Well if I had the illusion of
peace and quiet and heaps of space, I would be sorely mistaken. This is not a place of quiet and private
living. The neighbours are close, and
that includes the chickens, oxen, water buffalo, dogs, pigs and whatever other animals the neighbour may
own. Houses are built on stilts to
combat the monsoon rains, and gives shelter to the animals at night. Water is stored in large concrete urns, some
homes are lucky to have a well to pump from.
The mains power sometimes comes on but for how long is anyone’s guess,
so solar power is used by those who can afford it. Trees are planted, but not flower gardens or
lawns. The most common tree I have seen
is the mango, whose fruit is in plentiful supply at the moment. Just around the
corner and up the road are the rice paddies, where villagers will work in
season, preparing, planting, tending and harvesting, to earn an income and
provide food for their families. This is
the staple diet of people here, breakfast, lunch and dinner.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2Bp9i9CoKSABWFQcdOJJPxbmltAZ_EUZWJmPKU3kdm593cQ6ociu-2M4n2B_NvLrKDgok0I29bJ7NBWOwQRDMwQxRzjRD8hT67kc72J04SyuORE0FyJ7-ECFf2UuqWaGa6S_xFvxDwJI/s320/village+homes.JPG) |
village home |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-tkRkJiFJYKNHuYB3QqS5jHO7HW0mMKll40nLhRppSAYkINTymd1kOC2nJ7ZGpdJ4XXSFTBfmmeNMbJGVBv2wJD9bECIzCLfCfX9bbdGVNB_KEpJ3DzWohvwF5S06RsAMJE8FqO5Q524/s320/village+market.JPG) |
Village Market Place |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX7KyOK-ctu9C6zKE7sZplTyG9ODfwXjqXukMmlNsYfSLXcmcbH3O8kP7QUAR7DiLWUGpif_Vo_hW4JXI_Djfu9Rbh2eWSwuUNsHMZL2Cm_hs5DrHrM7ljZmGhswFn0_CxRz959DJVowE/s320/Phum+Veal+village+home.JPG) |
Village houses |