With only a few hours at the pier this morning, the passengers on Viking Venus had very limited time for excursions - fortunately, I had signed up for a tour to fill the time! I slept better overnight and was awake (feeling rested) just after 0600. There was time to complete puzzles, do some reading and fill out the Thailand Online Arrival Card (the latter was not easy but I managed to complete it). At 0715, I headed down to Guest Services to ask questions about my Angkor Wat extension. This revealed that the documentation I'd received about a 0245 meeting on November 2 (for departing Viking Venus) was accurate - dang... I then got other questions about the Extension (visa, baggage, itinerary, etc.) answered. Along the way, I found out that there were 59 people going with me on the trip (back) to Cambodia. Next (0745), I went to breakfast (beans, baguette sandwich, fruit, cereal, pastries) at the World Cafe. I was finished eating by 0810 and then headed to the gangway area so I could board the bus for my tour. We departed at 0830 - our “Sihanoukville Discovery” guide's name was Vichethur (“Jet”). Sadly, I noticed that my tour included the annoying Boomer Shopping Ladies again... Like a trip I took earlier on the cruise (Yen Duc, Vietnam), this excursion gave me a glimpse of the life of local Cambodians as they went about their daily lives. It only took about 10 minutes to leave the Port and we arrived at a small fishing village by 0855. In that area, we encountered a bustling seafood market, precarious nests of household wiring and food processing operations. The residents of the village were clearly very poor and, for the first time, I noticed a significant of pollution. On the other hand, the children smiled and waved, while the adults bowed and were quite friendly. We had to hide out from a passing rain shower in a busy warehouse - they made ice, fish paste and other crafts. Overall, it was good to experience this part of Cambodian life. We departed on the bus at 0935 and made our way to the next stop of the tour. Along the way, we stopped for a bathroom break at a gas station, which Jet told was was much “cleaner than the Pagoda Happy Room”. By 1000, we had resumed our drive and soon arrived at Wat Krom Pagoda, a local place of worship that featured several instances of the Noble Wheel, a sleeping Buddha, ornate architecture, family stupas, Buddhist Monks eating their midday meal (we even got to see the local people bringing their food offer wings). Other important sights included: a huge Stupa built in honor of the “disappeared” victims of the Khmer Rouge Killing Fields and a dancing performance by local ladies (they added an interpretation of the hand movements). Our guide provided lots of information about life of the monks and the meaning of the many religious (Hindu, Buddhist and Animist) symbols (e.g., "spirit houses"). At one point, I spent time quietly watching the behavior of the monks and the local people who were bringing their food to the temple for the upcoming mid-day meal. There were dogs all over the complex - Jet told us that Cambodians don't send pets to shelters and, instead, just donate them to the monks (who have to care for them). Speaking of pets, I've noticed that there haven't been a lot of varieties of dogs or cats - they almost all look the same to me... Before the stop was over, I was flabbergasted to hear some ridiculous (and, frankly, insulting) Boomer questions about reincarnation. Despite this minor reminder of the USA, I was quite pleased with the temple visit. We departed Wat Krom at 1045 and drove towards the waterfront. On the way, I was (again) struck by the ubiquitous coughing passenger on the bus - how am I not sick? We passed monkeys at various places on the road - they were very sociable and the local people seemed to be feeding them. At 1050, we arrived at the famous Independence Beach, where Jackie Kennedy Onassis made a goodwill visit in 1967. Unfortunately, the water was rough and polluted so I eschewed going in for a swim. Instead, I sat on a bench and enjoyed a local (Angkor) beer. It’s been so hot (high 80s) and humid (80%) that the sea breeze was very welcome. I also explored the coast a bit and located the hotel, which was located to the west of the main beach. The waves were big enough that they occasionally covered the walking path - I ended up returning by a different (and drier) route. Along the way, I did some birding and checked out the Infinity Pool (it looked very inviting). We departed for the ship at 1145 and were boarding Viking Venus about 15 minutes later. In my room again, I spent time completing excursion questionnaires and doing some prep for my upcoming trip to Angkor Wat. Starting at 1245, I enjoyed lunch (pizza, salad, etc.) at the World Cafe. The ship was celebrating the approaching end of the cruise by bringing out ALL of their many (delicious) desserts. There was s huge line for getting some when I checked but I didn't end up getting any. Since many of the tables were already occupied and I'd taken a table for four, I ended up being joined by two ladies (Linda and Maggie, friends from Macon, GA). We talked for a while and the conversation was enjoyable. During this time, Viking Venus departed Cambodia - we are Thailand bound! Back in my room (1430), I took a nap for about 90 minutes. Upon waking, I filled out Cambodia travel visa (online) for the Angkor Wat - I hope this will be the last paperwork! At 1800, I was able to get back to Manfredi's again for dinner (Caprese Salad, Spaghetti alla Carbonara, Parmigiana di Pollo, Chilean Cab-Sav). I sat at a "shared table" and met couples from Vancouver (BC) and Florida. Dan from Augusta, GA (who was at the Solo Traveler's Lunch) was there too. I finished eating at 2000 and then spent some time walking, visiting, etc. before returning to my stateroom again. Before bed, I watched the Bangkok Port Talk and enjoyed some of the "Beatles Tribute" performance. The latter activity was actually a part of the Viking Farewell Reception, which I skipped because of the crowds. I turned out the light at about 2215 while Viking Venus was entering Thai waters. Excited to visit another country tomorrow!
