Writes of Passage

Victoria Can Tho Resort,
Cai Khe, Ninh Kieu, Can Tho, 94100, Vietnam

… more pix and videos on Google Maps.

One of the river cruises.

Day 1, December 4, 2024: the 3rd day of the tour

Victoria Mekong Cruises Joint Venture Company Limited, is a partnership between Vietnam-based hospitality managers Thien Minh Group and Wendy Wu Tours, since 2019. Their headquarter is perhaps in Can Tho, or at least they’ve a substantial resort there.

• the ship
• foods n service
• the first morning @ Angkor Ban
• introducing the captain

After lunch @ Stung Saen, we drove straight to the port, passing through Damrei Choan Khla → Kampong Siem – Krala →Ampil (bathroom break)→Kampong Cham – Boeng Kok→Veal Vong, where the ship is anchored.

On this sail, from Kampong Cham near Siem Reap in Cambodia, to Can Though in Vietnam, has two group of tours: ours and one from Europe. The capacity of our ship is 60 passengers.

From the design of the cabin to service from the crew, is very good. It has one restaurant – Claypot, serving Asian and Western cuisines: both are good.

After each excursion, two members would be by the door, with cold towels and different drinks. During the movie, they even sneak in to provide drinks and popcorns.

… some meals

… some port of calls are just patch of dirt.

The cocktail competition on Dec 9: our small group of three women won, thanks to Karyn who made an excellent Sea Breeze -:)

The last morning, before disembarking …

Psar Dam Krolanh Rd E,
Krong Siem Reap, Cambodia

… more pix on Google Maps

Will return.

Huge, with a stage huge. High ceiling. Loop Uniformed. Modern. Good service and delicious foods. Decent utensils (camChef).

We’ve a set menu:

– fried fish
– tomato soup – too much minced pork
– Sweet sour chicken
– long egg with minced pork
– pumpkin pudding

All are good. Fruits at the end are fresh.

Krong Siem Reap,
Cambodia

… more pix & videos on Google Maps,

The faces!

The second temple of the day after Angkor Wat is Bayon Temple. Google translates Bayon to 巴戎寺 in Chinese, but my iPhone photos’ location at the top show 通王城 (pretty odd that my photos’ location is shown in Chinese).

• Angkor Thom, was the last capital city of the Khmer empire
• Bayon, a temple in the center of Angkor Thom.

The tour allotted 30 minutes at Bayon, even I thought we could use more time.

This Buddhist temple is well decorated with many faces. It was built in the late 12th or early 13th century as the state temple of the King Jayavarman VII (ព្រះបាទជ័យវរ្ម័នទី ៧; 1122/5-1218), locates at the centre of Jayavarman’s capital, Angkor Thom (អង្គរធំ; 吴哥城/大吴哥/通王城).

Before Bayon, we stopped at the moat/bridge for 20 minutes

After Bayon temple and before lunch, we stopped by a buddha. The Korean family prayed.

Krong Siem Reap, Cambodia

… more pix and videos on Google Maps, TA

We take the same mini van to visit this temple – the site of Tomb Raider after lunch @ Morakot Angkor.

Ta Prohm (ប្រាសាទតាព្រហ្ម / Ta Prôhm) means “Ancestor Brahma”. It was built in the Bayon style largely in the late 12th century and early 13th century; first was called Rajavihara (រាជវិហារ / Réachvĭhar) means “Royal Monastery”. It was founded by the Khmer King Jayavarman VII as a Mahayana Buddhist monastery, also a center of learning dedicated to his mother. Almost 80,000 people were required to maintain or attend at the temple, including over 2,700 officials and 615 dancers. It’s approximately one km east of Angkor Thom and on the southern edge of the East Baray.

The broken walls and structures, the residue from time, all speaks to timelessness, which makes it all the more beautiful. Hope they will not power wash anything there, or change anything. The forever beauty. 残破的墙壁和建筑, 时间留下的痕迹, 无不诉说着永恒, 也让它显得更加美丽. 希望他们不要用高压水枪冲洗那里的任何东西,或者改变任何东西. 永恒的美丽.

There are many trees have long and huge exposed roots that intervened with the stonework, or grow on stones. Many windows look like perfect picture frames.

After the tour, we’ve 20 minutes free time, which are all swallowed up by the street vendors. They’re persistent. They go where you’re going. A young girl followed me around, selling her white shirt.

“Just buy one, it’s $5. I haven’t sold anything yet today.” It was 4pm … which made me feeling guilty. Ok, I gave in and bought one. My hesitation came from that I’ve too many white and I travel light, with only a carryon.

