AFTER THE MEKONG RIVER pours through the rapids of Laos, on it way to the capital Phnom Penh, it strolls its way through to a leisurely “city” of 40,000.
Now under 3 hours by road from Phnom Penh, Kampong Cham would make the perfect weekend retreat. It’s calm, spacious, with old French and Chinese buildings complimenting its waterfront boulevards.
A number of Khmer temples are in and around town, and its rural districts are easily accessible. A large island sits in the middle of the Mekong.
As the name suggests, the city is home to the Cham ethnic group, whose kingdoms once battled the mght of Angkor.
125km north of Phnom Penh lies Kampong Cham, Khmer for "Port of the Chams."
The Cham, who became accomplished seafarers and migrated through south east asia, are an indigenous ethnic group, centred on Cambodia's lower Mekong reaches and central Vietnam.
The Kingdom(s) of Champa rose in strength through the 4th to 10th centruies, partly through the spice trade between Arab and Chinese merchants.
Early Cham culture was heavily Indianised, with Islam coming to the area from around the 9th century.
The rise of the Khmers at Angkor from the 8th century spelled trouble for the Cham.
The two rival powers were regularly at war.
Alliances and territory shifted, but the rise of the Nguyen Dynasty of Vietnamese in 1790s relegated Champa to minor power status.
As an ethnic minority, the Cham suffered particularly badly under the Khmer Rouge, with 40% of the population being killed.
Modern Kg Cham is a multi-ethnic city with Buddhism and Islam seeming to exist peacefully side by side.
My one brief 1995 visit revealed a very pleasant, waterfront town.
Old Chinese and French buildings surround the teeming central market and line the river front.
Agriculture and fishing remain the pillars of the economy, although tourism would have picked up since my ancient visit.
Foreign investment was evident even back then. Pumping petrol may not be your dream job, but working for Shell would be highly prized.
There are a number of Angkorian and pre-Angkorian sites in and around town worth visiting.
None of course will match the scale and grandeur of Angkor Wat, but have quirks and characteristics of their own.
My photo labels tell me this (these?) pictures are from "Angkor Borei," which unfortunately doesn't seem to exist.
Most likely it is Wat Banteay Prey Nokor, which is on the north-west edge of town.
Other monuments in the area include Prey Nor Kor Knong-Krau, Preah Theat Thom, Preah Theat Tauch, and hill temples Phnom Srey and Phnom Pros.
Much of what is carved on the stone walls can still be seen in nearby farms.
Planting and harvesting rice two or three times a year.
Travel by ox drawn carts remained the norm for most farmers.
Fishing with village made nets in the Mekong.
Travelling snake-oil salesman are a recent phenomenon.
Kg Cham and its surrounds are a delight to wander about.
Neat, but simple farm houses of wood sit among fertile fields, town houses sport healthy gardens.
Young families look forward to a future free of the horrors of the past.
A youngster gathers lotus stems in the Mekong flood waters, which have fertilised the rice fields and carried Cham traders far and wide.
In a temple pond, the lotus flower blooms, a symbol of rebirth.
In pre-holocaust times, Kg Cham ranked with Battambang in size and wealth.
These days, it has been left behind in the tourist rush to Siem Reap and Sihanoukville.
I'm not sure that is a bad thing at all, if the genuine smiles and warmth of the people stays the same.
Squeezed by two powerful rivals in the past, ancient Champa faded into the background, too.