Adventuring
So great seeing the London crew- the main highlight.
It has very interesting to see Cambodia and Vietnam and we have met some wonderful people along the way – both the friendly and gracious Cambodians and Vietnamese and our tour mates.
The highlights on tour
*Angkor Wat
*Sailing on the Mekong
*Some new food tastes
*The markets
Mark says next holiday is resort style and doing nothing.
Short but successful visit this afternoon to Ben Thanh Market – lively and very busy and everything for sale. Did a bit of bargaining.
The city is crowded with motorcycles – 40 million they say. We did well to avoid them going every which way and navigated our way through busy intersections. The traffic does not stop.
We docked at My Tho and it was a short bus trip – airconditioned, wi-fi, to Ho Chi Minh (Saigon).
** At Sa Dec** – sampan to a bustling market on the river. Fascinating- very fresh food- vegetables and fish and other goods. A large market and such variety.
Ended this part of walk at Huynh Le House, a late 19th century home made famous by French novelist Marguerite Duras and her novel L’Amant (now on the reading list).
Anchored mid-stream in the Mekong so sampan ride to Tan Chau to visit a Cao Dai temple – one of the newest religions in Vietnam – kinda embraces them all.
Then an Xe Loi ride – a traditional rickshaw with the cyclist in the front this time and the passenger in the back. A fun way to see some of the village and children all waving and thinking no doubt “those weird tourists!
Some very picturesque scenes of fertile river banks, crops and villages.
Gorgeous sunrise on the Mekong this morning.
A timely reminder that new days dawn here in spite of atrocities committed in contemporary history. There is along way to go.
A sombre visit this morning to the Choeung Ek Killing Field and Tuol Sleng, also known as S21, the Khmer Rouge’s largest detention and torture headquarters.
Choeung Ek is one of 389 killing fields.
Not to forget either that in several other places in the world, atrocities are still occurring in one way or another.
Woke to a steady downpour but short and sharp. Phnom Pehn is a city of contrasts – new modern including a few “skyscrapers” next to traditional street hawkers and markets.
Had a cyclo tour this morning – way to get even close to the sights and smells, dust and exhaust!! Stopped first at the Royal Palace for a look around- King Sihamoni was home but we didn’t see him. Palace built in 19th century and classic example of Kymer style. Inside teh palace complex is the Silver Pagoda – floor inlaid with 5,000 silver tiles. Several Buddha statue inside studded with diamonds and other significant artifacts.
Highlight was a visit to a school class where children very keen to practice their English and pronunciation. They were delightful and so focussed- English was very good! Mutually enjoyable time I think.
Buddhism is main religion here and multiple temples everywhere.
This morning we visited a temple and then some lovely gardens at the twin holy mountains of Phnom Pros and Phnom Srey (Man Hill and Woman Hill). Some massive gilded Buddha statues and stupa erected to honour dead from a nearby Khmer Rouge killing field. Lots of monkeys about so felt reassured that my $ were well spent on a rabies inocculation.