Mind the Crocodiles

Yesterday, we embarked on a tour of the Mekong River Delta. We decided to go with a slightly more expensive company that promised to take us places where other tourists don't normally go. The guide picked us up at our hotel, took us to a waiting van, and we were off to the dock (via crazy HCMC traffic).

Crocodile's Eye View

Houses on stilts.

We started southwest down the river and had second breakfast on the boat. It consisted of ham croissants and tropical fruits (delicious bananas and mangosteens). As we journeyed down the river, we saw houses built on shaky stick foundations over the river. Land is expensive in HCMC, so they build these during the night over the river, which nobody owns. With our boat leaving a significant wake, we thought it was possible that any one of them might collapse into the river at any moment. We also passed many fishing boats, tug boats and barges. Most of these had eyes painted on the bow that were intended to ward off the crocodiles. Crocodiles are no longer in the river, since they've all been eaten, but now they say that they still ward off their spirits.

Breakfast on the boat

Tiny, delicious banana

First, we stopped at a local Buddhist pagoda. It was a very new pagoda, built in recent years. The monks that live at this pagoda are vegetarians. They spend their time praying and meditating. They also buy live fish from local markets and release them back into the river.

Pagoda

Good thing meat doesn't require refrigeration

Our next stop was a market in a small village. We saw all kinds of interesting animal pieces for sale. The old women couldn't stop touching the cute, blonde 6-year-old Australian boy on the tour with us. Apparently, white children are lucky, so they like to touch them. The boy was not amused. They also commented to our guide that I am a very beautiful woman. I suspect that they just thought I was very tall, and were too polite to tell me that my hair was frizzy. (editorial note from Adam, who is transcribing Emily's spoken instructions: It had nothing to do with her height or frizzy-ness)

Local watering hole.

Next up was a tour of a village along an offshoot of the river. We saw a house that held 10 people, including 4 generations (ages 9mo to 90 years). While it had only dirt floors, it had a very new, flat-panel TV. We also saw a rice field, sugar cane field, tapioca field, chickens, ducks, turkeys, fish, coconut and banana trees. We stopped at the local bar for a quick drink. It was a shot of Mekong whiskey.

before

We loaded back into the boat and headed to our lunch stop, a Vietnamese orphanage. The staff there prepared a 5 course lunch for us. It included spring rolls, sweet & sour soup, stir fried chicken and beef, a deep fried whole elephant ear fish, and tropical fruit for dessert (pineapple and star apple). After lunch, we visited a local Cao Dai temple. This religion seems to combine the major religions of the world in a very confusing way. They have pictures of Confucius, Buddha, and Jesus in the temple, among others (including, improbably, Victor Hugo).

After

All in all, it was a great trip. We feel like we got a great taste of Vietnamese culture. It was well worth what we spent.