We left Saigon 7am arrived at 10am, our first stop was a small floating market on the Mekong Delta, we were on a motor boat with approx 26 people, later on we transfered to small rowing boats and went down small canals which was really pretty. Stopped off at village for lunch, afternoon along the river. We stayed the night in Tho Can, it had a large market selling so much fruit and veg, they have stalls, instead had the produce set out along the pavements.In the evening we went for a walk, the whole country is getting ready for the new year, majority of people go backto the villages and spend a few days with their families, it is custom to take lots of biscuits and sweets so there was lots of that on sale along the street. Water melon and yellow flowers are also on sale every where as they are bought by every household at this time of year.
That evening there was a stage show with dancers in bright costumes, it caused chaos on the road as hundreds of people on mopeds just pulled onto the side of the road to watch. It was an amazing sight, I am sure we were the only standing spectators, all others were on their scooters.
Next day we set off 7am (not keen on all these early starrts, I am on holiday) for the busiest floating market on the Mekong Delta. It was so lovely approaching it on the water, there was so much early morning life to see. We went past all the homes on the waters edge, some of them in bad state of repair. On reaching the market our boat cruised slowly into the heart of it and there half of us climed onto the roof to get a better view while the other half went onto a smaller boat to be able to get amongst the market easier.
It was truely fascinating, these people live on the boats as well as sell from them so we saw women washing clothes, pots, pans and plates etc on the back of the boat with water they had pulled up straight from the river in a bucket.
Each boat sold a different produce so would be piled high with different fruit or veg, other smaller boats would come by and load up and take off to another. What was really fun was the small propeller boats winding their way among all the others selling drinks and food, one lady had a range of cold drinks and hot/iced tea and coffe, another had a burner with a big pot of soup and was serving bowls of noodles and pork with soup ladled on top, they always have time for eating, they crouch down with their bums almost on the floor and scoop up their food with chopsticks from small bowls as though it were their last meal,a sight that will stay with me.
If they are not eating they are sleeping, anywhere and every where throughout Asia there are people sleeping. Hammocks are strung up all over the place, restaurants, the road side, tuk tuk and taxi drivers tie them up and rest while waiting for a fare, they had them on most of the boats, I have to say it's usually the men in them. They use them to rock small children to sleep in, they swing them so fast and high i am suprised the child doesn't come out.
We spent about half an hour on top of the boat, I could have stayed all day there was so much activity all around. We then took our turn and went off in the small boat among the sellers, it was interesting to be up close and see the bartering and transfering of produce often chain ganged from one boat to another.
Later in the day instead of doing the long drive back to Ho Chi Min (Saigon) Frans and I arranged that we could stay in the last town we visited and be picked up this morning to do todays tour.
So, we found ourselves a hotel with a balcony over looking the Mekong river for less than 10 pds. The price included 2 bottles water, toothbrush/paste, soap, shampoo and a fridge, in fact the whole 3 days cost us less than 30pds. We did eat local food in the street cafes each night where a meal is about a pound. Really tasty though, something like stir fried chicken/pork and veg with rice or noodles.
Today we went off again in a small boat down another part of the Delta, it was so pretty and again so interesting watching the local people go about their day. We visited a place that showed the whole process of making rice noodles, and then on to a rice factory.
We came back to Saigon tonight and checked into our 4th room in 4 nights (it will be our 5th tomorrow) I am looking forward to some chill time on the beach, the Island looks lovely and I have a good book to read.
One last thing to mention, I do realise there are numerous spelling mistakes throughout this blog, some times I have read it back and cringed myself.
The problems are;
1, I am often in an internet cafe paying by the hour and therefore in a hurry with no time to spell check
2, I have used many key pads with sticky keys
3, I am rubbish ay spelling!
And on this occasion I am off to go and meet Frans and have a well earned drink.
Will put photos on in next couple days.
We went on a smaller rowing boat along the canals which was really tranquil
