Mekong Day 2 in Vietnam

Our first morning we visited a floating market called Cai Be and transfered to a local smaller boat so we could cruise down the canal's and close to the market and town. It was fascinating. People often sell individual types of items which are strung up around the boats to advertise the wares.

Houses clung to the sides of the canals on stilts as in the rainy season the waters can rise up more than three metres. Children ran out of rickety houses waving and shouting Hello. A real picture of Mekong rural life.  All along the banks were strips of vegetables and squares of rice paddy.

We spent about an hour quietly cruising through the town and observing life. Our guide said it was quiet because of a holiday, and usually you couldn't move.

After that we visited a working factory that made the Rice paper for wontons and spring rolls, candies from palm sugar and popped rice. I am going to try some of that back home.

We had presumed that rice paper was made in factories as it always had the uniform pattern on it. Seemingly not, most is made by hand and dried on bamboo racks in the sun. Fascinating and skilled.

The sweets were made from boiling down palm sugar and coconut milk. The smell was amazing. And the popped rice was done dry in huge pans and then dipped with caramel. They do like their sweet stuff over here.

Then it was back to the ship for lunch and while we sailed on to the next place. Most days were like this with an early start, a long break and then when some of the heat had gone in the afternoon we would go out again for a few hours. In between you would sit on the top deck and watch the scenery pass by.

This afternoon we sailed to Binh Thanh island and a village called Sadec where the local people make rattan mats. Again a small boats was able to go into the small channels to the village.

A lot of the mats were sold to temples. And we visited a small temple house in the village also used as a village hall and used by the whole community. We met two local people and sat with them and learned their stories. The elderly gentleman refused to fight in the war as he had one brother on one side and one on the other. He put chemicals in his eyes to blind himself.  He lost his whole family. The Old lady was so lovely and told us about her life and family, she was so proud of them. They both looked after the temple now.

I fear I may bore you to death with this blog. There is so much to say.

Anyway back to the ship, tarted up for a g & t in the bar and then dinner. The whole thing is very relaxed. At lunch time it is a buffet and you plonk yourself on the nearest table. Great for talking to different people.  Dinner is served to you or occasionally a buffet.

People perhaps tended towards each other more in the evening.  But good company wherever you are. Then they always showed a film in the evening if you wanted and there was always a briefing about the next day. But we would tend to have a coffee after dinner or drink, a chat.