Day 03 - Mekong Delta

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Our third day started off with a 6:15 wake up call. Lynn was first up in the shower and Chester was up needing to pack up her suitcase. Kirsten needed to pack up her suitcase too, of wait, she doesn't have her luggage yet. Kirsten usually has no trouble sleeping but again this morning she woke up at 3. She did check her email again to see if there was anything from the airline, but NADA. But after a phone call to United she did find out her luggage was on the way. But likely a few more days before she would see it. So she pilfered through Chester's suitcase for something to wear.

After breakfast and checking out of our hotel, we were in the van for another excursion. We drove for about 2 hours to the Mekong Delta to a factory where the Vietnamese people make bricks. It wasn't so much a factory as it was a big yard. We were greeted by a few children with open hands and our guide, Nguyen quickly gave them Ram something, also known as the hairy fruit. The brick making was quite interesting. They make the bricks and dry them and then place them into the kilns which look like huge brick silos. There were several kilns and and the bricks were stacked all the way to the top. They heat them for 24 days. From the bricks we walked to a boat that took us to where they grew and processed coconut including coconut candy. We drank from coconuts and then learned how the coconut is harvested and made into a gooey treat. We tried some coconut wine and rice wine. both of which are a step below moonshine. But that didn't stop Lynn, she chugged it down. We hopped back on the boat and traveled to a house where they weave mats from palm leaves. Everyone got a turn to help the women on the mats. They make about 2/day, except for this day, we set them back in production quite a bit. The family was sweet and welcoming. The family included grandma and grandpa, son and daughter-in-law, and twin girls.

A short walk from the house we went back on another boat for our lunch destination. It was a 2 hour river boat cruise ride with a cooking lesson and lunch. First was the cooking on making spring rolls. We were hoping that they actually threw out our spring rolls and cooked ones they made. No such luck. Kirsten tried her hand at making a decorative flower out of a tomato, but sadly, it was an epic failure. At least she tried. The meal we had was truly amazing. It was a 5 course meal starting with a purple banana flower salad, followed by our awesome, misshaped spring rolls. Third course was a delicious pumpkin and shrimp soup and our main course carmelized beef. Dessert was fresh fruit and the coconut candy we saw getting made earlier in the day. The meal was a traditional Vietnamese meal and it was simply amazing. We ate it on the boat while cruising up and down the Mekong River watching the other boats loaded down with goods and coconuts.

The boat tour concluded and we were back in the van for a two hour ride to our next city, Can Tho. We continue to travel north west on one lane roads that are very congested with trucks, vans and motor bikes. Lots and lots of motor bikes. Lynn learned that she needed to not look out the front window to avoid anxiety from what seems like accidents waiting to happen. We did have to take a ferry across a river to get to our new city. We are continually surprised by how modern Vietnam is and how clean everything is.

We didn't get to our hotel until 5:30 and what a a great hotel it is. We were greeted with juice and an awesome neck massage. Of course this was just the power of suggestion that Kirsten and Chester needed to get another massage. This hotel offered a 20% discount on spa massages, so we we in. Lynn, however does not seem to share in the enthusiasm that Kirsten and Chester have for daily massages. So Lynn took a nap while the other two had an amazing experience. The only downside to the massage was that the outdoor huts were we in had thin walls and we could hear the worst Karaoke taking place in the lounge. Wow, it was bad. But the massage was so good, it didn't matter. Well, one would think we would have headed out into the city after a nap and massage, but nope, we were too comfortable to leave the room. Since we still were not hungry, we called it a night, put on our pajamas, and watched really bad TV.

Tomorrow will be an early one with lots of travel. So it is a good thing that we are hitting the sack early. and with some luck Kirsten will be reunited with her luggage and be able to burn her bra, not in protest, but because it will probably self ignite after 5 days.

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