Cambodia - along the Mekong River

I was awake at 5am so I went up to the deck to photograph the sunrise. We had sailed up the Mekong River over night and anchored for the night so it was lovely to see the life along the river bank, and the fisherman out in their sampans. We left the boat at 8am to go visit the silversmith village of Koh Chen where the people make silver products. It was a very small home business yet they produce most of the country’s silver products and their silverware is favoured by the royal family. Then on to Udong which was the royal capital from the 17th to the19th centuries. 

By now it was scorching hot, and we went to visit a temple that involved 509 steps to reach it. I was flagging by the time I got to the top, I am not used to the heat and I was also carrying my full loaded camera bag on my back. Not sure how anyone copes here in summer if it is this hot in the winter! One also has to dress respectfully when visiting temples so no shorts or sleeveless tops. After we descended from there we went to visit a Buddhist monastery/meditation centre that is the largest in the Cambodia. Firstly we visited their temple, the Udong Pagoda at Vipassana Dhura Meditation Centre which was absolutely beautiful outside with gold everywhere, and the inside had richly coloured frescoes painted on the walls and ceiling. Then we walked to where the Buddhist nuns and monks live and got there as they started filing in to lunch, first the monks and then the nuns in order of seniority. They only eat two meals a day and rely on donations from the community for their food, every day a different set of donors provide their meal and serve it. This photo was taken as the monks were walking in to lunch. My blip is of the monks as they are walking in to lunch, and you can see a nun (in white) offering them food. There is an extra of more scenes from this visit.

We were relieved to get back to the air conditioning of the boat. We had the most delicious lunch - I have always loved Vietnamese/Cambodian food and that was before I got to taste it here with all the authentic ingredients like banana flowers, green mango, morning glory (a water spinach). After lunch I went to walk on the treadmill in the gym, I needed some exercise after that great lunch! 

Our afternoon excursion was to a village on the banks of the river. We were taken there by skiff and then walked through the village with the guide from the boat, who explained about village life. The children were delightful, they were so friendly and loved having their photos taken even though they were rather shy - when I showed them their image on the back of my camera they broke out into giggles. The houses are built on stilts due to the risk of flooding from the river, and some were much smarter than others, which were just bamboo shacks on stilts. We saw water buffalo and also some very pretty Brahman cows. At the end of the walk most people went by skiff to visit a floating village, but Gavin and I and two others kayaked there. It was lovely to be on the water and get a breeze to cool down. There is another extra of scenes from river and village life.

Back on the boat they served cocktails and snacks, including the snack loved by Cambodians which was fried tarantula! I gave that one a miss! 

It has been another full day and very busy, but very enjoyable. The people we have met on the boat so far are all very pleasant. Tomorrow we have another full day of outings.

I have really struggled for over an hour to upload this blip, the wifi is very weak here!