We started our morning in Phnom Penh with a shore side photography walk looking for fruit bats in the palm trees while others relaxed on deck to enjoy the sunrise. After lifting anchor we set sail up the Tonle Sap River. It is the peak fishing season, and there were several artisanal fishing operations alongside the river. Guest speaker Jean Michel Fillippi gave a wonderful presentation about Cambodian modern history over the last 70 years, a very interesting combination of historical information and his own experiences living in and out of Cambodia over the last twenty or so years.
In the afternoon we arrived at Kampong Chnnang and took small boats out to cruise along floating villages and fish farms on our way to shore to visit a local pottery village. This is where the ceramic pots for storing water are made, and it was fascinating watching the entire process of how they are created. We were especially fortunate today because we were able to witness the firing the pots, which only occurs once every week or two. During our trip to the pottery village we also met with a local villager who collects palm sugar. He displayed for us how he collects the sugar by climbing a bamboo ladder up 50 or so feet to the top of the palm tree, at which point he will make small cuts to the male or female flowers and hang bamboo tubes to collect the liquid that drips out. This liquid is then boiled to create a delicious sticky palm sugar. There are little bamboo bridges that connect the tops of the trees so he can walk from one tree to another without having to climb down, and it was incredible watching him walk from canopy to canopy. After enjoying the afternoon at the pottery village, we took a sunset cruise around the floating village and had some wonderful photographic opportunities before arriving back on board the ship.
