2008-10-05 - Vietnam 2 - More Tour

On day 2 of the tour it was back into the boat and off to see local silk-weaving and fish-farming. The former is the domain of the minority Cham Muslim population, who live at the end of very narrow and rickety timber bridges, while the latter involves having a floating house, about 2 million fish under it, and a square hatch in the floor to feed them through. After that it was on a bus to Can Tho, a city of a bit under 2 million.

Floating sawmill - the big blue thing is a horizontal bandsaw

Fishing on the flooded plains

Stilt house

Clumps of this water plant floating around in the water - this stuff is everywhere

Feeding frenzy at the fish farm

Another form of transport - cyclo, Vietnam style

French-style houses in Can Tho (I think)

Restaurant boat

Street scene

A visit to the local museum was an interesting look at the government’s view on life under communism – everything from export success stories to the overthrow of the puppet government (in the south) by the communist north.

Day 3 saw a trip to Can Tho’s floating markets in the morning, and also a visit to a coconut candy factory, a rice-paper factory and a tropical fruit orchard. After that, back on the bus and off to My Tho, which is near Saigon / Ho Chi Minh City.

River that runs through Can Tho

Meow

Starfruit tree

Dragon fruit "tree" - it's actually the fruit of a cactus

In a pagoda

Out the back where the monks hang out

New suspension bridge being built over the river - lots of new bridges recently, replacing ferries

My Tho has 4 islands in the middle of the river, with various activities on each, such as a rice mill and more orchards, and they also take you for a row through the canals on the island. Also visible on these islands where a strange little fish that lives in holes in the mud on the riverbanks. It has flippers on the front, and walks across the mud with them. It also eats rice.

While wandering around My Tho, also found the hospital. There is a sign board out the front, with graphic photos of mutilated people, presumably from traffic and industrial accidents. Typically, there was a food stall set up directly behind the sign.

Ice delivery

Canals on the island in My Tho

The crazy walking fish eating the tourist's rice

Floating markets - you hang off your bamboo pole what you are selling - pumpkins here

Waterway signs

Making rice paper - putting "cooked" paper onto the drying rack

Picking up cooked rice paper with a big round banboo thingo

Bird flu express - the yellow bag contains chickens, the green ones ducks, all live

After My Tho, it was off to Saigon and the end of that tour. Plan was to try to organise a hotel etc on the fly, but instead I just followed the tour operator for the last part of the tour (Happy Tour) back to their office. They sorted the arrangements for the rest of the trip, and then had me along to their relocation party. It does cost more than booking everything yourself, but much easier and more co-ordinated. It also meant that I could get on the train to Hue and then Hanoi that very night, at 11pm.