As we cruised up the Mekong River right on sunrise towards the riverside village of Angkor Ban, many guests enjoyed the morning light in the lounge and some joined in our final Tai Chi session on the terrace deck. Soon after breakfast, we disembarked for our first adventure on our final full day on the Mekong River.
We were docked at a remote village called Angkor Ban that features many very old stilted houses. With their incredible local knowledge, Rithy and Vuthy guided us through this fascinating village that still held onto many age-old traditions. It was truly wonderful to see firsthand how rural Cambodian people lived, worked, and played. We were welcomed with open arms and even taken into traditional houses. Despite the language barrier, guests interacted with families, especially the local children. It was an eye-opening experience for many of us and touched our hearts and souls. The Khmer people are such happy, friendly, and truly remarkable in numerous ways.
Once safely back on board, local monks gave us a traditional blessing. Immediately after the blessing I presented a talk on the mighty Mekong River and then David, our archaeologist, gave us a wonderful insight into the temples of Angkor. David’s presentation gave us a great insight into the final adventures of this trip over the coming days while based at Siem Riep.
After lunch we were treated to a performance from the children at the Organization for Basic Training. This organization, financially supported by Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic, operates in Kampong Cham province and provides free-of-charge education to the children of Chiro Village. Children are taught English, dance, music, and Khmer classes.
We then disembarked and drove through the bustling town of Kampong Cham to visit the remarkable Wat Nokor, where a well-preserved 11th-century temple forms the heart of a contemporary pagoda that remains in active use. The reliefs on the old temple are exceptional, as are the decorations of the more modern one.
Many guests walked back along the modern promenade and examined the unique bamboo bridge that will be replaced by a modern bridge next year. We were back on board just after five o’clock, and Jahan immediately cast off for a sunset cruise. Many of us quickly made our way to the top deck for cocktails before retreating for our final dinner on Jahan.
