Arts and Entertainment

There is something sublime and magical about a river trip. I feel like I am part of a “National Geographic” special as I cruise pass one vignette after another. The Mekong is the 12th longest river in the world and borders many countries. John and I have taken a river cruise on the Mekong between Laos and Thailand. This time, we boarded the RV Mekong Pandaw in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on the Tonle Sap, a branch of the Mekong.

One of the great things about traveling in Asia is the many budget airlines. We often fly Air Asia and buy the tickets early to get a promo fare. From Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, to Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, our ticket was about $60 including 15 kilos of luggage. John and I have been to Phnom Penh several times but not for five years and the changes were dramatic.

There are many things to do in the area including elephant rides and shopping but we opted to visit The Sanctuary of Truth, which we could see off in the distance from our balcony. Had we known we would have planned to spend several hours there because there was a lot to do. The elaborately carved wooden structure was built in 1981 but has the look of an ancient temple. The temple carvings showed the relationship between humans and the universe.

John and I have visited the 1000 Islands many times and love to tour the grounds of Boldt Castle where George Boldt, the owner of the Waldorf Astoria was building a European-style castle in the early 1900s. Waldorf Salad was an instant success when it was created by the Waldorf Astoria’s maître d’hôtel, Oscar Tshcirky in 1896. The original version contained apples, celery and mayonnaise served on a bed of lettuce. Chopped walnuts later became an integral part of the dish. Boldt insisted that it always be on the hotel’s menu.

Today, I think people would love to be shanghaied as Shanghai, China, is truly amazing. But, back in the 1800s, most adventurers were heading to the west coast of America, especially the gold fields of California.
The practice of Shanghaiing was prevalent in San Francisco, California; and Portland, Oregon. Shanghai is the largest city in China and ranks as one of the largest in the world depending on how you define “city.”