DAY 10: Southeast Asia: Wonders of Cambodia, Vietnam & the Mekong
Today was filled with color, contrast and constant motion. We visited a local market in Sa Dec, and it was a full sensory experience - the sights, the smells, the sounds and the life everywhere. Animals both dead and alive were on display: live snakes coiled in baskets, fish swimming in tubs, slabs of pork, chicken and meat hanging from hooks. Fish lined up in neat rows. Turtles and goldfish swam quietly in tanks nearby. Fruits and vegetables of every imaginable color, shape and texture were stacked high, vibrant and abundant. I had no idea what a lot of items actually were. Flowers of every variety, shape, scent and color lined one are of the market and that was a highlight for me!
Along the river, women washed clothes while children and animals moved in and out of view. Houses and small shacks lined the water’s edge, many showing signs of real hardship. Inside the market, we passed a few beggars, one woman cradling her disabled son, a quiet reminder of the unevenness of daily life here with no social securities provided by the government.
Despite it all, the market didn’t feel chaotic in a harsh way. Motorbikes loaded with goods wove effortlessly through crowds in what can only be described as organized chaos. No shouting, no pushing, just the occasional polite beep-beep as bikes slipped past locals and visitors alike. Surprisingly, there were very few bugs and almost no rancid smells. In a jewelry shop across the street from the market, geared to tourists (and with air conditioning) I found a jade bracelet and earrings to take home.
We also stopped at the home of Mr. Huynh Thuy le, who inspired Marguerite Duras’s celebrated novel L’Amant, translated to “The Lover” (now banned in Vietnam). The Vietnamese hostess of the house related that after watching the movie with her husband she got pregnant with her first child and after a second viewing had a second.
We returned to the ship for lunch and a bit of rest. Lunch featured traditional Vietnamese food, though there’s always the option to order from the menu. I chose a banh mi sandwich, which is pork and Asian vegetables on a French roll with mayonnaise. This is one of my absolute favorite Vietnamese dishes and something Nhi has made for us back home. We shared the table with Dan and Marie, another American couple from Green Bay, Wisconsin/ The Villages, Florida, and enjoyed getting to know them better. We cruised to Cai Be.
In the afternoon, we headed out for our final shore excursion, visiting Cai Be and Tan Phong Island, known for their year-round fruit farming due to their rich soil Our first stop was a candy-making workshop, where we sampled toasted rice and tapioca candy, as well as coconut candy still warm from the process. I don’t usually care for coconuts, but this was delicious. And it’s growing on me! We also learned about the production of snake wine, jackfruit wine, and banana wine. Chris tried the banana wine and enjoyed it. A specialty was snake wine which we did not try! A small gift shop tempted us, and we picked up several items to bring home.
Next, we traveled by cart to a nearby farm for tea and fruit. We sampled pineapple, guava, lingonberries, mango (my favorite), and jackfruit. Our guide then introduced us to durian, a fruit that looks like an oversized jackfruit and smells exactly like rotting, stinky feet. The odor was intense even before it was cut open, and somehow worse afterward. We each tried a bite. It was slimy and oddly textured, reminding us of pumpkin innards. One taste was plenty.
We then walked to a water hyacinth weaving area, where artisans transform the invasive plant (originally brought from South Africa) floating among most of the waterways we navigated, into beautiful, usable items. Platters, baskets, purses and more are all crafted from the dried hyacinths that clog the nearby Mekong River and streams. It was inspiring to see something problematic turned into something purposeful and beautiful.
Back on the boat, we set sail toward Ho Chi Minh City, our final destination. After the port talk, we gathered for dinner with a group to celebrate Dan’s 67th birthday. The Delta Night dinner was festive and fun, a fitting way to mark the evening. Later, we watched the movie Little Fockers, the first TV we’ve watched this entire trip.
A few final comments: the strangest things we saw carried on motorbikes include a fairly large bonsai tree. Another sighting: fourteen guitars stacked and balanced impossibly well. Just another reminder that here, creativity and balance show up in the most unexpected ways.Top of Form