Thursday morning got off to a pre-dawn start to make the most of the cool morning air. Overnight Jahan had docked just downstream from Kampong Tralach, the “Port of the Winter Melon.” After climbing up the riverbank we took a ride on a very ancient form of transportation, the traditional Khmer oxcart. For almost 1,000 years these carts have changed little as the same designs can be seen depicted in 12th-century bas-reliefs at Angkor. As we wound our way through the fields we saw the rice crops in various stages of growth: bright green immature shoots, golden-topped stalks about to be gathered, and the stubble leftover from the harvest. We also took a break midway to see the lotus flowers up close and personal. Considered sacred by many cultures, the lotus is more than just a pretty flower as its edible seeds are high in protein and quite palatable. Once we arrive in the village we have a brief tour of the local primary school which is supported by Lindblad Expeditions. The school was closed today because the teachers had a staff meeting regarding the upcoming Chinese New Year festival. Although not a traditional Khmer celebration, many Cambodians today celebrate the Chinese New Year.
After returning to the ship we sailed back downstream along the Tonle Sap River towards the Cambodian capital. Where the Tonle Sap meets the Mekong is a strategic location offering access to the four main waterways, and thus Phnom Penh was founded there following the decline of Angkor.
We had a late Tai Chi session on the upper deck before our morning program. First up, Rithy schooled us on the basics of Khmer greetings and pleasantries. Next, we were shown the traditional forms of Khmer dress and, more importantly, how to put them on. We now know our sarongs from sampots, and the all-around versatility of a krama. Afterwards, cultural specialist David Brotherson talked us through the elaborate rituals and symbolism of a traditional Khmer wedding.
After lunch Jahan docked at Koh Oknha Tei, a small island in the Mekong located just a few miles north of where we were docked in Phnom Penh. It is a farming community with crops of sugar cane, corn, cassava, and banana plants occupying most of the land. First we headed into the local pagoda (monastery) where we spoke with the head monk. Many Cambodians experience the monk’s lifestyle as children because the monastic order is relatively flexible—one need not make a lifelong commitment. The meeting hall is brightly coloured and decorated with scenes from the Buddha’s past lives so that the congregation can learn these morality tales.
Next we took a tuk-tuk ride through the fields and arrived at the local silk farm. This species of silkworm feeds on the shoots of mulberry leaves. We saw the remarkable process in which raw silk is spun into thread, and the intricate mechanical looms on which the ladies weave their elaborate patterns—a sight to behold. Once back aboard Jahan we were treated to another spectacle—as we cruised past the local villages we saw hundreds of cows and buffalos getting an afternoon bath in the shallows.