Corner Street 05,
Krong Siem Reap 17253, Cambodia

… more pix & vid on Google Maps, TA

The only finicky restaurant we encountered on this month long trip: because we don’t have reservation, so we’re refused, even it’s empty. No biggie, we ended up at Cafe IndoChine, without a reservation.

It’s our last free night in Siem Reap. We’ve two choices: this one or Cafe IndoChine. When we passed by this restaurant yesterday, we went in to check it out. Maybe it was dark, it wasn’t too appealing as Kroya and Malis – both didn’t need a reservation. We just want to roam free, without a burden that we’ve to go somewhere at a specific time.

Siem Reap

… more pix vid on Google Maps

A hoping place; as the night ages on, it becomes more alive. Shops, food vendors, tuk tuk drivers and customers are coming together, to make the night memorable.

The fish spa or fish for feet, however you call it, has been popular in China for a long while. I don’t know if this starts elsewhere outside of China.

… more Pub St

44 Sivatha Street,
Krong Siem Reap, Cambodia

… more pix n vid on Google Maps, TA

Will not return… But glad I went because their bathroom border / trim tiles #113/136 are identical to my family’s Chee Hsin Tiles, that was produced hundred years ago.

It’s unfortunate that a table of dozen people is having dinner when we walked in. The ground level hall (with a/c) is empty except the party of a dozen of people, with a crying infant, and a toddler that roams around otherwise empty room. I’ve two children and they knew their limit, going bananas only in private, like inside the car and at home.

There are four Michelin starred restaurants, we’ve dined with Kroya and Malis first because I like their sophisticated and elegant decor. The decor of this one and Embassy are nothing to write home about. So I don’t have high expectation.

Good service. Nice chopsticks and the rest, made from palm tree; petty blue tableware (although they’re of the same design but the bowl looks better – less is more…), shabby utensils.

The tasting menu of the north: too much food for two and, this is the deal breaker that I won’t return: just very ordinary homey foods. The low ceiling made the dining experience unappetizing.

Out of the food tray, I like the raw veggie, minced pork and rice the best. I learnt one new veggie: wing bean, it may taste better if cooked – I generally don’t like raw beans.

Margarita is ok but the mojito with passion fruit is really good and refreshing: thank you.

Shinta Mani Angkor Hotel Junction of Oum Khun St, and Street 14,
Krong Siem Reap, Cambodia

… more pix and videos on Google Maps & TA

Def will return.

One of my favorites restaurants during this trip. I’ve wonderful experience.

When I first passed by this hotel after visiting the little arty market – Made in Cambodia Market on Oum Khun Street, my first feeling is ‘oh so colonial’. The swing beds seem to move one back in time.

We’ve dinner indoor and afternoon tea out door on the swing bed.

Decor is elegant and classy. The indoor floor to ceiling glass wall offer the full view of the swimming beds and the street.

White linen napkin with black trim, very handsome looking.

Atop a ring of jasmine, is four fat Indian lotus. They must be infatuated with flowers because many of their foods have flowers and leaves, that are edible.

Very good stems.

The service is wonderful and the foods are delicious. We’ve two small different tasting menus by chef Chanrith. (The full menu at nahm was just too much!)

The among of food is fine, would be better if it’s slightly less. The presentation and taste are excellent.

They care enough to ask if we want our dessert immediately or after five minutes.

It’s an 80 degree night, comfortable with or without a thin shawl. We’ve our desserts out on their swing bed. I can see myself falling asleep on it, after a satisfying meal.

… we went to visit the Made in Cambodia Market again.

Shinta Mani Angkor is beautiful

… and their pool

0092 Street 22,
Krong Siem Reap, Cambodia

… more pix n vid on Google Maps

Wat Bo is the oldest Buddhist temple in Siem Reap. The compound is very enjoyable because we went on a Monday mid morning and it was devoid of people.

Some halls are open to visit but only if you’re taking shoes off.

A lonesome nursing dog is playing around by herself.

Oum Khun St,
Krong Siem Reap, Cambodia

… more pix & videos on Google Maps & TA

This is a little arty colony with many vendors, mostly outdoors. It’s next to Shinta Mani Angkor hotel. The only shop that’s with a/c is this silk place by the entrance, to the right. The young couple (not sure they’re a husband and wife team) are polite and personable. Their scarves are beautiful. I returned two more times, to buy a few more – even I already have too many scarves at home.

Cambodia has more than one thousand years of silk making history. Their Ikat weaving, which is a process that making a pattern from wrapping part of yarn before dying, and woven into fabric. The golden silk is unique to Cambodia, dating back to the Khmer Empire. The golden time for Cambodian silk was during 9th to 15th centuries.