The Mekong Delta

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25/01/07

Plenty of bus to Saigon, an almost 9 hours trip cost 85000d. It was a hot day especially we was descending from highland to sea level. Gum trees dominated all along the trip, with occasionally some coffee and other plantations. In some point we were so closed to Cambodia that even the farm land posted warming read "no admittance", and sometimes there were soldiers patrol the street with machine gum. We saw 3 accidents today, one with a dead body still laying in the middle of the road. People in the bus all expressed sympathy and our F1 driving tour kept going. Didn't want to stay in Saigon as I knew I gotto come through here on my way back up north later, beside...I always got nervous whenever I need to travel into a big city, better go some place small, so I switched the citybus no.54 from MienDong station to Cholon station, and pressed on to MyTho, my first stop into Mekong Delta. I was worried there would be no more bus as it was almost 6pm when I arrived, but I was in time for the 6:30 bus, and it cost 19000d. Went through the heavy traffic in Saigon then we picked up our speed and arrived in MyTho after 2 hours. The milestone said 2km to city center, so I thought it would be piece of cake in Vietnam, but this one was a bit tricky, quite a distant, definitely more than 2km. MyTho was bigger than what I expected, since we approaching Saigon there was already many Chinese characters in sight, and when came to MyTho, I could even hear people speaking in Cantonese. Could be helpful later when I need to enquiry. There seem not many hotel in town here, the cheapest I could get was 100000d/night, the room had nothing to write about, but the hotel did got a elevator as I was staying at the 5th floor, and the best was the view from our corridor and the roof-top cafe overlook the whole channel below as the hotel was right by the river. Will see what it would be like in the morning, as everything look pretty in the dark. I was so tired, I blamed it to the hotel in BMT, as they got too many channel from cable TV! Now was good here, the TV wasn't even work properly, so I guess I could really got some sleep.

26/01/07

Caught the sunrise this morning from the corridor, and the river view was great as well, so I think I will not need to looking for another hotel, in fact there really not that many choice inside town. Didn't really like boat trip much, I wouldn't mind to travel by boat from one point to the other, but to cruising I did find it boring, also I did the Mekong delta trip before, so I would just wait for something really attractive then I might go for a tour, in fact...it was bit too expansive for just myself. Anyway...took the small boat crossing the channel to the sand island TanLong, just 2 minutes away, and cost only 500d, see...I did a short boat trip, haaaa...ahaaa...! The island was no more than 2km long, and once you walked further down a bit and you will find yourself kind of in a big orchard of tropical fruit. Longan, banana, mango...! What is laid-back? You definitely will find it here, people seat in karaoke/video cafe at 8am! Life was so simple here, or was it because there wasn't much other opportunities? People just hang out in cafe all the time, perhaps they had start out early and already done with the work in farm. Anyway...all I seen was...men drinking coffee in cafe, play domino games, or chinese chess, women got their nails done by helping each other, kids playing on the single street in the island, and yes...the kindergarten was working, seem like the occupation here beside farming will be...motorbike or boat driver, store or cafe owner, lottery seller, hairdresser or to be a mechanic. There also a big contrast I saw here, renting video cassette and using walkman(those I hadn't seen for a long time) while there was internet bar and cell phone everywhere. Quite many tour came here for river trip as I saw big buses parked along the river, also seen many domestic tourist too. I spent the afternoon walking on the small street on both sides of the channel, there were many dock house each for different trade, so you would see one house stocked with water melon, one filled up by pineapples, another full of bamboo basket, it would be easy for people came to buy or sell, and far more quicker when loading out on the boat for shipment. The thing I like here was I feel safe, I mean not being cheated. Every price quoted was quite reasonable, no need to bargain. Was it because they praised GuanGong, the heroic figure significant honest and righteous in Asian(Chinese) world, as you could see many temples and shrines were dedicated to GuanGong. Market area always my favourite place, and by nightfall there will be street vendors laid out the merchandise all over the ground, turned a corner there was food quarter where find I it difficult to choose what to eat, many new thing which couldn't name, although yes...most of them are made from rice, but it just look different! I picked the meat dumplings and radish cake fried with egg, what do you think? Interesting isn't it? Then I go for soft spring roll, not that I hadn't ate it before, just because it look great with that spring onion coming out one end of the roll, I find it quite elegant! Finally I filled my stomach up with something I really couldn't name, soft rice cake and topped with many different thing,like smashed potato, something like minced mushroom and meat, bread crum, sour carrot and radish, and of course fish sauce! excused me for my limitation in English, it was just tasty! Washed it all down with ice cold sugar cane juice, walk further down I saw hot-plate steak, but unfortunately I really couldn't handle anymore, stole a look at the jelly rice with coconut milk just before I push myself out from the market. Still...there was more, you must try the grilled sticky rice with coconut oil, and the inside was a piece of banana, it was the smell that swelled my appetites, it really change my opinion about any banana being fried. It taste just lovely.

