Our first morning on Jahan commenced early with Tai Chi on the deck as we cruised along the Mekong River. After a hearty breakfast we disembarked, led by our Cambodian guides Vuthy and Ritty, wandering through the remote village of Angkor Ban.
In this village we learned about day-to-day life and met many locals and happy children. Our guides were able to arrange a brief visit to view one of the 100-plus year-old wooden homes. After a leisurely walk through the village, we ended at a local morning market before heading back to our ship.
Back on board, we participated in a Buddhist monk’s blessing in the lounge, learning all about the culture and traditions of Theravada Buddhism.
The middle of the day was spent listening to a couple of wonderful talks by photographic instructor Adam Britton and cultural specialist David Brothersome before setting off again to explore the island of Koh Oaknha Tey by Tuk Tuk.
We made a stop at the local pagoda before getting back into our Tuk Tuks. In them we zipped through the village and market gardens until we reached a small-scale silk farm. Here we learned of the very old techniques of silk production and were even able to purchase fabrics from their shop.
A late afternoon cruise before dinner made for a delightful first day on the Mekong River.
