Mekong Delta

One of the most popular trips from Saigon has been to the Mekong Delta where fishing boats congregate and people grow rice.  So, on the last day in Vietnam, three busloads of us headed out for this experience.  As you can see, vendors everywhere pounced trying to get us to buy souvenirs, and the farmer hat was the most popular item.

One of our first stops was at the laughing Buddha which was part of a real temple but very touristy.

 The real interesting part of this was when we got on the boats at the Mekong River

 

The views ranged from very scenic to depressingly poor.

We rode on our boat to one of the islands to see a typical farmlife.  They raise their own chickens and grow catfish in a small pond. They bang a piece of wood on the dock, and the fish come swimming for their food.

 

We got to try out the bamboo poles that the women balance on their shoulders to carry the heavy loads of food.  No one wanted to spend a lot of time carrying this load.  We also tried out a variety of fruits and got to (attempt to) place some of the traditional musical instruments. This instrument, while very simple looking, is quite difficult to play.

  

Then we moved to another island where we learned how coconut candy is made. This lady who was wrapping the candy by hand reminded me of the "I Love Lucy" episode (without the conveyor belt).  Some students also tried out the rice-snake wine, but I declined the experience.

 

 

I did follow Nancy's example and hold this python.  Then we rode authentic pony carts (that are used to haul their goods) to a small canal where we rode in small boats back to our bigger boat and to another island for a delicious seafood lunch.

We were all tired when we got back, but the bus trip gave us the opportunity to see real rice paddies being worked and the oppportunity to see how people outside of the city live.

Note on Nancy's tailor experience. On  the previous night when we had been by to pick up her riding jackets, one of them had not been made correctly with a bunch of problems that required that it be re-made.  We were skeptical that they could/would do it in time and get it right.  We ran by the tailor to pick it up, and it was mostly right and fit perfectly.  The ladies had become friends over several days.

Back at the Rex Hotel, we caught the shuttle, and everyone made ship time