ANGKOR ARCHEOLOGICAL
SITES
Our tour group approaches
Angkor Wat
We made it!!! Fulfilling a
dream.
Our funloving British couple
join the Cambodian players for a photo shoot.
I wave to Judy as she climbs
one of the Towers.
She was the last one to
return and I was worried the Cambodian Gods had kidnapped
her!
"Don't take my picture. I look like a
tourist, goofy sunhat and all! Oh, right, I AM a
tourist!"
On stage, Garry entertains
the group, much to their amusement ... and Judy's
chagrin.
This is the site of the
adventure movie, "Lara Croft: Tomb Raider", starring Angelina
Jolie.
Getting to the root of the
matter! Incredible!
The following photo has
mystified me, something akin to viewing the Mona Lisa! I was alone,
wending my way through the myriad of arches, rooms and doorways at
this walled Angkor site, when I came upon this little girl. It should
be noted that during our tour we were constantly pestered by locals
trying to sell us trinkets of all kinds. This little girl said
nothing, even when I pointed to my camera to indicate that I wanted
to take her picture. I snapped the photo, then turned around to see
if Judy was following, but when I looked back the girl was gone. Her
expression and body language can be interpreted in so many ways:
melancholy, loneliness, or just wishing she were anywhere else ...
Regardless, I feel this photo is one of the most haunting and
touching that I have ever taken!
On the road to Kampong Cham
and the start of our riverboat cruise...
"Visit a local village
supported by Viking River Cruises and spend time with children at one
of the village schools. Check out of your Siem Reap hotel and begin
your coach tour through the Cambodian countryside which brings you to
your ship in Kampong Cham, via the provincial capital of Kampong
Thom. Due to its central location, this area is rapidly becoming an
important hub for fishing and agriculture; it also has a rich
archeological heritage, to which the 200 temples—some of which
predate the Khmer empire—attest. This afternoon, board your
ship; after you get settled in, meet the ship’s officers over a
welcome cocktail."
This photo is of a typical village
home. Pigs and chickens wander about, and behind the house is a rice
paddy, a source of food and income. The home is on stilts in
readiness for monsoon season.
In hot weather, the family
sleeps on the ground below the house to stay cool!
This school is supported by Viking
tours, as well as contributions from visitors, to help pay for their
education.
We board our Viking
riverboat,
The Saigon
PANDAW.
Here are some photos of our
efficiently designed stateroom, made inviting by the warmth of
traditional wood.
Not shown, there is a spacious shower
to the right.
A view on the sun
deck.
Click on the flag below to
continue our trip down the Mekong to Saigon.
Click to
return to PAGE 1.