Another beautiful sunrise delivered another wonderful day in Cambodia, with a couple of tours designed to engage us even deeper with the culture. First was a session at the local temple with a couple of senior Monkees. Don’t care what you say, this is now the official collective noun for monk. As I have now met more than the Dalai Lama on this trip, I believe I have the authority. Hence the phrase ABM, Another Bloody Monk, who all seem to mumble unintelligible and claim it is a blessing that warrants a gift. One big scam if you ask me. As our ship was rammed into the bank, we were able to walk ashore and guided up into a small village. It struck me the property of a country was disproportional to the wealth on display by the local religion and here was yet again no different. The locals housed in wooden sheds on stilts, while the monkees lived in palatial buildings adorned with golden statues and a murals depicting the life of Buda on every wall and ceiling.
As we headed towards our blessing venue, we noticed many small children calling out “Hello” with increasing confidence. As if they had established we were friendly, they approached with arms outstretched, seeking a hand to grasp. It was so nice to be escorted by these friendly, happy children who were very talented pickpockets. No, that is a joke. They were just inquisitive and enjoyed the novelty of walking with strangers, but what struck me was that, despite the heat, their hands were cool to the touch.
In the temple, we were arranged in a line on either side of the carpet, which would be the corridor the monks would use to enter. While entering, we were required to hand each of the 10 monks cash. Seems like nothing is free these days. We then knelt before the two senior monks and received a blessing. The mumbling rhythmic chant resounding off the temple walls was surprisingly calming, and we could definitely see the attraction. It might be an opportunity to set this sort of thing up on a pay-per-view channel back home.
Now just as I was really starting to feel my chakra reach its peak of enlightenment, I was shocked back to reality when struck in the face by numerous flower buds. In the photo above, you can see a box which, while we were deep in meditation, they opened and started throwing buds at us. I suspect it is designed to make sure our eyes were closed as the buds were small but dense and tossed with precision.
Lunch back on the ship provided another opportunity to overindulge in the stunning choice of food on offer. All this spiritual stuff certainly game me an appetite and the need for a snooze in the pool before our afternoon excursion. Tuk Tuks awaited us for our afternoon excursion to a small village on the banks of the Mekong. We wandered between the houses on stilts with Mao providing information on how these villages live on what seemed to us to be just a subsistence level. Despite the poverty and our evident wealth by comparison, the people were friendly.
The houses were all similar in design, with the main living area built on posts to avoid monsoon flood damage. The upstairs floors were bamboo poles with gaps between each one to allow airflow, but provided almost a reflexology feel as you walked across them in bare feet. The family home that had agreed to host us allowed us upstairs and showed us around their garden, whose main purpose was for their grazing cows.
With the aid of our guide, we were able to explore the family's life in detail and found them to be very open and honest in responding to all our questions. With permission, I captured a photo of one of the sons with his child relaxing in the shade, which really captured the relaxed feel of the place.
In the background, you can see the large what look like vases used to store rainwater, and right at the back, the outdoor kitchen.
When we got back to our ship I knew it was a particularly hot day as outside our cabin window a local farmer was cooling off his cows in the river Water.
Julie and decided to follow their example and headed back to the pool for yet another cooling swim before dinner. A real treat was in store as the chef had prepared some local delicacies. Tarantula, grasshopper, silk worm, frog and river beetle. Despite not yet having had a lot to drink, we dived into all but the beetle, which was large and just as it sounds. In all honesty, the frog, tarantula and grasshopper were very tasty.
The following day offered us a tour of silk island, so called because this is where silk is produced from the larvae, spun on looms into material. The place did not look like it had changed in a thousand years and it was fascinating to watch the looms clatter away with material at various stages of production.
Our evening entertainment was provided by a local orphanage, which performed a series of traditional dances in fantastic costumes. We are certainly still packing a lot in, the only problem being that time is passing too quickly and we don’t want to think of leaving this wonderful ship and crew.
To finish a musical link to not one of my favourite singers, but a song that matches or current journey, enjoy: https://youtu.be/FOt3oQ_k008?si=qFfsaXvSNYixcTSE
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