27/01/07

There was no bus from MyTho to VinhLong, gotto get to the main highway where waiting for buses came from Saigon, every buses go that direction claimed they will go to VinhLong, but none had the name in front of their bus. Believed me, those boy can talk you into anything, not only for tourist, Vietnamese got seduced into the bus always, gone down from 60000d to 30000d for the ride, although it was still too much as the normal fare shouldn't be more than 20000d, I was being seduced into the car as the boy said there were seat for me. We went in great speed for the 80km journey but the bus stopped about 10km before VinhLong, the boy ordered people out, and most of them went into another minibus, the boy just pointing to the minibus which indicated that I should go there and then they just drove off, I was a bit piss by this attitude and got inside the van, but the driver tried to pull me out seem like I wasn't included in this group of people, and said I got to pay. That was enough! I was furious, no way I would off this bus, they can call police if they wanted to, I will not left this bus until VinhLong! Not that the 10000d they asked me to paid, I was angry because it was over charging me in the first place, and still they just left me somewhere on the road, and another scams to squeezed money out from me, no way. And I hated more with those passengers came off the same bus with me, they all knew I was heading to VinhLong as I asked many times while in the bus, and they just laughing at me and said nothing, the helplessness and dismay which got me so bad that I kept said how shameful they were. Finally an old me set behind who could spoke some English, he translated what I wanted to say to the driver that I had paid my fare already, finally they drove off including me! Still in bad mood when arrived in VinhLong, and we wasn't into the bus station in town center, but a km outside, not fancy to searching too much for room, walked into the nearby hotel and I saw the price list..."1st class 90000d, 2nd class 60000d and 3rd class 40000d bathroom outside", woahhh...checked the 2nd class room and it look ok to me, huge 2 rooms set with a double beds on each room, I wouldn't complained for 60000d and I took it, only down side was not hot water for bath(but the weather warm enough). Later I read the LP and it was there, and the price now was even cheaper than few years ago! VinhLong was small enough to walk around, saw quite a few individual travellers though, and day tour group was even more than I saw in MyTho. On the other side of the channel had a well preserved Chinese temple about 130 years old, on both side of the wall in the front entrance are 2 beautiful bas-relief. Market area was busy, the seafood quarter occupied part of the river front and fish boat came in with their fresh catch of the day, packed separately in equal amount, pumped in oxygen before sealed, and waiting to ship off to perhaps many different restaurant in Saigon. The town got more lively by nightfall, was it because of Saturday? I guess no, it was fresher outdoors. People just wave out to the water front, beach chairs lined every street and corner, the sound of ice block being hammered mingling with the noise of motorbike engine, and people just sit back, sipping at drinks that came with whatever colours. That was a typical night life in this part of Vietnam. But then it died down well before 10pm, the town became quiet excepted the noise of the scooter.

Note: 1. find a bar restaurant where they got draft beer, they even got draft dark beer! 6000d/500ml glass(dark beer for 12000d) ,english menu with enough choice of dishes from 20000d to 60000d/order,they offered crocodile fillet for 40000d! The name is The Ky Beer at the corner of D. Le Van Tam and D. Nguyen Thi Ut. .

28/01/07

took the bus to TraOn early this morning, no particular reason, only because there is bus going there and it was by the river. Once we were outside town and the land became a huge green carpet, mile and mile of paddy fields. It took 1.5 hrs to get to TraOn, and a short boat ride crossed the channel will get you into the town. A market right at the river front, quite busy but still...in Mekong Delta pace...very laid-back. Sandwich seem popular for breakfast as there was many store selling it. This place definitely seen not many outsider, people kept staring at me all the time, one guy just came set opposite me when I having my cafe-da, staring like I was a sculpture. TraOn is a small town, I kept walked along the shore and find a boat landing, destination was written on each boat, I knew CanTho but didn't knew other names, quick checked with my map and I choose CauKe also because it depart right away. Talked the price down to 15000d and we were on our way down the Hau river, the boat was the kind like a long-tail boat in Lao or Thailand, which I could sit on the roof outside. Life hidden behind those trees along both side of the river, once in a while a small boat landing appeared where acted as river crossing point and you would know where people lived. Still the river is the blood line for the villager around the area, our boat acted as cargo boat delivered goods and also mails, picked up passenger along the route too, so we did call in many small dock. Beside loading coconut and pomelo for ship out to market town, there wasn't much action to be seen, it was a quiet peaceful journey only when a speed boat roaring passed and cause some wave which disturbed the quietness, it said Speed Boat CanTho on the boat, nnggg...should avoid that place then. 2.5 hours later we arrived at CauKe, the boat landing was about a km from town, no...not much of a town, a very small place which I skipped through to the bus station another km away. No other option but to go to TraVinh as there was only one bus route here, other option was hire a motorbike back to TraOn which I dismissed right away, I prefered to see more and finished my journey in a round trip route. Got an hour to wait which gave me time to enquiry about the carry on bus trip from TraVinh, soon people came jam in for their suggestion and point of view. Most people think I was stupid to travelled a long way to TraVink if my destination was VinhLong, what I should do they said...while pointing their fingure on my map "here...this way up and passing there and..." yes most of them were right, and most of them are motorbike driver as well. Finally I made them understand I wanted to see more from this way, and the most important was connecting bus to VL afterward. An old man confirmed me said "many many bus to VL". Ok... We rolled on again in the heat of mid-day sun. Again unending rice field scene, I tell you...the fragrant of rice in the field is one of the best smell in the world. In this place, most of them was green and some even could harvested and I didn't believed what I saw, they harvested by boat! The land are so fertile here I wondered how many crops they could produced in a year. On the bus journey there were many Cambodian style temple could be seen, some are quite nice looking, then I remembered they said TraVinh area got a big population of Khmer still living there, cafe along the road not only provided a place to sit, but a hammock to sleep, another Vietnamese speciality. We got to town in about an hour. last bus to VL will be at 5, still go 3 hours in hand, walked down town and find it wasn't really my taste, not that it was ugly, it just doesn't look appealing to me. Not much interesting in temples as it seem it was the thing to see here, so...a quick walked a round and I made my way back to VinhLong. Saw something interesting today in the market, which I hadn't seen for so many years. A woman asked a small child to pull down his pant, she then touch his penis before she choose the numbers of the lottery. She was some hard-core superstitionist ... Haaaa... Ahhhhaaa!

