.  However, at this point I had never been in a plane let alone flying in one.. My friend took her lesson first then on return went for a drink. I was kitted up and climbed on board. The engine started and off we went. I must say, I had no idea what was to follow. We were towed along behind another plane and  as it left the ground, what a strange feeling being tugged up into the air like that. It was worse than being towed behind a broken down old banger. However, once up in the sky we were on our own and it was amazing.

I booked my trip to Cambodia soon afterwards. My flight from EDI-AMS-HKG took fourteen hours. I stayed with my sister in Hong Kong for five days, then flew on to Phnom Pehn, Cambodia.  On arrival I was met by my niece and taken in a tuc-tuc to the Raffles Hotel where we were to stay for one night. The journey was a real culture experience.  My night at the Raffle's Hotel was lovely, I enjoyed being waited on hand and foot. It was hard to comprehend passing all those derelict building's one after the other - later to arrive at this very Grand Hotel. My room was enormous, cold marble stone floors with en-suite. The bath was absolutely humongous and took forever to fill. I think we seemed to be the only visitors that night but it was very nice.

Our flight from Phnom Pehn to Seim Reap was the following morning. As we waited for our flight I couldn't help noticing my niece's face each time I mentioned anything about the plane, occasionally I'd hear a chuckle, but she always avoided eye contact. When it was time to board to my horror, parked in the dock was this tin bucket shape with wings attached to some wheels (It reminded me of the tug-plane that I went gliding with back home.)  This was so dirty you couldn't make out its colour.  Once on board we belted up and the pilot a youngish looking man started it's engines. Very gradually we began to move off. The tin frame work creaked as we moved off down the runway. After two or three attempts the plane eventually lifted into the air but as it did so the engines seemed to cough and splutter like a farting cow with severe wind.  As we flew overland you could see the tops of trees through the cracks in the door of the plane. Every now and again it would lose altitude and we'd drop and then it would pick up and be fine.. It was only a forty minute flight but it felt much much longer!!

Cambodia was not very commercialised at this point.

E is for East Mebon - Temple

East Mebon sits in the centre of Baray - which is a self made reservoir that measures 4.3 miles. The island on which stands the delightful monument East Mebon with its receding terraces with five towers, the central tower is quite large in comparison with the other smaller four.  What a perfect setting beneath the sky-line the radiant sunsets reflecting in the surrounding water.

East Mebon was built by King Yasovarman II in a similar style as Pre Rup in Eastern Baray in early years of  900-986 AD. They called it temple mountain. It was built east to west and entry to it was from the east entrance. It was built of durable materials of that time, mainly brick, sandstone, laterite and stucco. The layout of the temple consisted of tiers with a central tower placed on a square platform built up of three levels. The smaller towers were built surrounding the central tower, plus an inner and outer  stone wall.

Religious carvings and statues were selected to decorate the temple monument and stone carved two metre high elephants standing independently in each corner on the first two tiers.. Sadly, the waters of the Baray have dried up, but there is still proof that water had been there by the dyke's surrounding it.




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D - for Devatas

D - Is for Devata or deity (God or Goddess) which can be either a  masculine, feminine or animal. These deities were very beautiful with their slender bodies and beautiful long hair. Shiva - a major deity is believed to be the destroyer of evil or transformer among the Tumuti which is a concept within Hinduism that comes in three forms. Cosmic creation, maintenance and destruction represented by Brahma the Creator, Hindu Triad, Vishnu maintaner or preserver.

For many lifetimes these deities were worshipped by certain clans. These clans were from various religions including Hinduism and Jainism.. They would make long and endless pilgrimage's to visit Kuladevata in Kuladeri temple in search of blessings if there was to be a marriage or some other special occasion. The Kuladevata means - Clan and Devata - Deity.

A picture of Tumuti shows three heads on a single neck and on each head, three faces, each looking in different directions.