Mekong-ing it!

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I last left you in the madness that is Saigon. My last day there, I spent not knowing if it was my last day there or if I would stay for a few more. Laurenne and I decided to walk around the city and see some of the sights and eat some of the food (ofcourse!). We had some breakfast at our hotel and then wandered down to the river. Instead of finding the river, we encountered a ton of construction that once was part of the river. We then realized we were very near to an icecream shop that lonely planet claimed had the best icecream in Saigon. Even though we weren't hungry, we had to check it out. And its name is "Fanny" and how can you pass up an icecream shop with that kind of name! They had all kinds of flavors, but I decided to try the chocolate chili. I then realized you can get icecream scooped into an avocado and thought I should try it that way. Brilliant...icecream served in an avocado is a great idea! Laurenne tried the durian icecream which made me almost barf. She described it as tasting like a corpse, but still somehow finished off the bowl. gross.

we then found the actual river, walked by it for a little and then wandered around a classy little neighborhood we found. We accidently came across a gourmet grocery store and figured we should check out what was inside. Hours later we left full and sleepy! They had everything! I had a baguette with actual grains and 3 cheeses, a glass of real wine and a bar of 70% dark chocolate! perfect! You may now be thinking that I was not even hungry prior to the icecream...oh well, can't give up the opportunity for a 3 cheese sandwich, wine and dark chocolate while in Vietnam...opportunities like that don't come along very often!

We then realized we were happy enought to go for a visit to the war museum (previously named "Museum of Chinese and American War Crimes"). It was a place that I wasn't sure I wanted to go to, but figured that I should. Luckily I had the delicious meal to prepare me. There were many disturbing pictures of the war and people who have been affected since. They show all the horrible things that the Americans did and that the South Vietnamese did, but there is no mention of any of the bad things that the communist government did to the their own country. I realize we did some horrible things but so did they (if there is a blank in this part of the blog...I am being sensored!)I have also come to realize that each and every birth defect that has occurred since the war is blamed on agent orange. I don't know if it makes it easier to state a cause and blame for problems, but I am thinking that it is probably not responsible for every problem that has occurred...although I am not sure that it matters. I would like to think that everyone should be provided with as much assistance as possible no matter what the cause of the disabliity is, right? anyways...the museum was interesting...I especially liked the gallery of drawings and paintings done by kids-they were great!

That night, we went out for Mexican food...i know, I am in Vietnam but when you can get a break from Vietnamese food, as good as it is, it is welcomed! We tested the gauc first to see if we should order. I figured it would be good because the avocados are super good. It was good and so was the strawberry margarita (served in a martini glass?) so I went ahead and ordered fajitas. They did not come out sizzling, but I thought the tofu was a nice touch! After we went for a few drinks at a bar down the street where we got to do some good people watching and met some very interesting characters. I had decided that when I went back to my hotel, if they were still there to book a Mekong trip, then I would leave in the morning. It was after midnight so I kind of assumed that I would not be able to book anything, but sure enough, someone was there so I booked the trip and realized I would be leaving at 7am.

I got up in the morning, not really knowing what to expect from my 3 day trip in the Mekong Delta. The first day was a bit of a dissapointment, but luckily things continuously got better. Many people were only on a 1 day trip and I feel a bit bad for them because they didnt get to see much outside of the bigger cities on the Delta. We ended up spending so much time stuck in traffic that I felt like I was back in LA. Except in LA, it is not typical to be stuck next to a truck full of squished quacking ducks. We had to take a car ferry across and luckily were able to get out for a but since we had been sitting for hours. We went to the hotel that everyone was staying in, except since I was doing a homestay, I got picked up at the hotel by a motorbike and jumped on the back, having no clue as to where I was going. The driver spoke no English so he was unable to tell me how long the trip would be. It must have been about 40 minutes that I was gripping for dear life on the back of this motorbike with my backpack. We started in a city and eventually were breezing down bumpy narrow dirt roads that were completely dark. It was very cool. I was super hungry and had no idea what to expect. I was getting afraid that I was going to show up and the family would try to make me eat dog or something. I got to the house and it was way bigger and nicer than I had expected. I was told to put my stuff in this one enromous room that had 2 beds and many chairs in the middle lined up along low tables. I then sat in the kitchen with the family while they ate, but they told me I had to wait. I was kind of confused at the situation, but waited as they said. One guy spoke decent English so I mostly spoke with him, although some of the others would talk with me a little. I then realized another group was coming and when they arrived, we had dinner. They were all really nice and we found it pretty funny that I ended up kind of being part of the family. My room was inside the house and I shared it with one of the relatives and everyone else were staying in small bungalows. The kids room was attached to mine and they were all really funny. And they had the cutest tiny little dog. In the morning, the family woke me up, we had breakfast and then it was time to head out to the floating market.

