Life on the water

We both had a jet lag-free sleep last night which meant a good nine hours sleep without laying awake with your stomach telling you it's dinner time.

This morning's experience took just the two of us and a guide on the river in a traditional sampan to explore life on and by the water. The journey was amazing in so many ways. What struck me first is a bit hard to describe; a feeling of happiness from the people trading on the floating market, contentment perhaps. Almost as if the lack of knowledge of the western world hasn't yet contaminated the local's beliefs and what they strive for. Sadly, I think it will. It sounds like the biggest push for Vietnam is tourism. Changes will happen and I'm sure some will not be for the better despite some positive impact on the shanty towns. 

The produce on the market stalls (boats) was hanging up on a tall pole so you could see who you needed to visit. We went on board the mango stall and enjoyed it later on. Fruit ripened on the tree tastes so much better! These were grown on the boat holders garden and cost 1 US dollar per kilo.

Chau Doc is buzzing with all kinds of activities from fishing, rice production and market trading to skinning toads, duck farming and smuggling tobacco. 

Their fishing methods were fascinating. We saw locals throwing nets, line fishing and scooping out fish with giant lacrosse style hoops.  We also visited a fish farm; a huge floating house about 4 metres high where the people live and, underneath the house, a six metre deep cage of chicken wire has been built to house the fish.  

The corrugated houses on giant stilts that we saw next from the river were quite unbelievable. Rickety, packed tightly together and metal, they must be hot. I reckon they held each other up.

On top of the river life experience, we alighted the boat twice to visit a mosque, a pagoda and a temple which gave us more of a flavour of the local customs and beliefs.

We've been actively encouraged to take photos because, we're told, it shows interest in what the people are doing. I've still been asking where I could, just in case, but have also enjoyed taking some surreptitious photos of men and women at work in their traditional Vietnamese conical leaf hats.

Lots of women wear face masks which we thought at first in Ho Chi Minh City was just down to pollution but apparently, it's to prevent a sun tan as well. Ladies use whitening cream too on their beautiful golden skin.

My sensitive stomach started to feel a little delicate half way through the journey but I'd put my 'eat it, kill it' pills from Egypt in my rucksack and felt OK for some lunch even if it wasn't as much as I'd have liked. Fingers crossed I'll harden up us I don't have a three week supply!

I'll be 45kg by the time I'm home and cycle like a bullet!

This afternoon, we'd planned in some breathing space and chilled out, out of the heat.