Note: 1. A small night market at D. Hung Dao Vuong.

29/01/07

Decided to spend a relaxing day in town by just cruising a bit in AnBinh island across the channel. Same like the TanLong sand island in MyTho, only this one was bigger, and they didn't seem like developed into any small village community, as I saw houses are quite isolated from each other, every family is an individual in this huge orchard, growing all kind of tropical fruit, and on the shore front the grew fish in built-up shelters, it would be nice to tour around with a bicycle as the island was a bit too big to walk. For comparison, I find the walked into the small lane on the left of D.Le Thai Du or 3 Thang 2 street, you could just followed the canal as far as it go, I find it more life inside there, they live in a community, many families making bamboo basket as a living, further down you seen more sort of life, carpenter, tailor, hairdresser...,they grew a kind of water coconut here and you could see they took the young fresh to sell for medical use, shell was dry outdoor perhaps for wood fire, no idea. people seem to alive by late afternoon, rolling out from hammock, stop card game or chess, women went washing in river, kids play flatten football or just jumped into the water. Homecoming boat gave life back to the canal, what was this? A vampire in Vietnamese version? went up the roof cafe in NguLong Hotel for the river view, not bad only the coffee a bit pricey, 12000d for a cafe-da, but hey...that what a top view for! I was put my stomach and system out under this heat with all these ice drinks and street foods, just waiting for the hit squad got me, once in awhile you need to clean up your bowel with a severe diarrhea I think!


30/01/07

Decided to move on, bus heading to CanTho only stopped at the ferry crossing, and on the bus trip I witness again the skilled of the conductor, a young girl had no intention to ride the bus, standing by the road, and after sweet talk, pull and push she finally on-board, and her destination was less than 1km. And I saw passengers being pull off the bus and transferred to another bus that was waiting in gas station, yes...that was how it work. After crossing the channel it was about 1km to the bus station, I planned to go to LongXuyen today, as I will have passing through CanTho on my way up later. Suddenly I realized there was 3 different prices written on the panel inside the station, I remembered the price list in ThaiBinh hotel from 2 days ago, it was 1st class, 2nd and 3rd for the bus, obviously the smaller and faster the bus cost more, but I didn't need to said a word and the man behind the counter pointing to the 16000d sign before I asked for the ticket, yes I know...the cheap cheap word large and clear on my forehead! Caught the 10 o'clock bus, a big bus as I had predicted, we stopped frequently for delivered whatever been loaded on the back of the bus, here travelled with bicycle had no troubled to ride on a bus too, they just hood the bicycle in one arm and climbed the cat ladder on the side of the bus with another arm, in great speed they loaded it on top of the bus, actually...everything could uploaded this way. took more than 2 hours for the 60km journey...on a straight flat road! about a km to walk from the station to town, all along the road I saw many hotels, either with signs read"karaoka" or "massage", no...not the kind of place I would wanted to stay, especially one with karaoke bar, you will never get to sleep until midnight. So...perhaps I would try the one recommended from the guidebook, but guess what...same same, saw the K word when I got to the ThaiBinh hotel, just hope there would be some professional singer there tonight! The market was a few steps away by the water front, came to LongXuyen because I want to go to ChauDoc by boat, so I searched out the boat landing, but there was no signs for any destinations showed on the boat like they did in TraOn. An old man came talk to me in Vietnamese, I used my limited vocabulary to asked my question, "got boat to ChauDoc?, no he answered, and together with many names I guess, so I took out my map, he pointing to his eye mean old man no good eye, he pull me to his house further down the river front, put on his glasses, then began his lecture in my map, he said boat go up to Dong Thap, see here...he pointing at those ship out on the dock, then back to my map, "crossing here, and you can go to SaDec, HongNgu..., no, no boat to ChauDoc". At least it solved my problem and I didn't need to looking for the boat ride. The market was rather big and lively, the fruit in season should be mango and orange, as they are everywhere. The dock was busy too, many man in uniform, I mean same color t-shirt with the company name on. They help carrying whatever cargo from point to point, load or unload from ships, all are strong young man and very efficient. Didn't saw any other tourist here, of course...there really not much to do compared with CanTho not far away. Street food are the same as in VinhLong, so I just go for something I hadn't tried before, the deep fried donut sandwiched with a piece of soft white-sugar cake, the combination came out extraordinary good, the bread still warm and crispy while the inlaid soft and cold. Another was the sticky rice with durian, as good as the one I'd got in Thailand, but here they come with purple rice too..

