Tonle Spa lake.
Early in the day, I’m probably the first one who has given the entrance ticket that gives you the permit to enter the ‘Tonle Sap lake’ area. Temperature is not so high and moisture is not sticky yet, but both are relentlessly rising; the dirty, dusty, straight, bright red road stretches between silent and green paddy-fields, contrast and stillness almost hurt. I left Phnom Phen more than an hour ago and not a motorbike or a lorry had been crossing my way. Suddenly, without any warning, this surreal atmosphere is broken …, a market, smells, some fishermen. I reach the lake shore and begin hearing some voices. I don’t catch what’s going on, but I try to find out what all this yelling means. Someone’s shouting: “There!”, “No, not so far …”, “Search that place!”, “Yes …, a little bit to the right!” .… Children are coming, one after the other, to join the first ones already knee deep in the mud. Two of them, a brother and a sister; it seems like they are playing a game …, the game of life. They chat, call and beckon to each other, check and compare their findings .… Hours go by, the sun is high above the horizon, not a cloud to ease the great heat, beads of sweat stain the clothes. It’s time to go home .… for everybody.
