Going upriver another 15 kilometers takes us to the very beautiful Vihara belonging to Wat Kompong Tralach Leu pagoda. To get to it, we cross Kompong Tralach Krom village and walk another couple of kilometers along a small road perpendicular to the river, crossing some gorgeous stretches of emerald rice paddy as we leave the river behind. It can also be reached from National Road No. 5.
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The Vihara dates back to early last century. It was probably built on an older site, as indicated by the laterite foundations, and is home to some outstanding mural paintings. These, however, are starting to suffer from weathering. They remain one of the last survivors of cultural destruction that continues unabated due to widespread indifference.
Standing by itself in the middle of rice fields, it is a modest pagoda that receives very few visitors. Its isolation may well be its undoing, as was the case last May for Wat Tani Pagoda in the province of Kampot. Dating back to the same period, it was affected by the same problems of weathering and its demolition was ordered by the chief monk in order to make way for a more modern structure. There was no reaction at all from the Ministry of Culture. It is reported that the chief monk, unfamiliar with accounting, has found himself without any pagoda at all after the old one was destroyed because he didn't have enough money to build the new cream pie of his dreams.
A visit to Wat Kompong Tralach Leu will remove the pagoda from isolation. It is hoped that the authorities and villagers may come to realize that it is valuable because barangs (foreigners) are willing to detour to see it.
The current chief monk is a nice young man who speaks English. It is polite to make a contribution to the pagoda and congratulate him warmly for keeping the charming place. The pagoda is small, so it takes no time to see it, but the site is very engaging and you can take a very pleasant stroll through the rice fields to the river, following the road leaving from the southern gate of the pagoda (located beside the new pagoda school). On the bank opposite Kompong Tralach Krom village, the villagers weave traditional Cambodian mats from rushes.
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