31/01/07

Luckily there was no more blasting music after 9pm last night. I decided to pressed on to ChauDoc today. But before I walked out the hotel, I told myself "be nice and kind to people, they were just making a living". I really did it, and it changed everything, my day went through superb pleasant and in harmony, I talked to whoever came forward with whatever intention like a friend, put my arm around their shoulder, shaking hand, but made sure they knew I didn't need any of their offer in a polite manner, nothing unpleasant, and normally we would exchanged name before they walked away. All in a sudden I understand...you will receive what you had giving out, you give hate and you get hate back, was that simple? How could I be so blind all along! Bus was plenty, didn't had to wait long on the street before I caught one came from CanTho, conductor said 25000d, I look up at him, squeezed my eyes together, nodded and said hey hey with a smile, he modified the number to 15000d, that was the price I had been told. We made the 60km journey in high speed through...of course...Trillion of rice fields! The walked from ChauDoc bus station was easy along the river, when you walked right into the market and you are in the town center. It was a likable town as you could see the action in the river once you arrived, and there was many street snack! 1st I grasped a soft spring roll, the call BoBi here, sticky rice with dried shrimp, sausage and vegetable rolled by rice paper, which then coated with peanut butter sauce. Then I swallowed the grilled banana in sticky rice when I saw it after few step, thank god they got it in mini size here. Soon I walked into a hotel that was mention in the guidebook, the cheaper room was 6 dollars with no window. I told them I would like to go search for more cheaper option and they were quite friendly to let me left my backpack there. Actually there was quite a lots of choices, finally I got a room in the No. 6 guesthouse for 4 dollars(the No. 8 next door offered the same style accommodation), with everything you need in a room,of course...had something that look like a window! they also rent out motorbike and bicycle. The main body of the market was in a T shape, with the top part on the river front, on both end are 2 river crossing landing. It was a busy market full of life, trolleys cruised around with coconut or pomelo, negotiated passage with motorbikes, all sort of made-shift counter filled whatever empty space, lottery seller in all age flashing their ticket-to-become-millionaire to everyone. Quicken my pace when passing the shrimp paste counter and slower down once in front of a coffee dealer. I tasted the sweet sesame porridge and the coconut cake, there were more for my tongue to experience later. Tried to located the boat to HaTien, but with no luck, some people said it was in the morning, and some said it was by noon, but most said they didn't know. Perhaps it would be easier just go by bus. Walked along the river I saw the Sinh Cafe boat came in with shipment of backpacker, no wondered when I asked in one of the hotel why it seem not many tourist, the guy told me tourist come after 3 o'clock. The street was full of flower and plantation for sell, as it was near New Year. Back into the market I saw people swamped around listen to a radio, very concentrate with their dream holding in their hand, couple of numbers that had printed on the color paper. Looked at my watch, it was almost 5, someone got richer each day around this time. I met this guy Mr Lung, he and his wife run a small 2nd hand bookshop with a few beach chairs outside act as a cafe, he managed to learn English by himself, and even setup a small class for some other people, he asked me if I could join them this evening so they could practising English with me, a foreigner, I said why not, and I was in someone home at 7pm, 4 students, Minh is a contractor in my age, Thang working in the office, he is the most quiet one, and Dong is a herbal doctor also give acupuncture treatment, and he bring along with his daughter who still study in high school. They are nice people, although spoke very little English, but with Mr Lung there, also Dong could spoke some Chinese and it was a big help, so we just conversed in every form we could manage as long as we understand each other. Perhaps they were still shy, so I started with all those food I had eat and asked them the Vietnamese name, then they started to tell me what I should try here... soon we got into beer and Lung suggested after the class they will took me to a Beer Hoi place, the only one in town. Why not, actually it would be my first night out in 2 months. 8000d for 2 liter, I didn't counted how many we had, together with the sea-horse drink that Dr Dong brought after taking his daughter home, he soon declared we would managed many sex after this magic alcohol. sometimes I envy how ths people can besome open to talk about sex in the public, to someone you just met, was it they think all foreigner like this, or was it just standard man-talk? We had some laughs and with the Vietnamese nightlife standard, the shop tend to be closed by 10 as we were the only customers left there, Minh won the honor to paid for the bill, I was a bit worried as he still got more than 10km to drive home after all these alcohol, he said to me after drove me back to my guesthouse "I was sleepy, I am ok! " while squeezing his eyes together and both hands rolling like giving gas to the bike. I guess he wasn't sleepy. I thank him again for his hospitality before he drove off. What a perfect day to had. What I had done today...was to accepted other people life and open up a little more from my side.

01/02/07

Someone knocking on my door and woke me this morning, looked at my watch it was 7:30, it was Dong the doctor, "time for breakfast "he said when I opened the door. Why not but just not really ready, also I was amazed at how people were so sincere and serious about a new find friendship, I was ashamed of myself. He took me to a place to eat rice, just to show me how to order this next time if I were in the market, "com suon" he told me, this is the usual meal I took in the street, dish of rice topped with grilled pork-chop and vegetables, then we spend most of the morning sit and chat in Lung's cafe, Lung got another of his friend waiting for me, 75 years old man who was an English teacher in Saigon before 1975, send to prison when the communist came, "I hadn't spoke English for more than 40 years, I had forgot many and my pronunciation had a lot of mistakes". We talked about anything, they explained to me the game I saw people played in town, like bingo but here they call loto, unlimited participant, each put in the same stach, a banker will take 10% from it, the banker had a bag with 100 pieces with number inside, and each player got a paper with different number on, everytimes the banker took a piece out and he will announced the number,if the paper of the player got that number he will put a marker on it, whoever got 5 markers in a straight line could win the money. This gambling game only play around new year time by all age. I was interested in what happened after the communist arrived during 1975, but they seem wasn't really replied directly, perhaps it was difficult for them to tell me in English or they just didn't want to talk about it, so I better not scratched the old wounds. I did went over the channel to another side of the river, took a bus to AnPhu, but a disappointed town with just a shabby market. On this side of the river lived mostly the Cham moslems community, you could see mosque all the time, they said their ancestor came here from Malaysia more than 300 years ago, no wondered their house were so similar to those I had seen in Malaysia. I ate something call bun ca, fish noodle, said is original came from Cambodia, nothing I would call special but said you could only find it in ChauDoc here. And the local dried fish was rather tasty, you could see many of the fishes was being dry out in the market area, the sweet and sour soup came together with the dish was lovely. Mr Lung asked me again if I wanted to join the English class again tonight. Why not again, but than it was in a school when we got there, a real class with more than 10 students, something I never felt comfortable about standing in front of a group of people and speak, but soon we all got into the mood and some of the youngters shoot me with all questions, of course...the very usual and typical question, soon they all concentrated about why I didn't wanted to get marry, even their teacher implied I should get a girl friend in Vietnam, "not expensive to get marry here as in your country"she said, someone came forward said he had a sister still single. it made me so embarrassing , although situation like this wasn't the first time since I was in Vietnam. I always wondered why and what made them offered me all these, I could never find any excused to call myself handsome or good looking, I never dressed anything could cause people mistook I am rich, and in fact I wasn't. All I could think of either they were just made fun with me or the female percentage are far more than male in this country.

