Karen's Blog: Vietnam Trip Day 9

Day 9 was a trip to the Mekong Delta. It was about a 2.5 hour drive from our hotel in Ho Chi Minh City to Cai Be. We had a chartered boat that took us for a river cruise on the Mekong Delta. The larger boat took us to a place where we transferred to a smaller boat for a cruise through small back waterways where I think boats are the only way to reach some of these homes. Here are a few photos of sights from the back waterways.

Here's me on the river. We didn't bring a hat with us, so we had to buy a sun hat.

Once back on the main river, we saw the Cai Be floating market. When we were first told we were going to a floating market I imagined going up to some huge floating barge, getting out and walking around to different stalls. No....the actual market is made of a bunch of boats each selling different produce. The produce that each boat has for sale is hung on a pole in the front of the boat so that customers can see what each boat has to offer from afar. We were told that this market is generations old.

This is a photo of a group of some of the boats. The first one is a little far away, but you can see the poles sticking up from the front of each boat.

Next stop was to a cottage factory where locals make pop-rice, rice paper and coconut candy. It was so interesting to see how they did it. Were were told that they burned the rice hulls for the fire used for heating and cooking. First, we watched a lady make rice paper.

Next was pop rice. They guy would cook the rice until it popped out of the skins and then would sift the popped rice. It would then be mixed with something that held it together and poured into a mold, cut into squares and packaged for sale.

Next was coconut candy making.

They also made this homemade Vodka-like drink with some kind of snake in it. It's supposed to be good for you for some reason that I can't remember now. Here is a photo of our guide getting us each a little taste.

Next up - Lunch!! We got back on the boat and went to Dong Hoa Hiep Island where we walked a ways to a really nice restaurant for lunch. Our lunch consisted of many courses. Here was one of our favorites.

It was great to get a perspective of things from walking instead of from a boat. Here is someone's home. Makes you feel pretty blessed with the home you have.