Celebrity cruisers on a Mekong River cruise - Live(ish) report - September 2024

[Ciaranaman]

The videos sure were worth the wait for the download to work!  Thank you for trying again!  Yet another post that really made me feel like I was there experiencing the show live 😊

~Bernadette

 

[Pushka]

We seem to be following you. We are on the Millenium next April for a cruise around Japan and then this time next year we are completing the Vietnam Cambodia cruise tour on Viking. 

[Miaminice]

3 hours ago, Pushka said:

We seem to be following you. We are on the Millenium next April for a cruise around Japan and then this time next year we are completing the Vietnam Cambodia cruise tour on Viking. 

Or we are following you 😁 We‘ll be on Millennium in May for our fourth cruise to Japan. If you need info on a good guide in the Kyoto area, let me know 👍

 

We walked through the Viking ship yesterday when we were mooring next to her.

[Miaminice]

Mekong River Cruise, Vietnam and Cambodia, 2024 -September - Day 7 - Phnom Penh

 

In the morning we were picked up from the small port by cyclos and taken to the Royal Palace.
 

 

 

 

We were looking forward to visiting the beautiful buildings which we had seen nicely illuminated the evening before. 

 

The complex was just as stunning during the day as it was at night. We visited the Throne Hall first - from the outside only - and our Cambodian guide Lonh explained the different parts of the palace grounds to us.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We continued to the Silver Pagoda which is surrounded by a mural that reminded us of the one we had seen on the Royal Palace in Bangkok in December.

 

 

 

 

Unfortunately we weren’t allowed to take pictures inside. So I can’t show you any pictures of the Emerald Buddha or a golden Buddha statue encrusted with almost 10,000 diamonds. But believe me, it was incredible. The main building was surrounded by different Stupas, containing the relics of former kings and queens and their families.

 

 

 

 

 

 

At the exit of the palace grounds we were picked up by a bus and taken to the National Museum of Cambodia where we could see many statues and all kinds of artifacts from temples all over the country. Some of them only returned to Cambodia in recent years.

 

 

 

 

 

Since it was around noontime, we were taken to a nice restaurant where we had a very good meal. It was a feast! 

 

 

 

 

The next stop brought is to the darker side of Cambodia’s history - the killing fields and the atrocities of the Khmer Rouge regime. On the way there, Lonh explained what his parents and even he experienced during the time. I will not go into details, but seeing the grounds and again seeing what human beings are capable of doing is a very sobering experience!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The last point on the day’s agenda was in stark contrast to what we had seen at the Genocidal Center. We were invited to a cocktail at the beautiful Raffles Hotel Phnom Phenh. 

 

 

 

 

Edited Monday at 03:25 PM by Miaminice

[Miaminice]

Mekong River Cruise, Vietnam and Cambodia, 2024 -September - Day 8 - Oudong  & Silk Island Angkor Ban

Our morning excursion started with a short walk across the street to a silversmith family shop. The area is known for the trade which is passed down from generation to generation. We were able to watch a short presentation and then had the chance to go through their shop. When I say chance, I mean chance - we were never pushed to buy anything!

 

 

 

In front of every house you can find a Spirit house as a shrine to the protective spirit of the house. The wealth of the family can be seen by the quality of the house. Some simply only made of plastic and used cans, some are more like elaborate spirit mansions.

 

 

By bus we continued to the Oudong Buddhist Meditation Center and Monastery. Oudong was one of the former capitals of Cambodia. The moment we turned the corner and saw the big and beautiful buildings and complex we were awestruck.

 

 

 

 

Our guide Lonh, doing meditation himself every morning, gave us an explanation about meditation and the story of the center. 
 

The great hall, protected by lions and Naga statues, had magnificent murals on the walls and a beautifully painted ceiling. A big statue of Buddha resided on one end of the hall watched his visitors.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The sound of the chanting and the chirping of birds coming in from the outside and resonating in the huge structure created a very peaceful and serene atmosphere, inviting us to sit down for a while to let our minds rest and to simply absorb the energy of the moment. It was an absolutely beautiful place!

 

 

 

Our luck with the weather, after all it was raining season, stretched on to the timing. Since we were here during the days of the Rice Cake Festival, people came in their festive clothes and the monks received donated meals with a ceremony. Very nice to watch and experience.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It is still an active monastery and the monks live in huts on one side and the nuns in huts on the other side.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited 13 hours ago by Miaminice

[Miaminice]

We drove back to our ship and had another good lunch while the ship sailed on. This part wasn’t much different from an ocean cruise - you are constantly fed. AND! They are extremely friendly!

 

 

 

In the afternoon our ship “docked” near the village of Angkor Ban, known for silk production. We were picked up by Tuk Tuks and driven to a place called Silk Island. The ride through the village and along fields was interesting and we could hear the clicking and clacking sound of someone operating a loom from almost every house.

 

 

 

 

 

 

At Silk Island we were introduced to the production of silk from the breeding of silkworms to collecting the cocoons and spinning the thread to weaving the fabric.

Again, very interesting.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After we rode the Tuk Tuks back to our ship we could see some people training for the dragon boat race. A big event in Phnom Penh.

 

Edited 13 hours ago by Miaminice

[chemmo]

Continuing to enjoy my vicarious cruise every morning with my coffee.
 

Having cruised and spent land holidays in SE Asia (although not Cambodia) it is giving me new sights every day and also reminding me of past journeys. Particularly of the wonderful temples…