Sa Dec and Neon Jesus

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A launch into Sa Dec, and once ashore, we toured the town on foot. Marguerite Duras' home is a small museum, where the writer lived with her Chinese lover, she is who La Marguerite is named for, and this home is very lovely indeed. We then toured the local market, another with many unique items you would never see in the U.S., alive and kicking, because there is no refrigeration, things need to be extra freshly killed prior to cooking. There were many more shops along the streets here, but still not much for tourists to bring home, much more for the locals to buy necessities for their own needs. Because of the poor road conditions, our bus trip to the military site Xeo Quyt, was cancelled. Again, lunch on board the boat and air conditioned rest, then boarded a local launch for a tour of Cai Be, a beautiful town that was bright and beautiful and looked much more affluent compared to what we had been seeing before. The "floating market" was a little odd, just a series of large barges, each with one main type of fruit or vegetable on board. They would hoist a pole with a piece of whatever it is on top, such as a pumpkin on a pole, or a pineapple on a pole, to identify what is on that boat. The boats were few and far between. This is the wholesale market, not what I was expecting, but an interesting look into daily life. We stopped in the village of Sa Dec, toured a candy making factory, where they made rice paper candies, puffed rice candies, had snake wines, lots of opportunities for shopping, and since it was our last retail opportunity along the Mekong, the cash was flying again. We walked back to the launch through the village, stopping at the Catholic Church, with neon Jesus (around the cross). Last day of the trip, and I left my Maui Jim's at the Catholic Church, I hope the Priest enjoys his designer sunglasses.

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Photos

Church of All Faiths
This Church along the way worships all deities including Jesus, Buddha, Tao, Confucius, and Mohamed (not pictured - ever). All faiths worship here, it's the "cover your bases church."

Puffed Rice Candy
Kind of like Rice Crispy Treats and sold all over Vietnam on the streets, we watched him puff the rice grains with hot sand, then mix into caramelized sugar, then cool, cut & wrap. MMMMM

Rice Paper Caramels
These ladies can wrap faster than your eyes can watch. Caramels made from coconut milk and sugar, bring some home for gifts.

Scorpion Wine
Best of the photos, but the Cobra wine was for tasting that day, not my favorite thing. Wouldn't pass TSA.

Lovely snack
Delightful ginger tea and assorted treats to try. Bought most of them to bring home. These villagers know how to woo the tourists!

50th Wedding Anniversaray
Snake wine tasting for their 50th anniversary. Way to go Lorraine & Bernie!

Neon Jesus
Catholic Church in Cai Be, Beautiful French architecture. The school children knew English very well and wanted to speak with us.

Cai Be sunset
Beautiful river view from Cai Be before boarding the launch back to the ship. What a remarkable day!