Kampong Tralach and Angkor Ban
Did we dream this morning that we awakened at sunrise and ambled gently through rice paddies and lotus fields in ox-drawn carts as the morning sun greeted the welcoming earth? Almost too amazing to be true, but fortunately it was our reality. We witnessed first-hand in all its natural splendor the phenomenon of the pristine and beautiful lotus flower arising confidently on its thin but muscular stem to reach up and prevail over the muddy waters from whence it came – an ancient metaphor representing the path to enlightenment and central to the exalted status of the lotus blossom in Buddhist art and iconography.
Our oxcart adventure ended in the town center at a local school where the beautiful and hospitable school children seemed to enjoy meeting us as much as we did them.
We were back on board by 8:30 a.m. for a hearty post-oxcart breakfast followed by a demonstration of Cambodian dress customs, including a lesson on the myriad ways to wear and utilize the classic and ubiquitous Khmer krama scarf. As the morning progressed we cruised southward on the peaceful and scenic Tonle Sap River and then back northward into the mighty Mekong once again, during which we explored via illustrated presentation “Buddhism: An Introduction to Its History, Philosophy, and Iconography.” With over 1 billion adherents, Buddhism is and has long been a dominant cultural, artistic, intellectual, and spiritual force throughout Asia, and deepening our understanding of this multi-faceted Dharmic tradition helps us to better understand the people we meet and the fascinating places we visit in captivating Asia.
Once again the finest chef on the Mekong, Mr. But Phen, wowed us at lunch with his latest creations using swimmingly fresh seafood and vegetables which define the word “flavor” – this is something we will all miss upon our return home unless we grow our own organic vegetables and figure out some alchemical means to simulate the fertile Mekong soil and nurturing tropical sun of Indochina.
After lunch we visited the unspoiled Mekong town of Angkor Ban where we strolled at our leisure and took in the colorful and peaceful village life and scenes. A recurrent theme today in both Kampong Tralach in the morning and Angkor Ban in the afternoon was this: Cambodia has firmly moved from darkness to light, and pervading the land now is a clear and luminous spirit of hope, an unmistakable sense of moving beyond the tortured history of the 1960’s and 70’s, and reaching out with undaunted heart and open mind to a brighter future which is already palpable. We saw this not just in the magnificent smiles of the children but in the warm and welcoming presence of the adults as well. Subserving this was the remarkably robust English-speaking skill evident among many of the children, a feat both practically contributing to, and directly foreshadowing a bright future for Cambodia. We felt extraordinarily lucky to witness and feel the resonance of this process playing out before our hearts and minds.
To finish our exceptional day we were amazed to watch Captain Quy sidle the Jahan up to an island sand bank upon which the ever-gracious and indefatigable Jahan staff set up a fantastic beach party replete with delicious food and drink, all accompanied by lively music and endless good cheer, under the saffron disk of the setting Mekong sun. As the sky darkened to a blue-black velvet canvas, we watched with rapt attention as the staff launched graceful fire balloons into the starry welkin, a traditional salutation to the Buddha as well as a most relevant reminder that the spirit can rise with beauty and majesty over the trials and imperfections of this world.
What a special day, full of rich nutrition for the heart and the intellect – a dream of a day to be remembered and treasured always.
