July 14

THE HIGHLIGHT

of the trip

Angkor Wat

Today was the day we'd all been waiting for.  Many of our fellow guests had remarked to me as I had to several of them that the primary reason for coming was to see this amazing wonder of the world, Angkor Wat.  And trust me, it did NOT disappoint.  Just amazing.  The photos cannot do justice to how huge this temple complex is.  And it is in such amazing shape for a palace/temple that was built between the 10th and 12th century.  The carvings and reliefs are breathtaking - I took nearly 150 photos today, so to "limit" it to only 25 was a feat in and of itself.

As a group we all had reservations yesterday when we were informed that we'd be leaving our luxurious Five-Star Hotel resort at 6:30 am.  But our program director, Mr. Khanh assured us over and over that we would see why and appreciate the early start today.  And a huge thanks to Avalon and Mr. Khanh for the design of today's excursion.  First, by leaving that early we avoided a large part of the crowd (over 7,000 visitors a day) that was streaming in as we were leaving.  

Secondly, while it was often very hot and muggy within the temple the ride out there on our tuk tuk and a lot of the time when the breeze picked up, it was very pleasant.  And giant kudos to our Cambodian guide Mr. Chantah who had the motorized transport take us in from the backside of the complex.  Our first view was a MUCH closer view of Angkor Wat than I'd thought we'd be able to see.  AND the small crowd that had begun to arrive were all coming up the LONG opposite walk way so we avoided people for nearly 2/3 of the 2 1/2 hours we were here.  After disembarking off the vehicles we approached through the east gate - which in and of itself was amazing.  

Note in the photo above of the gate how straight the lines are and how symmetrical it all is....and it was hand carved and built by hand over 900 years ago!  As we walked up the tree-lined boulevard we could see the main tower splitting the trees.  What a moment.  And when we got to the clearing I took a panoramic shot.  I kept thinking everyone would be having their photo taken, but no one did so we made the first move :)  

And then we began to climb into the temple complex.  To give you some perspective, scroll up to the aerial view.  We approached from the lower right hand side and climbed up through the first gate in the center bottom.  Going into the first level of the courtyard surrounding the inner temple you really got a sense of how massively huge this place is!  

The photos above were taken - if you look again at the overhead view - from within the first courtyard.  So we walked in through the initial gate, then turned left .... you'll see a blue rectangle, that's about where the first of these two photos was taken and then the second was taken as I turned to my left and looked down the walls.  Looking at the overhead photo - we walked along the wall from where the blue rectangle is towards the top of the picture.  Midway up the wall we climbed the steps.  As we climbed up to the next level and wound our way around the complex we came to the carvings/reliefs on the wall which told the history of the king who'd built this place.  The walls were at least, AT LEAST a hundred yards long and covered from floor to ceiling with precise carvings like these below.  

The last of the three photos immediately above is of a column covered in writings from the 12th century!  Note the color of the ceiling.  At one point it was all painted in a variety of colors!  Now, on the overhead photo, we had moved along the inner wall heading towards the top of the photo and crossed into the interior courtyard.  We would our way through the interior and saw swimming pools and various rooms.  Then it was time for everyone to make a choice.  You could exit the temple and wait or you could "ascend to paradise" as Chantah put it.  If you look at the overhead photo and the point where we'd gone up to the next level.  Just inside of that, between the two towers on the inner left hand side, you see some steep steps.  If you wanted, you could climb up here to have a look at the upper level of the temple.  

Oh yes, that's right....wouldn't have missed that for anything!  Looking at the two above photos I know it looks high and steep.  But believe me, the pictures don't even begin to portray how very, VERY steep those narrow stairs were nor how very, VERY high we were!  

We circled the entire temple and return to the same steps before oh-so-slowly making our way down.  We were encouraged to back down because that way we would not be actually looking down.  We roamed the courtyard for a few minutes and eventually made our way to outside the main walls.  Now we were at the top of the photo above which gives an overhead perspective.  You see the body of water that is upper right/center.  On the far side, on the brown sandy beach we got a picture taken - one with us in it and one without - because you can see the reflection of Angkor Wat in the water.  We were told it's much better when there isn't a breeze causing a ripple on the water.  

You'll also note how much darker the structure is in these photos - because we are facing back towards the east.  Again, great planning by Avalon and our guides so that the sun was BEHIND us as we took our photos throughout the day!

We boarded our tuk tuck vehicles and set out for Angkor Thom.  While not nearly as big as Angkor Wat, it is covered with carvings and reliefs of faces.  The first thing we saw was a statute covered bridge over the moat to this temple (see above) and then we drove through the gate.  Once we arrived you could begin to see the many faces on the towers!  

Again we climbed to the first level and looked at carvings which told the history of the building of this temple and how the people lived.  We went up another level and again the group was asked to make a choice about exiting or climbing to yet another level.  These steps were not nearly as steep or high but they were MUCH narrower and there were no hand rails.  No matter, Kim and I went up!  The photos below were taken on that next level.  

