Cho tho - floating markets

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Hi Peeps
We stayed in Can tho for 3 days, on our 1st day we looked about the town of course we found the markets...which we love..we walked through the fish market with buckets of live fish and crustations floating about...catfish, crabs, prawns, frogs and many other types of fish which i cannot even tell you what they were? I found the clothes section of course and bought a nice top for about 50p...bargain!!! In the evening we went for a boat ride to watch the sunset it was a tiny little boat 1 seat and our driver behind us stearing...this was amazing we took a route down river passing all types of boats we then proceeded down a tiny river into the mangroves and where shown all types of trees including dorian fruit and mango trees...as the sun went down behind a huge amount of clouds the bats came out, swooping above our heads...really quiet and tranquill....after we stopped and ate at a local resturant jim had a traditional vietmanese pancake filled with herbs, beansprouts etc you cut this up and put inside lettuce leaf with mint and rolled it up and dip into fish sauce...very nice....i just had a token prawn won ton which had a delightful flavour...
Day 2 was an early rise for us at 4.50am to catch our small boat again for sunrise which was a magnificent affair...so pink like candy floss..we then proceed to the 1st floating market...it was a amazing sight people with baskets full of limes, coconuts, pineapples, watermelons all sorts of herbs and wonderfull things on there tiny boats bobbing about in the water...we were like japenese tourists taken photos at any opportunity..this was a real way of life for many locals/villagers they had been trading like this hundreds of years ago...we then moved up the river for about 17km and pulled over by the river...our driver then said follow me...we started to walk into the jungle...just as we were thinking what on earth are we doing? We come across a clearing to find noodles being made...these are made from the husk of the rice and made into a pancake like mixture which a thin layer was applied to a hot plate in a large circle then taken off and dried on bamboo then it was put through a shredder to make what we all know and buy in a packet noodles...really interesting to see how much work is involved in things we take for granted? We then set off again for our 2nd floating market which is the biggest in vietnam...so many boats so much produce being sold more than likely for resturants up the river...we clambered onto another boat in the midst of everything to eat pineapple and try to talk to locals in there boats..or try at least!! After we set off again and hr later stopped for lunch, where we all got back massage and the opportunity to hold a water snake...i screamed and backed off while jim was holding one...i finally plucked up the courage to touch it..quickly! It was real cute but still feel the same about them! After lunch we headed back through the mangroves learning more about the wildlife and plants...great tour...but extremely hot...glad we had a little cover on our boat!! We made it back through the big river where they were building the biggest bridge 17km long over the river unbelivable...great sight...we went back to our guest house where the bus was arriving to take us to the main bus station to catch our bus to Saigon...where we laughed and joked with locals and they made us try all different nuts and things...great time in can tho...
take care see you later...time is of the essence now we are hoping to go across to Laos for 5 days before we return to bangkok...as we have heard nothing but good from Laos and why not!!!!!

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Comments

[pauline]

catchup
Hi Mate. sorry i havent left a comment lately-- I like your last blog Can Tho but i dont agree with it being tranquill with bats flying around you wound'nt see me,,, as usual i have looked on other blog sites to see the pics, a good one from a guy with pics of the floating market yes it looks good but according to him he found mangos with maggots so it not all fresh. I am amazed that your tum has been as good or maybe you havent told us about it>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Life at DD will be sooooo dull after your adventures will you ever be able to come back to earth?? I dont think i could.. As you know its all been happening on the Laura front (now she has told you) Life has begun again for her.. Cant wait to see you again and see AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLL yours pic and hear all your news, Have really enjoyed your blogs continue to have a fab time see you soon we miss you.. Luv PaulineXXX

[Pamela]

Early mornings
Hi Sounds great. I think that even I could get up early to watch such a fantastic sunrise. They keep talking about the dawn chorus here and have events organised but somehow it would not be the raim in cloud and rain ???? The joys of being in England. Yes summer has gone hopefully it will return ready to Welcome you home. Take Care Lots of love Pamela xxx Having trouble with you private Email. Not sure what it is confused as usual. xxxxxxxxx