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Published: January 11th 2008
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Riding on a sampan boat.
Hey i like this hats, they give good shade. Time was ticking fast so we had to fly to Ho Chi Minh, instead of bussing it along the coast. A shame but we knew we could live without the beach scene for a few more days. Arriving at Ho Chi Minh, we took the advice of the Tourist Office and headed down to backpacker land, for cheap accommodation. It reminded us of Hanoi, hectic traffic, motorcycles dominating the roads. Street traders wondering the pavements, hoping tourists will buy from them. The weather was extremely different. It was really hot and sweaty, dripping within seconds of stepping outside.
While in Ho Chi Minh, we visited the War Museum and the Reunification Palace. Both interesting, providing us with an insight to the Vietnamese history.
From Ho Chi Minh, we booked ourselves on a 5 day Mekong Delta trip. This was a culturally enjoyably and memorable time. Our expedition eventually took us all the way to Phnom Penh - but later for that blog. During our excursion, we did one night at a home stay, this was fun. 5 of us shared a room, every bed had an individual mosey net, and we all cooked dinner in their kitchen. I
It's just all too much!
Many fake book sellers in Ho Chi Minh. helped fill and roll the spring rolls, while Phil was chief soup maker. If I’d just arrived from home, I would’ve cringed at the sight of the mud floor, cobwebbed ceiling, black wok and questionable hygiene rules! However I’m tougher than that now! This was probably a cleaner kitchen than some of the restaurants we’ve eaten in. It was great fun. During the evening, the father of the family entertained us with his family album, a playful turtle, and frog catching and tormenting a praying mantis. We noticed a huge long legged spider, but were warned not to touch of disturb it! Thank goodness.
Everywhere we went, we travelled on the river, we went on so many different boats, we lost count. During our trip we saw floating markets, coconut candy making, a bee farmer, a rice husk removal factory, a Cham village, a rice noodle making factory, rice pop corn and general sights along the river. I found the floating market most fascinating, seeing how another culture lives and uses a river as a means of transport. At the rear of the boat was a living area, washing was often hanging, people having lunch and sometimes dogs were
roaming around the boats too ( they’re trained to jump into the water and swim to the river bank to do their business!). This was their home as well as their business. We alighted to a smaller rowing boat to weave in and out of the floating market to get a closer look. People travel especially to this market to buy and sell their fruit and veg. The vessels had a vertical pole at the front to display what they were selling. Their boats hull was full of produce. Children would wave and shout hello. It was such an amazing insight into their lives. We bought a pineapple, freshly pealed and put on a stick like an ice cream. Simply delicious.
The Mekong Delta is an extensive maze of river, channels and streams. Silty yellow in colour, people’s lives here depend on it. Mostly lined with luscious green trees, palm, banana, mango, coconut, jack fruit, papaya, and many I probably couldn’t identify! Houses on stilts faced onto the river with small boats tied to bamboo poles ready for a journey. Children could be seen playing happily along the river banks, some getting totally filthy, but having great fun! People
Buy this cookie from me.
Yes you buy from me, they wouldn't give in! smiled and waved at our tourist boat passing through. The Mekong Delta also is an important route for industrial transport. We saw many huge rice husk vessels, sand transporters and small people ferries. These unfortunately had ear deafening engines, disturbing any peace.
During our journey, we passed floating villages. Families living in houses floating on the river, anchored to the river bed. We visited a house which was financed by their very profitable fish farm. While we were there, a lady in her rowing boat arrived, full of various vegetables to sell. It was quite thought provoking, how lives around the world are so different to our own.
At present the Mekong Delta is relatively untouched by mass tourism. There are no high rise buildings along the river, or party towns to seek out. It is a cultural experience, providing an insight to how people live along with the river.
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James G
non-member comment
So you are officially hippy travellers now :)
Looks amazing, wish I was there! Degrees and school work suck : ( So I guess your both smoking ganja and are hippies now? When you get back your have to teach me for when i do my travelling! Anyway bring me backa stick of rock =D