I stood in the heavy heat on the first step of a gangway gazing up at the Mekong Princess, her white beauty sparkling in the equatorial sun. A trio of crew members in their impeccable whites stood ready to receive us. Gloved hands extended, hand-sanitizer bestowed, and flower-festooned trays of colorful drinks proffered, we had arrived.
The Princess is a luxury two-deck river cruise boat with 12 staterooms. Our small but lovely room, tricked out in brass and teak, had floor-to-ceiling glass doors that opened onto a little wrought iron balcony. I stepped out onto it to watch the lively coming and going of rusty barges, traditional sampans, and small cruise ships, but quickly retreated as a horde of mosquitoes descended.
In full: https://www.bostonglobe.com/2019/10/29/lifestyle/seeing-cambodia-vietnam-by-river-boat/