02/02/07

They said ChauDoc is where they printed the lottery for this province, that was why every morning brokers would got the lottery from the factory, and delivered to the sub-brokers, finally distributed to the many women and kids soldiers in the street. Before 9am you would see men sitting in cafe, choosing numbers from pack after pack of lottery brought from their favourite seller(mostly are woman), or checking previous winning number from the lottery book. A lot of money would be changing hands in this early hour of the day. It was another hot day, I would said it well over 40 degree C.but Lung siad it was no more than 30 when I came to book the bus ticket in his shop. he offered me a discount yesterday, although it was still higher than if I buy from the station by myself, but I wanted to sponsored him as I didn't see he got many customers, beside he is nice guy. According to his indication I look-out for the fish noodle with coconut soup this morning, it could be easily mistook as curry soup because the yellowish colour, squeezed a bit of lemon in there and it was just taste lovely. He claimed that was the only shop served this in town, but I did find another hiding in some corner in the market. On my foods hunting route I tried another type of spring roll call Bi Cuon, cabbages in the middle, and thick layer of fried potato stripes wrapped by rice paper, not very strong favour but got good appearance which attracted me, then there was a food stand sell vegetarian noodle soup with mushrooms floating on the big pot by the street, no way I would skipped that one as it served with yellow noodle. Another new dish was the unknown soup, which I through was crabmeat soup, as Lung told me they sell in in town, but it was something I couldn't tell, could be the brain of pig, I ate it once when I was a teenager, my mother cooked that for me before my finally examination for high school graduated, she said it would help and improved my memory, and I didn't really like the taste of it. Went to the Sam Mountain today, just wanted confirmed was it the place I had been many years ago with the tour, and yes it was. Still people offering roasted pig to the Lady saint in her temple, I walked up again the 200 something meter hill, the hammock got more and more, and seem like the number of temple had been increased as well, not a very clear day but still could see the sight of paddy field down below. Wondered why the guidebook said it was the highlight to hike up here, nothing really particular and not much interest in Sam Mountain unless you came as a pilgrimage I guess. Back in town you could hear drum beating in one of the temple, which I did seen in every town so far in the Delta, they was practising the lion dance, a guy who could spoke chinese told me this new year in Saigon on the 10 day of the Lunar month, all the chinese community in Vietnam will go there and had a big ceremony together, I couldn't imagine what it would be like in Cholon on that day. I would be somewhere up in the north by that time already.

03/02/07

Bus left a little after 9am, we drove pass Sam mountain and through TriTon we then ran along the canal into KienGiang region, although I couldn't see much along the way as everyone pull down the shades on the window, but through the gap there was still the same scene...paddy field! Vietnamese like to sit with feet on the chair, but the worse was they put their feet on somebody chair. I remember reading about Vietnamese won't pointed their feet to people as it was impolite, it wan't the first time I had a foot ticking at my butt with the dancing toes, normally when I showed discomfort and gave them the unhappy look, most of them will behaved and sit properly, but this woman sit across the corridor in the bus today just woudn't let go, seem like she owed the side of my butt. If I could spoke the language I would go reasoning to her, but there was no such possibility, I find the chance while she took her foot off my trouser when people got off the bus, I quickly sit half of my butt out of my seat, together I hanged my day pack on the side as well, I was worried she would put her foot on my thigh, luckily she seem got the message with no other attempted even after I sit with my full butt. Bus pull over at the junction in KienLuong, swarmed of motorbike drivers ran along the bus in 9.89 sec speed and squeezed inside, grasping at whoever intended to left the bus, very aggressive, never seem it happened inside the bus. Look at my map, here is where the road lead to the popular sight HonChong. The only option was hire motorbike if without own transportation. Another 20 something km we was in HaTien, the town was in the other side of the bay, a 25 year old floating bridge provided the passage, but it will be closed down after Tet and a suspension bridge will be constructed on the same spot. A quick tour and settled myself in a small room with an ocean view for 80000d/day, the catch was for 3 days stay. HaTien town was small, but you could find many places offered accommodation, the market was right by the water front, small but busy. HaTien was a popular place for Vietnamese tourist and today I could see quite a few tour buses and many came by private car. Beside there was couple of backpacker too. The town was simple enough to negotiated my way around, not much interesting sight, but as usual the hello hello kids would kept you busy all the time. This guy Cuong approaching me few times on the street, said he was came back from Saigon after university, and working for tour guide as he saw the opportunity here while not many local people could speak English, he said"the border into Cambodia will be open up for international tourist by June 2008, that why I come back here." yes,I think he made a right move, with the PhuQuoc island on the rise, if together with the open of border, it definitely would attracted more travellers came down this way. He was trying to sell me some tour, but I told him I had no intention to do any tour and preferred tour by myself. He was polite enough and didn't pressed on, we went for coffee and talked a bit about anything. I was hoping for many sea food here but didn't seen much, although I saw them packed the sea food into ice filled bag by the water front for delivery, but there wasn't any glass box showcase along the street or in front of restaurant, I wouldn't mind to unfastened my money belt for fresh seafood. Still eating street food, here I saw wonton noodle, although couldn't compared it with home, but they looked the same and taste ok. I saw those round disk shape grilled cake all the time, never ate one as I thought it was just sticky rice, but I tried one today and find out it was actually smashed yam cake mixed with coconut, think I find another favourite!

