The long languid boat trip down to Battembang was the main reason for visiting the city. And the boat trip was permeated with stickiness and pungent smells of the river. Having spent half the time asleep despite sitting on wooden plank barely big enough for my derrier. Amazing what 8months of traveling can do to you eh? The floating markets were little pockets of civilization stuck in the mud of the river, how long would they last in this fast paced world I wonder? also, I think scientists should conduct research into the gut systems of the children who live on the river, for one thing, they swallow the river water and are not sick. A medical miracle? I believe so!