Waking to a deep red sunrise after our first night on Jahan, we wandered at our own speed, to the outside decks for tea, coffee and views of the Mekong River. The water level is low now as we are towards the end of the dry season. We had a perfect demonstration of the high water line, far above us, when looking at the highway bridge directly upriver as we embarked last evening in Kompong Cham.
After a short morning briefing, we headed ashore to the village of Angkor Ban. Situated off of the beaten path, this community shows few signs of the the hustle and bustle of larger towns and tourist centers. Homes in Angkor Ban survived the destruction during the period of the Khmer Rouge, when countless dwellings and even entire villages were annihilated. Many of the buildings here date back one hundred to one hundred and fifty years and are excellent examples of traditional Khmer architecture. The village is exceptionally well kept and attractive. Sharing the roads (mostly dirt, one paved) with people on foot, on bicycles and on motorcycles, we explored the village stopping in shops and even being welcomed into private homes.
Back on board, we were invited to observe a Buddhist prayer session attended by many of our crew members. Buddhism is the predominant religion in Cambodia. The chanting of the monks and participants was almost mesmerizing. This was followed by a presentation by our photo instructor, Emily, helping us to prepare to maximize our photo opportunities during our voyage. Our archeologist David gave a presentation in the early afternoon about Cambodian Religions: Past and Present.
Working our way towards the confluence with the Tonle Sap River, we made an afternoon stop at the island of Koh Oaknhatey where we visited a magnificent pagoda and continued our education into Buddhism and its central role in Cambodian society.
Afterwards, we boarded tuk-tuks for the scenic ride to the Silk Farm, where women learn the traditional craft of weaving silk, from raising silkworms through creating finished products. This provides women with an income to support themselves or to supplement the income of their family. Quite a few silk scarves found their way back to the ship.
Reboarding Jahan, we continued our voyage towards the Tonle Sap River and the capital city of Phnom Penh. Though not far in miles, the high rise buildings and neon lights seemed worlds apart from the experiences that we had earlier in the day. Sunset from the outside decks was striking.
After evening recap and another fine meal, the excellent film “New Year Baby,” about the time of the Khmer Rouge, aired in the lounge, capping a full and rewarding day.
