\u00a0The day started with our second boat ride on the Mekong. (The first was in Laos to the Buddha Cave) This one was in Chau Doc.<\/strong> Note the \u00a0water hyacinth in this photo. \u00a0Along the Mekong, water hyacinth mats clog waterways and canals, making boating and fishing \u00a0difficult. Water flow through water hyacinth mats is greatly diminished, an acre of water hyacinth can weigh more than 200 tons; infestations can be many acres in size. \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Water hyacinth mats degrade water quality by blocking photosynthesis, which greatly reduces oxygen levels in the water. This creates a cascading effect by reducing other underwater life such as fish and other plants. Water hyacinth also reduces biological diversity, impacts native submersed plants, alters immersed plant communities by pushing away and crushing them, and also alter animal communities by blocking access to the water and\/or eliminating plants the animals depend on for shelter and nesting.<\/strong><\/p>\n Recent studies in the Mekong delta have shown that it could be used for many purposes for improving income and livelihood of farmers by producing biogas and electricity, organic fertilizers, handicraft products, mushrooms, ruminant feed sources, and reducing the water pollution.<\/strong><\/p>\n We’ll wait and see how this turns out…<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n The basa fish, is a type of catfish<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0Basa are native to the Mekong River Delta<\/span><\/a> in Vietnam<\/span><\/a> and Chao Phraya<\/span><\/a> basin in Thailand<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0These fish are important food fish with an international market. They are often labeled in North America<\/span><\/a> \u00a0as “basa fish” \u00a0This is what a basa fish looks like:<\/strong><\/span> <\/p>\n These are some scenes along the river:<\/strong> At 1 PM we arrived at Phnom Penh, Cambodia, for a 3 nights stay.<\/strong> During King Norodom Sihanouk<\/span><\/a>‘s pre-Khmer Rouge<\/span><\/a> reign, the Silver Pagoda floor was inlaid with more than 5,000 silver tiles \u00a0weighing over 5 tons. Only a small area of these tiles are available to be viewed by the public on entering the pagoda.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n Outside the Palace we saw beggars with missing limbs and this woman with a “rent-a-baby” used to elicit sympathy and money. \u00a0We were told not to give!<\/strong><\/p>\n Go to Page 09 Southeast Asia with Peter – Day 12 \u00a0The day started with our second boat ride on the Mekong. (The first was in Laos to the Buddha Cave) This one was in Chau Doc. \u00a0We donned our vests and headed … Continue reading ![\"IMG_4924\"](\"http:\/\/prstevens.stonehippo.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/IMG_49241.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a>\u00a0We donned our vests and headed out to the floating market and fish farm.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/a>\u00a0<\/a><\/a>\u00a0We passed many house boat in the river near Chau Doc. \u00a0They were being supplied by boats carrying produce and picking up fish. \u00a0The Mekong produces a phenomenal amount of fish in spite of it’s muddy look.<\/strong><\/a>There were even very small boats fishing. \u00a0The guy in this picture would scoop his net into the water and pull up piles of little silver fish. Just the size for a wok!! \u00a0<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a>Our last stop, before leaving for Phnom Phen was at a floating fish farm. These farms raise tons of fish in big screened bottom tanks. \u00a0The screen allows river water in and fish poop out. \u00a0I bet much of our fish in the US comes from farms like these! \u00a0Basa is one of them.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a> <\/a>We left the slow tour boat and boarded a fast boat for the 5 hour trip to Phnom Penh, In about 1.5 hours we arrived at the Cambodian border station.<\/strong><\/a> <\/a>\u00a0We all trooped shore and had our passports and visas stamped 3 times.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/a>\u00a0A river barge. Yes, some very big ships sailed the Mekong.<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0A rice processing factory and warehouse.<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<\/a>An unfinished bridge.<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0Ole showing the boat captain the way.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/a>A shipping container terminal.<\/strong><\/a>A farming shack. Note the TV antenna. \u00a0Thie shack would probably be underwater at flood time. \u00a0 Maybe it was taken down and moved?<\/strong><\/a><\/strong>This is an unfinished hotel\/casino on an island across from the city of Phnom Penh. Apparently, it was financed by a wealth Cambodian who stopped construction when the building started to fall apart due to the \u00a0island’s weak sandy soil. \u00a0It just sits there…<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/a><\/strong>
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a>We met Nie, our Cambodian country guide. \u00a0She was a sweetheart! \u00a0She knew a lot about Cambodia’s sad past and how it affected her family. \u00a0Also, she could do this with her fingers. \u00a0Ouch!!<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/a> <\/a><\/p>\n<\/a>Nie gave us a tour of the Royal Palace. \u00a0Note the beautiful buildings and the Nagas on the roof eaves and stair railings. Nagas’s tail is at the peak and his head is at the bottom. Here’s a 7 headed Naga.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/a>This is the Silver Pagoda. It\u00a0houses many national treasures such as gold and jeweled Buddha statues. Most notable is a small 17th century baccarat crystal Buddha (the “Emerald Buddha” of Cambodia) and a life-sized gold Buddha<\/span><\/a> decorated with 9584 diamonds, the largest of which weighs 25 carats. It was created in the palace workshops during 1906 and 1907, the gold Buddha weighs almost 200 pounds. <\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/a> <\/a>\u00a0We finally got a look at \u00a0temple monkeys. And, no, they didn’t steal anything.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/a>This is the stupa of King\u00a0Norodom Suramarit<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/a>\u00a0This statue of king Norodom was completed by French artist Eude in 1875 in Paris and placed on the pagoda grounds in 1892. The canopy was added by King Sihanouk in 1953 to honor King Norodom in light of Cambodia’s new independence. Legend has it that it’s was originally a statue of Napoleon, but the head was replaced with the Kings. \u00a0Who knows?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a>\u00a0That evening, back at the hotel, we had a happy birthday party for Carol.<\/strong> <\/a>In attendance were Jerry and Donna Ashkey fron Oregon. \u00a0This was the first picture that I took of this nice couple together in 12 days!<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/a>So ended Day 12. \u00a0Off to bed in the Almond Hotel.<\/strong><\/p>\n
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