Arising at 0530hrs to have breakfast and then departing at 0615hrs for our 5 hour drive to board our boat for the cruise. Our group consists of 99 people and we were split in four colour groups, so we were a group of twenty, a few more people will join us later as they still have to arrive into Cambodia.
On arrival to our ship and booking into our cabins it was time for lunch before our afternoon excursion.
Our boat, there was some interesting boarding procedures.
Lunch in the dining room on the AMAlotus
Our group piled into the many tuk tuk waiting to take us for our excursion on Koh Pen Island. We all did a leisurely walk around the village and met a local family, with an orchard attached to their garden, where they grow citrus fruit and sell to the villagers.
We got to sample the local fruit,
A beautiful child asleep in the hammock.
Every house has a cow in their yard.
Many small shrines throughout the village.
This is not soft drink, it is gasoline in soft drink bottles.
Typical houses in this village.
Some local delight, bugs, scorpions, grass hoppers and quail eggs.
Typical village houses are built up high to keep the house cool.
The water troughs, which catch all the rain water for the house.
More shrines.
The houses are very sparse in furniture and usually houses generations of families, the grandparents look after the grandchildren, whilst they earn the income to support the family.
It started to rain, but as it was hot, it was quite refreshing.
A logging truck, driving through the village. This concludes our tour of this village, back to the boat by tuk tuk, to dress for dinner.
In the evening was always a four course meal, designed by Luke Nguyen.
Dinner was a great opportunity to meet other fellow travellers.
The next day after sailing overnight we docked in Angkor Ban and went for an excursion in the morning to a village, which has original wooden housing, left intact from the war, when Pol Pot was in power
Another adventurous landing.
A typical fishing vessel on the Mekong.
On our stroll to the wooden village, we passed through holy ground with shrines and Buddha’s.
The sleeping Buddha
The 12 Chinese zodiacs statues in the grounds.
On our short stroll to the wooden village, we stopped at the local “7 eleven to sample some home made rum, not very pleasant. Chen was our wonderful guide, whilst in Cambodia.
The rum, made out of roots and god knows what else!
In the village we met this 84 year old lady who still chews beetle nuts and attest this to the fact that is why she is still alive, her teeth are black and when she demonstrated how to chew, yuk!!!
Typical wooden housing
Steps to enter the house.
Inside the house that we visited. The sleeping area.
The houses always have shrines for blessings, the religion is mainly Buddhism.
Family photos
The cows are kept under the houses, so that they are not stolen.
A very typical sight in Asian countries, a family of four, this is legal.
This is the kitchen, outside, none inside the house.
Another cow, underneath the house. This concludes our village tour, back to the boat for lunch, then sail to Oknhatay to tour to the Silk Farm.
This time as we departed the boat we had a guard of honour, due to the rain. This was a precautionary tactic, due to the rain.
All smiles, off we go into our mode of transport, Tuk Tuks.
We watched the local women working on the silk looms.
Spinning the silk, by hand.
A lovely setting with great gardens and sculptures.
Photo opportunity at the entry to the Silk Farm.
Our tuk tuks
The silk worms
Weaving their cocoons.
Garden sculptures
More garden sculptures at the Silk Farm, after our visit we got back into our tuks and were transported back to the village to visit a local school, that is given funding by APT.
We had a delightful couple of hours with many enthusiastic children, wanting to practise their English.
It was also an opportunity to gift the children with pencils and books.
This young man sang a traditional Cambodia’s song for us.
The children have very little, but always happy smiles and was delighted to demonstrate their English.
I was asked by the principal to demonstrate vowels and sounds with an Australian accent, so much fun
On arrival back to our boat, we had cocktails and tonight we were dining in Indochine restaurant, Luke Nyguen menu.
A wonderful dining experience was had, with a six course degustation.
After dinner we watched a documentary on Pol Pot.
We sail overnight to Phnom Penh.
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