04/02/07

Bloody dogs kept baking the whole night, should be a millions of them out there. I would gave everything to made them disappeared, also with the ocean view window wasn't always pleasure, the noise of the motor boat during the night was immense. Slept in and out, actually I did got some sleep during the day even with the noise. Tried to rent a bicycle but there wasn't any place, asked in the guesthouse but said no, later the woman knock on my door said her daughter willing to rent out her bike, so I took it and out exploring, didn't remember when was my last time riding a bicycle, the day ride really worked me out, both my knees and my thighs was in pain. Just went to the beach 8km from town, not much a beach though, just a small part of dark sand even on low tide, and the place was built up into a standard restaurant beach, table and beach chair laid all along the beach road. Fresh seafood was serve there but not my favourite, they didn't had prawn. Still many domestic tour group came to eat, they ate as fast as they came, and...disappeared as quick as they eat! Went through almost half of the LP, almost 80% of the recommend sight seeing are temple or pagoda, was it all about touring in Vietnam? Then I guess I hadn't seen Vietnam for the last 2 months! Spend a lazy day without doing much as I was a bit tired.

05/02/07

Surprised didn't hear any noise last night, perhaps I was just adopting to the surrounding or was I just too tired? Walk outside town in the hot day sun was like hell, but the refreshing coconut juices in the village's shop was a fine relief, and of course I would cut the shell and ate the tender white meat inside. All along the water front was kind of swarmed land. Actually there was all water coconuts plantations which they call toh-nok here, the land criss-cross with canals link up by tiny steel bridges, small settlement sprinkling in between with small tin-foiled houses. I saw huge vases outside their house, it should be for collected fresh water, but wonder how as rain wasn't that much here, and I see no water supply system, there must be a way! Fresh water supply mainly depend on underground water when they could made a well, I saw many people collected the greenish water from a pond just outside MacCuu graveyard, was it where all the ice came from? Anyway...for agriculture they could only waited from raining season, so there was only one crops of rice for each year, and the land was wasted out there , yeah...at least kids could play football on it. they said they grow a lot of pepper here but you wouldn't see the plantation around the area, as they need to planted it up in mountain area where the water less salted. Every morning the floating bridge would open up for ships pass through, a hell of work to be done, no wondered they wanted to build a new bridge. Cuong appeared again, he told me his friend in PhuQouc island said there wasn't too many tourist there at the moment, and he could arranged a room for 70000d there for me, "I can drive you to the port for 25000d, cheap price for you" he said. right...that was what I wanted to know. I was thinking go to the island or not, as I wasn't keen on and beach scene or activity as I don't swim myself. But still...why not as it was just right there, beside...seafood could be a surprises haaaa....

06/02/07

Nothing was what Cuong had told me, the port was right by the main road where every buses would drop me there, but he told me there would be more than a km to walk, then it wasn't any passenger boat, just a fishing boat loaded with cargo, no ticket for sell, nothing was what I expected, I think the 70000d room doesn't exist as he didn't gave me any address, so I had to reconsider whatever he had told me...the opening of the international border, the disembodied of the floating bridge etc, perhaps he had making it all up. there were an Italian and his Scoltish wife, I had a problem to remembered name when it get more complicated than Peter, Mary and Paul, so let's just call them John and Helen, they refused to paid the 120000d fare,so when bargain it down to 80000d while our motorbike driver biting for their share. We won't leave until well after 9:30 when we were loaded up full of boxes of fruit , there was another boat filled in 100 of pigs, wondered why they eat so many pig in PhuQuoc. it was a beautiful day, but once we were in the ocean, the sea was a bit rough, there was no seat on board, we all sit on the landing platform had headroom less than a meter, you could paid 5000d and they would mounted a hammock for you, it was rocking that almost everyone got to lay down excepted the boat crews, it was said to be on a gentle sea, wondered what it would be like sailing when it was rough? Not much movement inside the boat except the swirling smoke from cigarette, I saw an island after 2 hours, was it a day already? PhuQuoc? No way, it was TienHai island, and once we passed it there were many fishing boats like they were hiding behind the island, as the sea was stable there, or it must be a very good fishing spot. John was in pretty bad shape when we finally got the port HamNinh after almost 5 hours journey, I wasn't any better myself, we saw the local paid 60000d,so..it wasn't a bad deal for us. No other option but took motorbike to the main town DuongDong about 12 km away, no idea about where to stay, so I asked the driver showed me any room for 5 dollar, I didn't care how much commission he would get as long as the room was ok, and surprisingly it came right at the first time, clean with hot water, 80000d, and I took it. And they got a double for 100000d, good deal as well. The town DuongDong doesn't look attractive at first, but it was quite nice once you walk into the small lane on both side of the bridge, and before the light tower there was a small cafe on the water front where you can sit on a beach chair watching sunset. Street food here was a bit slimmed, not many variety as in other town, even noodle stand were just a couple of that scattering around town, still...a reward for my leg work, at least find a good rice soup with fish meat, a lovely pho bo restaurant, so far the best I had got, the beef does taste like beef, and yes...it cost 15000d/bowl. Then there was a good wonton noodle shop hide inside a local living quarter a street behind the river, I took John and Helen there and they love it right away. Then outside the shop a bbq stand sell sweet potato and something look new to me, a rice paper which rolled with sticky rice and coconut inside, then grilled until it became crisply, very tasty. finally we find an ice-cream pallor down the road, they swear that would be the place to hanged around tomorrow. After all...there really nothing more to offered in town.

