Akaroa Wharf

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Exploring the Town

Our sailing ketch excursion, which we wrote about in Akaroa by Sailing Ketch, returned us to Akaroa Wharf around 11:30 am.  We had learned that the St. Patrick's Catholic Church added a mass at noon on Sundays when ships were in port.   We didn't know exactly where the church was located but we knew the general direction, so we started walking. 

Along the way, we found some historic houses, shown here.  What a beautiful setting with the floral gardens in front of these old buildings.




Historic Library  

The next building we saw was the Akaroa Coronation Library which was erected in 1875 to house the Literary Institute.  The name was changed in 1911 when it was remodeled.

Inside the old library, we asked for directions to the church.  They marked the walking route on the map and said the the priest would welcome us, even if we arrived late (we weren't certain how long it would take us to get there).

St. Patrick's Church

It was a very welcoming church.  At the conclusion of the mass, the priest went pew by pew getting to know more about those that had gathered.   We were surprised to find out that he was familiar with our area, having lived there for awhile.  What a small world.

Akaroa War Memorial 

 The memorial comprises a reserve and seating surrounding an elaborate free-standing cupola with a granite spire and fly buttresses, right in the centre of town. The Akaroa War Memorial are a grand tribute to locals who gave their lives fighting in conflicts around the globe. The cornerstone of the Banks Peninsula War Memorial was laid in 1922 and completed in 1924. The engraved marble slab reads, “In sacred memory of those who fell in the Great war 1914 – 1919.” Additional plaques list local soldiers who died during the South African War (1899 – 1902) and World War II (1939 – 1945).

It was damaged in the Christchurch earthquake of 2010. After the earthquake, a team of dedicated locals raised funds and organised the rebuilding of the memorial.  See our Akaroa Wharf photo album for more images of the memorial as well as from our walk around town.  There is plenty to see an do around town, so if you go on an excursion, plan some extra time to visit the wharf area.

Additional photos can be found on our Australia & New Zealand Shutterfly page

Akaroa Wharf


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Sihanoukville a Secret Gem

Sihanoukville, located on a peninsula some 155 miles southwest of Phnom Penh, has become a jealously guarded secret of savvy travelers. This still pristine resort on the Gulf of Thailand boasts

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beautiful beaches and crystalline waters. Offshore islands offer excellent dive sites and some of the world's finest big game fishing.

Sihanoukville is also renowned for its excellent cuisine featuring superb seafood. We embarked on the most popular shore excursion offered by Princess Cruises, Wat Krom, Villages & Market.  This is a land of contrasts with old and new mixed together in close proximity.

After an early breakfast we met at the Wheelhouse Lounge at 7:30 am.  Our motor coach drove through the streets of Cambodia to our first stop at Khmer village to see a typical house. We toured the kitchen, which was on the lower level, and then climbed some rickety stairs to the upper level, which houses the living / sleeping area. This stop really showed the poverty of typical families.

Khmer Fishing Village

Our guide pointed out the spirit house, a shrine to the protective spirit of a place that is found in the Southeast Asian countries of Burma, Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand. Most houses and businesses have a spirit house placed in an auspicious spot, most often in a corner of the property. The location may be chosen after consultation with a Brahmin priest. The spirit house is normally in the form of a miniature house or temple, and is mounted on a pillar or on a dais.

The house is intended to provide a shelter for spirits that could cause problems for the people if not appeased. The shrines often include images of people and animals. Votive offerings are left at the house to propitiate the spirits. More elaborate installations include an altar for this purpose.

Local Grammar School Visit

Next we stopped at a grammar school to visit with some local children.  They sang "If you are happy and you know it clap your hands" in their native tongue.  We learned that gifts of pens would be a special treat for the children.  We wish we'd known that ahead of time as we would have packed some school supplies.  Just across the street from the school is new construction of a high-rise.

You don't need to understand the language to get the meaning of this song. During our cruise vacation to Southeast Asia, we stopped in Sihanoukville, Cambodia. We visited a local grammar school where we were greeted with this song.

Psar Lu Market &

War Memorial

Sihanoukville's marketplace, Psar Lu Market, was the third stop on our tour. Our guide led the way through the many stalls and then we had free time to shop or simply roam. The marketplace is quite dirty and congested, with cars and motorcycles attempting to get through the pedestrian traffic.

Police attempted to control traffic at the main street, but it was pretty hopeless. Our guide bought flowers to bring as a gift for Buddha at the temple.

Continuing past Victory Hill and Independence Square the next stop was for a photo opportunity at the War Memorial, commemorating Cambodia's war dead.

Wat Krom

Wat Krom, the Buddhist temple at the base of Sihanouk Mountain was the main attraction on this tour. Its name is a literal description of its location as "Wat" means temple and "Krom" means "lower." The temple features excellent views of the sea and a small chapel dedicated to Ya-Mao, a local deity.

Sihanoukville Beach

Finally we had an hour to swim, explore, or have some refreshments at Sihanoukville Beach resort hotel. Some people went to the main building for a meal, others had a massage on the beach, while others relaxed with a drink or went for a refreshing swim.  A bonus was they had free Wi-fi for those interested in catching up with emails or sharing on their social media sites.

This was an enjoyable excursion.  It showed the many faces of Cambodia, from the poor to the new wealth. There are many construction projects underway, funded mainly by China investments.

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Related Album:

Khmer Village
Cambodia School
Psar Lu Market
Cambodia War Memorial
Wat Krom
Sihanoukville Beach

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