After about fifteen more minutes we headed back to reunite with the rest of our merry band.  We were back at the resort hotel by around noon and had lunch with another couple before heading upstairs to regroup for the afternoon.  Tonight we have our "Farewell Dinner" which includes a show by local performers.  I'll have videos of that later.

Tomorrow Kim and I will be transferred to the airport at 9 am for an 11:30 flight that will eventually arrive in Shanghai, China about 7:30 pm.  Sunday is the official beginning of the Viking "Imperial Jewels of China" tour, but that day is designated for everyone to arrive and check-in.  So our first day of seeing the sights of China won't be until Monday.  

REMEMBER IF YOU WANT TO FOLLOW OUR CHINA TRIP

You must check our china website each day on your own

I know that anything "Google" related is blocked, but I'm nearly certain my web hosting service will be free and clear to post photos.  We should have strong connections through Monday and then we'll be on the Yangtze River for a week before flying to first Xian and then Beijing at the end of the trip.  All of those nights I'll have a good connection I'm sure - but there is NO ACCESS TO FACEBOOK.  Once we return stateside I'll have much to post on Facebook, but you can follow daily on the link below:

http://www.freewebs.com/markim/china_index.html

click the photo below to go to this link

July 13

Siem Reap - Angkor Temples:

Banteay Srei & Taphrom

From the very beginning we knew that there was a very good chance that our final day on board the ship might be replaced by a flight because typically water levels of the Tonle River and Tonle Sap Lake are low between December and August.  I was hopeful that maybe we'd get to cruise because our ship is specifically built for the low water level, but we were told early in the week we'd be flying out of Phnom Penh today instead of cruising.  So we left the ship at 8 am, drove about 40 minutes to the airport and flew the brief 45 minute flight to Siem Reap.  

We loaded on the bus and went to lunch, then drove out to the Angkor Temples for an afternoon of exploration.   Certainly THE highlight of the two weeks will be the visit to Angkor Wat tomorrow, but today we got to see two of the smaller temple complexes.  The first was Banteay Srei which is considered by many to be the "jewel in the crown of Angkorian art."  If you google the temple complex you'll see that it is considered to have some of the finest stone carving in the world.  It's a small temple complex, but the colors in the sandstones are amazing.  The carvings and temples date back to the mid 900's AD.  

After about an hour here we loaded up for about a half an hour drive to Taphrom.  Before we left South Florida we'd checked the weather and it looked like nearly every day there would be torrential rainstorms and certainly we'd get soaked.  But so far EVERY day the rains come - and trust me they ARE torrential - but they come before or after or between our excursions.  We've been so lucky.  Today was no exception as it poured down rain as we left the airport, but by the time lunch was over the skies had cleared for our visit to Banteay Srei.  But now as we rode on the VERY bumpy dirt road to Tamphron the skies looked ominous.  Yet again, as we pulled up in the parking lot the skies parted and the sun came out.  We told that this complex is known as the "jungle temples."  And what is so astounding about them is how the banyan trees have grown right through the stones.  Unlike the first complex where we walked largely around them, here we toured in and around the complex ducking in and out of several passageways and dark corridors.  

In an interesting side note, the 2000 hit adventure film, "Tomb Raider" starring Angelina Jolie was shot here at Taphrom!  Like the first set of temples they were amazing, and we so enjoyed walking through the many passages.  And we kept remarking that as cool as today was, tomorrow promises to be even better.

July 12

Konpong Louang-Kampon Tralach - Oxcart Ride / Silversmith Visit

At some point yesterday evening during dinner we'd sailed back past Phnom Penh and turned off the Mekong River onto the Tonle Sap River. The planned itinerary of the cruise is to continue up this river and sail across the Tonle Sap Lake before docking in Siem Reap. But it had been made very clear to us prior to sailing in our cruise documents and once we met with our cruise director that typically the water - this time of year - is too shallow for our ship to navigate all the way up the river to Siem Reap. And so today we headed to Konpong Louang to visit a silver smith village. That was interesting to be able to again be in and among the villagers. But the highlight came when we walked out to the main road where an air-conditioned bus was waiting for us. We boarded and drove about forty minutes to Kampon Tralach. Here we pulled off the side of the road to find a collection of ox carts! Two passengers per cart and so we boarded and rode in the "Cambodian Limousine" bumping along through the local rice fields. For our "comfort" they had lain a bed of straw and then a mat in the cart. And we largely stayed on paved roads as we paraded some twenty-to-thirty minutes back to where our ship had sailed to meet us. Truly a unique experience, one which we all agreed at lunch was something very few people in the world could say they'd done!