Note: 1. Boat from HaTien leave at the dock call Ben Tau Khach Ba Hon, just show the bus driver and they would drop you there, cost no more than 10000d by bus. There seem to be at least 3 boats leave for PhuQuoc every morning between 8:30 to 9:30am to the dock HamNinh in the island. And the same way back is 9am from the island to mainland. 2. Most of the local run bungalow along the long beach charge about 10 dollars in this time of year, there are plenty.

07/02/07

The long beach was really long and yes...very nice with all the resort and bungalow doting along the beach front, I had no intention to walked the whole beach, but women carried fruit probably started from one end to the other selling to tourist for refreshment, but didn't see they got many business, hard work! also many women waiting by all those beach chair to offered massage, and many foreigner happily paid for someone beating them up, hard work. The water although not crystal clear but was clear and warm enough, with a beach that long you could easily find a patch of sand for yourself. I wasn't the beach type traveller but once you are here, gotta baked yourself on the sand bed for a day I guess. The woman in the hotel let me used her bicycle for 2 hours for free, so I took the chance to tour the town a bit further, the airport was only 500m away but surprised I never heard any sound from the airplane. Cycled behind those main street laid many local people houses, and condition wasn't really pleasant while many of them were still without running water, and sanitation was a problem, garbage was dumped in the canal or the water front, even on both side of the road along the long beach are laid with plastic bag, wherever there was space without any buildings they would left rubbish there, I could see the island was up to see more tourist facilities in the future, but without taking care of the garbage and the environment issue, it could turn into a disaster in the long run. Although out on the island but life style was the same as in mainland, sitting by the roadside cafe was so typical Vietnam, but wondered why people would like to eating dust by the roadside? Was it really learn from the French? Beside...I never seen a french waitress wearing low-cut tight top which created balloon chest flirting with customers. another nightlife attraction was the 2nd hand clothes market by the river where local spend much time after dinner, young kids might preferred gathering in the roller track which drummed with long forgotten disco music hidden inside a small park. That was about the action in town until 10pm.

08/02/07

Said there are some good beaches near AnThoi, since it was where I will make the boat trip back to mainland, so I decided to stay there tonight, at least see some more about the island. AnThoi was about 30km on the southern tip of the island, although I hadn't seen that much of PhuQuoc, but the island was full of green, all along the road down to AnThoi was trees, think it was gum, but when there wasn't any bowl tied on the tree then I couldn't tell apple from orange! Domestic tour usually came to AnThoi for the boat trip to see the islands around, but I wasn't keen on it. The town had a small market near the dock, full of action especially when there was boat departed or landing, women pressing postcards and map on your face, street kids came hassling for money, tourist hurried down the boat, motorbike driver scanning for target, and I was drinking my fresh coconut on the sidewalk cafe. More than enough of hotel to choose from, got one with everything I need for 70000d on the top floor with a good view of the harbour. Fish sauce is an important industry in the island, there are shops in DuongDong sell their products, but here in AnThoi, alomost one quarter of the town making fish sauce, you could smell the strong scent of the sauce in the air all the time. BaiSao was the beach I was looking for, said it was few km from town, but how many km the book didn't say, "very far to walk!" the guy in the hotel told me, and he said by motorbike should be 5000d, so...it shouldn't be more than 5km. Yes...a hot day, so I looking for motorbike, and they all wanted was 25000d, was it my misunderstandings? So I think I should just walk and bike after bike approaching, finally settled on 10000d, as I had no idea where the beach was, so it would be more logic to go there by bike, about 4km on the main road we then turned right on to a dirt track for another km, a restaurant was right there serving seafood, I could smelled it a mile away! couple of day trip foreigners sit facing the open sea, munching crabs and prawns, I checked the menu...bit expensive and also the problem was I didn't bring that much money with me to the beach, well...some other time. The beach was a small bay with white sand, you could walked for a mile out in the shallow water, but today was a bit windy and quite many waves. A small resort on the far right with some bungalows asked for 15 dollars/night, also served seafood and grilled it infront of your table. They were building more houses nearby as well. and a sight further on from there said "restricted area"! still...the beach was nice but only all those plastic bag that stuck on the edge of the bush bit annoying. Coming back to town could only rely on my feet, unless there was XeOm, but walking back to the main road was pleasant, excepted car swirling dust when the passed by. school out time when I was on the highway, so motorbike driver probably didn't saw me as I was in the crowd, I did walked all the way back to town in less than 2 hours, and I saw a local sea food restaurant by th road side, asked how much for crab, "80000d/kg", nggg...I choose a big one from the tank to the weight, 250g, I picked another one, and the woman stop me, "no, that one good" she said and help me picked that one, and showed the underside of the crab to me, ahhh...triangle, a female with tasty egg. Right, good choice. Still less than half kg, and she said it would be 32000d, the best thing was I saw garlic, chilli and onion as the stove was out here. So I just pointed at those ingredients and told her to stirred fried, and she added some plum sauce in it. It was so tasty that I was still sucking my fingers after finished all in 20 minutes, I then ordered half kg of sneal and quarter of clam, she knew how to cook, the clam she stir-fry with chilli and sneal she boiled with lemon grass and some other herb, all taste fantastic and it all go down with a beer, finally I parted with 60000d happily! The last surprised was when she asked me was it taste good in Chinese, no wondered she cook good!

