When visiting a foreign country, I think there is no better way to get a feel for a place than to do what local people do; to eat, travel, and experience what their lives are like on a day-to-day basis. Today we got to do just that in the Vietnamese town of Chau Doc. We started our day with a local boat ride to town, then a tour of the city on a cyclo, followed by a visit to the local market where we were free to explore on our own, and finally a visit to one of the main businesses of the town, a fish farm. We immersed ourselves and enjoyed every minute.
2/5/2025
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The Jahan
Cruising the Mekong River, Cambodia and Traversing the Tan Chau Canal, Vietnam
This morning, as the sun rose over Phnom Penh, many of the Cambodian capital’s two million residents were already out and going about their day. Some took advantage of an early morning stroll along the waterfront, all while The Jahan prepared to set sail down the river. Today was our last day in Cambodia, but before we left, we had a special guest presentation from Jean-Michel Filippi who talked about modern Cambodian history and the Khmer Rouge. While seemingly nothing can adequately explain the madness, this helped fill in the blanks and provided further insight. We spent the rest of the day cruising downstream to the international border where, after dealing with customs and immigration, we successfully entered Vietnam! We also had a cooking class where we learned how to make regional specialties, and then as sunset approached, we entered the Tan Chau Canal. This man-made channel connects the Mekong River to the Bassac, the two main arms of the delta which emanate from the confluence at Phnom Penh. We passed many floating houses at close range as these villagers worked, relaxed, and played in the golden afternoon sunlight.
