Photos of the the lotus pond in Kampot. Click on any of the thumbnails to see the full size image.
At the south end of Kampot, roughly behind the governor's house, is a large lotus pond. You'll see lotus ponds in the countryside around Kampot. While you may be aware of the religious symbolism of the lotus in Southeast Asia, you may not be aware that the lotus is also widely used in the cuisine of the region. The big leaves ("lily pads") are used to wrap food for steaming, while the stems, seed pods and seeds are all eaten.
This is why you will see so many lily ponds as you travel around Southeast Asia, especially, it seems, Cambodia. The pond in Kampot is a bit unusual, since it's right in the middle of the city, and you will see men out in the pond, up to their chests in the black water, harvesting the good stems to sell in the market.
The pond seems to be a popular resting spot, even if it is just a block away from the more popular riverside promenade.