Mekong Delta

Just finished an amazing two day tour of the Mekong Delta. Although skeptical about signing up for another group tour, the package sounded good and we decided to take the gamble. Group size was pretty similar to our Cu Chi tour, but some small variations in our choices made for an incredible and unique experience. It was mostly our decision to stay at a rural farm home instead of a hotel in Can Tho that made the trip incredible.

We started with a two and a half hour bus ride from Saigon and then boarded a long boat on the Mekong. Our tour guide was mildly entertaining and provided some interesting information along the way, so it was a fairly painless ride. The first stop was a coconut candy shop along the water. We were able to watch a team of three people brew up some very tasty coconut taffy - plain, chocolate, or peanut. Nearby was another shop that made rice pancakes, and puffed rice.After cruising through the delta for a few hours we left the boat and jumped on bicycles for a short ride to lunch. Some decent fried rice with spring rolls along with the excellent company of a Dutch couple made for a nice break in the heat of the day. From lunch we rode back to the boat and spent another hour weaving through everything from small rivers to lake sized bodies of water. Beautiful scenery and incredible people watching as we cruised by countless homes along the river. People lined the banks and usually waved with a smile as we passed by - especially the small kids.By the end of our sweat-soaked day we briefly second guessed our decision to pass up an air conditioned hotel room, but our choice was immediately validated by the feeling of relief as we left the rest of the group. Nicole and I were immediately picked up from the hotel by two guys on scooters. While we did a little scooter riding in Thailand it was a totally different experience with a local at the wheel - much more familiar with the rules of the road and much less conservative than we were. Within about ten minutes we went from a bustling city to a single track dirt road along a river. Incredible!Any doubts were surely erased upon arriving at the rice farm after a short walk along a footpath in the middle of the forest. I have no idea how far we actually were from the city, but the only sounds we could hear were the steady hiss of crickets and a few distant motorboats. We were greeted with tea by Ken(at least that's what it sounded like), our host for the night, and spent a few minutes relaxing and chatting about his family and our travels. He then took us for a walk through his home and the family farm. The setting sun and cool evening breeze perfectly complimented the beautiful landscape. Ken talked with us for awhile and then let us alone on a bench to watch the sunset over the rice fields. I think Nicole finally had a sense of peace in the country after so much time in the city.
Two other travelers, and American and a German, showed up after dark and we sat down for the best meal I think we've had in Vietnam(Notice how excited Nicole is in the picture below!). All very basic stuff: rice cakes, steamed rice, pork, tofu, fish soup, and vegetables, but it was wonderfully seasoned and delicious! Ken ate with us and kept pouring shots of rice wine throughout dinner. We probably should have learned from Ken and patiently sipped the wine but the we, especially the German and I, were slamming them back in one gulp. So, in keeping with Asian hospitality, he would keep refilling our glass. Needless to say, we were all feeling pretty happy, as they say here, by the end of dinner.Got up the next morning for sunrise and took a long boat from the farm back to the Can Tho to meet up with rest of the tour group. While we were waiting we took the opportunity to try Vietnamese coffee at one of the morning markets. Coffee here is almost always served iced and very strong. A fun start to the day being the tourists in the market and sipping iced coffee with the locals. Couldn't really strike up a conversation, but it made for some good people watching.Joined the rest of the group and drove through the floating market - a collection of several hundred boats selling various fruits and vegetables. During the rainy season the market can stretch up to a kilometer. Each merchant displays what they are selling on a pole raised above the boat. Not much to actually buy, but fun to see.Spent another couple hours floating around and then caught a bus to Rach Gia. Actually got a lot of help from our guide and we are setup with a nice hotel tonight and ferry tickets to Phu Quoc in hand. Not sure how good the Internet connection will be on the island so it might be awhile until the next post. And if the Internet is fast I don't know if we'll have much to write about because we're planning on taking a break for a few days to enjoy a little beach time!