I left for the market with the other group, but then they dropped me off in the market where a random lady came to get me and walked me through the market. We then waited until my original group came and picked me up. It was very interesting to just sit there and observe everything that was going on. I was a bit disturbed when one old lady left the market with a furry crawly animal in a cage. gross. With my group, we then went more around the markets and I filled them in on my events of the previous evening. They had all stayed in a regular hotel and I felt a bit bad that they didnt get the same homestay experience. IT cost extra money to do the homestay, but I totally thought it was worth it.

After the markets, we then went to a rice factory and then to another town on the delta for lunch. Some people chose a restaurant that had a dead pig outside. Yuck. When I went in and told them I was an
'an chay', they told me no. I left with another veggie person and we found some lunch. We then all hung around for awhile beforehopping on another bus to go to out floating hotel for the evening. This was another bus journey, but being prepared for it (ipod) made it much better. It was so bumpy that reading wasn't possible, but some tunes really helped. We got to the floating hotel, where I somehow ended up having to share a room with a guy I had only met that afternoon and then all headed out for dinner. It is strange sharing with strangers, but i guess it is not much different than with hostels. we all found a seafood restaurant on the river and when i told the waitress that i was an 'an chay' she cracked up laughing, but nodded that she would fnd some food for me! I ended up with plain veggies and steamed rice which was perfect. We then sat at a street stall, had some beer, before heading back on a little boat to our floating hotel. I ended up not sleeping at all because I was being attacked by these annoying little flies all night. We had mosquito nets over the beds, but they didn't close all the way. I thought maybe I was hallucinating the bugs, however in the morning, there were many dead ones on the extra bed in the room. yucko. Thomas (my random roomie) didn't seem to have the same bug problem on his bed. oh well.

This morning, we all had breakfast and then most people left to go to Cambodia by boat. I was the only one who was neither going to Cambodia or back to Saigon. I joined the Saigon group for the morning where we went to a minority village, a mosque, a floating house and a long journey on the river. I was then told I would be dropped off at the bus stop to take a bus to the town where I would then get a ferry to the island I am going to tomorrow. When i got to the bus stop, I was told by a motorbike driver that the bus wasnt there (although he spoke no english) and that he would take me. I was kind of confused, but the girl at the bus station shook her head also and the motorbike guy offered to drive me for very little, so i figured the other bus stop must be very close. He drove me and it ended up being about 15 minutes when we encountered the bus I wanted. I had to jump off, pay him and run onto the bus. The bus driver only charged me slightly more than I had been told it would be and everyone kept smiling and trying to talk to me in Vietnamese. After about an hour drive, we stopped for a 30 minute break when the bus guy tried to charge me again pointing to my bag. I figured it was because my bag was on a seat, so I put it on the floor. He was not happy about this and everyone was talking about me but i was unsure what they were saying. I was hoping I wasnt going to have to get into another bus guy fight! I fell asleep after awhile until an old lady tapped me because i had to jump off the practically moving bus and onto antoher one. That bus, the guy charged me the proper amount and there was someone who spoke a little English. All the old ladies from my first bus told everyone else on my new bus how they made me pay way too much on the first one! It was kinda funny and they all sort of laughed and felt bad for me! even the bus guy! They all kept trying to communicate with me and it was a lot of fun. When we got to the bus station, all the motorbike drivers tried to get me, but I had decided on staying somewhere very close to the bus station. They were very unhappy when I said I would walk, but one super nice guy made them go away and walked me in the direction of the hotel I wanted to stay at. This older women who spoke no English is going to the same island as me tomorrow and I am pretty sure she was trying to get me to come to the same hotel as her and her husband but being that I wouldnt really communicate, I wasnt really sure what was going on and stuck with my original plan. I was so tired at this point, that really i just wanted to go somewhere close, book my boat for tomorrow, get some dinner and get to sleep.

The hotel I chose is very clean but full of mosquitos. I blasted the ac before I went out so I am hoping that will take care of it becaues i am really not in the mood for malaria. The front desk lady spoke a little English and helped me find a veggie restaurant and the place where I am now using the internet. I am now falling asleep, so i will upload my pics and head back to I can head to the island tomorrow!!

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Photos

Yummy!
Chocolate chili icecream in an avocado!

Margarita!
La Cantina!

treadmill
used for storage in all countries!

gross
so couldn't eat in this restaurant

Floating markets
pinapple anyone?

floating markets
cute little one

car ferry
quack quack

Comments

[Jackie]

Hi
Hope you are malaria free!! Glad that you are having a lots of fun...sorry the bugs are eating you!! Oh, and I was very happy you at least had ice cream for your bday! I owe you a DQ cake!