Ox Cart Ride Video

July 11

Wat Hanchey / Angkor Ban School Visit

Prior to leaving South Florida, in looking over the various excursions, I had anticipated that today might provide one of the better photo opportunities. Our destination was the buddist temples of Wat Hanchey which we'd been told were perched atop a very high hilltop. The incline was so steep that we were warned, in writing, ahead of time that we would be provided a bus to take to the top if we opted to pass on climbing the provided path. Prior to breakfast we were able to witness another dazzling Southeast Asian sunrise prior to leaving our floating hotel. And so we departed the ship and walked for less than five minutes before we ducked off the road and headed through a very nondescript archway/gate. As we walked through we were able to see the steep incline of a concrete pathway winding up the hillside. We've been on steeper, but this was by no means "just walking up a hill." Very few opted for the bus and within fifteen minutes we'd reached the summit. We were greeted with a complete "village" of sorts of temples - some of which were hundreds of years old and some were more modern. Just to our left was what we THOUGHT was the promised panoramic view and so Kim and I had our photo taken by one of our fellow guests.

Then we were ushered into a temple where were to be given a special "water blessing" by the local monks. We had been given very specific instructions for a dress code today to be in the temple, and in the pressence of the monks. No shoes inside the temple, and everyone had to have their shoulders and knees covered. We were also warned about what is affectionately called the "Bow - Wow." The monks, and in general the locals of SE Asia are modest people. And so the women in our group were warned to please where appropriate attire so that when they bowed down the reaction was not a "WOW" from the person they were greeting.....thus the term, "Bow - Wow!" :) We were also told that if we sat in close proximity to the monks we were not by any means allowed to show the souls of our feet to the monks. All very interesting. The blessing prayer/chant lasted close to ten minutes as they flicked water out among us. We could stay for photos - which I thought interesting - with the monks and then we explored the area. It was then we were shown two very impressive things. First, on the opposite side of the complex to where we had ascended the hilltop was as set of stairs, three hundred and three to be exact! And this would be the way back to the ship, unless of course you chose to ride the bus. And then further towards the edge of the hilltop was THE view we'd been promised. While the initial view was amazing, this one was stunning, especially with the temples and the island in the middle of the Mekong River. Everyone took turns having their photo taken. I'd anticipated great pictures, and we were not disappointed. We then descended to the bottom - and I videoed the descent, counting down the steps for your enjoyment.......no, the video does NOT include all 303 step counts :)

In last night's briefing we'd been told that the morning excursion would be an amazing experience with plenty of great photo opportunities. But we'd been promised we'd really enjoy the afternoon's excursion as it was another "emersion" activit to be up close and personal with the locals. This afternoon we were being taken to a local school to meet and interact with a class of Cambodian children who are learning the English language. Before our ship docked in Angkor Ban, where the school was, Kim and I took a selfie out our panoramic staterrom window. I cannot emphasize enough who wonderful the sailing along the river is - truly one of the best "excursions" of the trip and it's a daily event! We got off the ship and walked through the village, which was very remote. It was very interesting to see these very simple lifestyles and the homes were so rudimentary, yet we'd see members of the family on their smart phones and were told that they all had satellite television and the Internet! Then we came to the open-air classroom where the kids all enthusiastically greeted us by waving and saying "HELLO!" We were asked to mix in and sit down next to a student or students and help them practice their language skills. Kim and I chose a table of five little ones and they were fascinated by Kim's iPhone and her Disney interactive game. We had some small talk and I was able to talk and write with my student. Then a few of our fellow guests stood up in front and talked briefly - they were chosen to represent different countries so the kids could hear the accents. And then the students enthusiastically waved their hands, hoping to be called upon so they could speak in front of the group. So adorable as they literally shouted out....."HELLO, HOW ARE YOU" - class responds, "I am fine, and you?" "OK, THANK YOU! MY NAME IS ......I AM A BOY/GIRL......I AM TEN YEARS OLD.....I LIVE WITH MY MOTHER AND FATHER.....WHEN I GROW UP I WANT TO BE A CRUISE DIRECTOR!" Or something similar. I was excited that "my girl" was one of the ones called upon to talk. After about 40 minutes we bid goodbye to the class and walked through the village and to the ship. But just before reaching the ship Kim had THE BEST EXPERIENCE of the day, if not of the week........

As we rounded the corner there was a very basic volleyball court and some young boys were playing. Kim said, "I'm going to join them......no, I'm not......no, I AM!" And so out she went to play with the boys. They laughed with (or at) her and "talked" with her as she played and was clearly the most skilled player on "the court." After about ten minutes she returned the ball to them and gave them all high-fives. She was just beaming as she returned to walk to the ship. After a shower we went out on the observation deck for happy hour where we were later joined by two of our favorite couples - Hilga and Ricardo (who are from Canada, though she was born in Guatemala and he in Italy), and Morris and Nicky who are from New Zealand. We sat together through the briefing and then had dinner together. We were the last table to leave the dining room, and did so only after we felt like we'd overstayed far too long. One incident while we were the only ones in the room that was very touching came when our on server, Yarly, was talking with our table and Ricardo asked "where is your family?" Her face immediately changed and a tear rolled down her cheek as she explained both her parents had died when she was eight in an accident. She then opened up to us about her life and her newly adoptive parents. She was very emotional and we were all touched. Once we left the dining room we all went to the Panorama Lounge to finish our conversation, over yet another glass of wine. And to our surprise there were several other couples still up! We were there until late in the evening trading stories, in one of the best social "events" of the cruise.

School Visit Video