09/02/07

170000d for the boat ride, yes..it was a hydrofol, it only took 2.5 hours.the boy in the ticket office asked me to write my name down, but I never seen anyone gave their name when buying ticket, "oh, I just want to know your name, you are nice man", he then said he would arranged me the best seat in the boat, "wait, let me call and get the signal" he said, didn't know what he was doing but he did punched in and listened to the phone, then he wrote No. 4 on my ticket, later I got a seat right in front of the TV on the 1st row, he really knew I like watching TV, but...not BonnyM! RachGia when they pronounced it will sound like the word "rubbish" in Chinese, hope it wouldn't also look like it! No plan to stay long here so I just picked a hotel near the market by the river...as long as it wasn't expensive. This is a busy town especially by nightfall, everywhere was motorbikes, food stands and vendors lined both side of the main street. There was another market hall at the north end of the town, new year plantations for sell filled the surrounding of the market hall, street food fitted in the rest of the empty spaces, again...street kids hassling for money, very annoying, I didn't remembered any other place in Vietnam Kids begging for money like this. I could feel a lot of Chinese in town, the characters, the signs, the wonton noodle, and the unique herbal drinks that you could only find in southern China. They do have fresh ice-cream and the durian favour was superb...if you like durian!

10/02/07

Normal bus station was 7km outside town, a bit too far, so I go for the express bus, which had station in town, time schedule said 9:45am, got there they said 10, and won't leave untill 10:15, still not going but pick up more people, finally we rolled out of town by 10:30, wondered why I paid more for express, they still operated like they are public bus, only good thing was all the way non-stop untill CanTho. But it was another bus station in town, and no idea where I was, motorbike asked for 5000d, it shouldn't be too far, and in no time I was in CanTho center. A room asked for 5 dollars and I bargained it down to 80000d, thought I made a good deal as I thought it was 4 dollars, then after walked out in fresh body I suddenly realized 80000d = 5 dollars, what kind of bargain was it? Stupid me. No wondered the woman agreed right away, she must be laughing inside her head! CanTho was big and busy, all along the water front are shops and restaurants, and all those new year plantations, it was actually crowded at night, when all the tour group, domestic or foreign showed up. Foods got many variety here, probably could find all kind of snack I had tried in the Mekong Delta from the last 2 weeks. CanTho got couple of big supermarket, at least they look big from the outside, they all making good business as I could see people willing to shopping there, even just strolled inside could help build the popularity, of course...one of the reason was the air-conditioning, and the many variety of merchandise, but I think there could be another reason, you could see the price there, people knew how much they would spend before they purchased the item, no need to bargain, beside, most of the thing were cheaper than the shop outside...at least for us...the foreigner! So...perhaps this will change the overcharge habit of this country, when everything had the price on. In one of the supermarket they even good the KFC, I hadn't seen any of these American fastfood chain shop so far, not in Hanoi, at least I had noticed. But soon...it would be here, the Mac, the Starbuck etc.

11/02/07

Bus to Phuong Dien this morning, yes 6am, for visited floating market I gotta get there early, beside, no idea where the place is as it didn't show in my map, and that was other reason I choose to go there, just to see where it was. It was a beautiful bus trip, once we turned off from the main highway, we were travelled on a small country road, whenever a slightly bigger vehicle came from another direction, it would course a small traffic jam. This is the land criss-cross with water canals, seem like whenever we crossing a bridge, there would be a small market, perhaps because it was a Sunday, many people hanged out in the street, sitting in the cafe seem like they were a statue watching the world goes by without caring too much. And the TanThoi market was the only market I had seen so far, laying all their goods on both side of the road, just like the hilltribe market in the north. Arrived Phuong Dien after 1.5 hours, a very small and simple single street village right by the river, ah yes...a walking path on the river front too. Floating market was right there, 2 Vietnamese photographs already on somebody roof top by the river, shooting at the river scene like crazy. A woman rowing a boat in the river shouting at me and came forward with her boat while I was taking picture by the river, I asked her how much for boat trip," boat trip, 50000d for one hour" she said to me, no, it was a bit too much, and I really had no intention for any boat ride, I thank her and said I preferred to walk, she abandoned her boat and followed me, 40000d...30000d....I looked at her and finally she offered 20000d for the ride, alright, why not then, it was just 10 yuans, since ChauDoc I became more willing to spend,didn't know why. It was a pleasant rowed, we always bumping with other boats, just like saying hello to the others, she like to drove the ship in the dense crowd, perhaps she knew tourists like this. I was constantly surrounded by other boat people, they looked at me, I smile and they smile, that's it. back on land I walked in to a sandwich place by the river, a sandwich and sugar cane juice, would you believed, she asked for 3000d, just bloody only 3000d! It wasn't a sandwich with just a piece or 2 hams, it got all sort of ham and meat, if it still got profit, I would hate those selling you a shitty sandwich with tasteless elastic meat for 5 or 6000d, and the bread was not even warmed! PhuongDien got a land market too, so I think for some reason the floating market was kept for tourism reason, this place should be a transit and distributing point for merchandise, and ships carried their goods came here to do business. I find people in this village are very friendly, and they do business in a honest way. I saw some tour group arrived by the time I was on my way out in the bus. Back to CanTho I decided to checked out another floating market in CaiRang by another bus, as it was only 11 and only 6 km to get there. Got there in no time, the river was wider, boats were bigger, they all seem like doing fruit and flower in the market. Same...boat people asking me for boat trip, but no...not that keen on doing any. Here you couldn't walk along they river front as there was all houses, so...no view point and watched from the bridge was a bit too far. Anyway...not much different from another other floating market I guess, so I just toured around the town's market instead.

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