Today we went for a trip in the Mekong Delta. The Mekong is one of the longest rivers in the world and it reaches the sea on Saigon's doorstep.
As you would expect the vegetation is luscious. Water palms such as these are used to make rooves when dried.
After a nice boat ride across the river mouth we had great fun bouncing around in these tuk tuks, basically a small cart attached to a motor cycle. Helmets were compulsory because of falling coconuts and low branches / leaves.
We got to try some foods and fruits that are native to the delta. They suggested dipping the fruit in salta which made an interesting difference, especially for the grapefruit (which was actually really nice, not bitter like the ones we get at home).
The "cords" that surrounded the eating areas are actually hammocks, and they were very comfortable :)
After some more buzzing around on the tuk tuks we had a beautiful lunch, the highlight of which was an elephant ear fish, Never heard of it? Neither had I but it was very nice. After that it was all on board for a row down what in the US would be called a bijou.
On the boat on the way back we called in at a coconut candy factory. They went to pains to tell us that everything in the coconut is used, nothing goes to waste. That seems to be the way with everything in Vietnam so it was not hard to believe. We also got to drink some cocnut milk from a fresh coconut. I found it a bit sickly sweet.
We also called in at a lacquer factory. The workers here are victims of Agent Orange and the work they do is astounding. It is beautiful, high quality work. The images are put together using egg shells or sea shells and layer after layer of lacquer and polishing is applied. It takes about 4 months to produce a single one of these "painttings", they are unbelievable works of art.
This was the last day of our Intrepid tour. This is a photo of the group at the hotel.
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