……..we’ve had on the Mekong Delta!!!   We absolutely loved it and it was great from beginning to end.   We took Steve’s advice sent to the blog(thanks A & S) and went to Sinh Cafe to look at our options but we did not book with them because by  the time we booked into our hotel they were too far away………and we went with another tour group that was recommended and we were not disappointed.   The good news, of course, is that we now have two good tour companies to check with for the remainder of our trip.

We began the day with an excellent breakfast in our hotel and then were picked up by our driver and tour guide for a two hour drive outside of Saigon towards the Mekong Delta.   We had a delightful English-speaking guide(cute as a button, whatever that means) and absolutely wanting to please.  We went to Cai Be so that we could float through the floating markets where you could purchase all kinds of fruit, vegetables….and God knows what else in bulk and bring back to your village to re-sell to the local people……it wasn’t a Tourist market but really showed us the way people lived.   On the boat there was another English-speaking guide to tell us about the area and the lives of the local people……..quite informative and he was wonderful with a great sense of humor, you could tell, even though we missed half of his jokes.  

    From the floating markets we were led  to discover their rural way of life with local workshops where we saw them making coconut candy, rice paper, snake wine…….and of course, rice wine which was surprisingly not that bad, but I have to admit I preferred the coconut candy.  Needless to say, but I will, all the products were for sale……and we all bought some.   From there we continued in the boat up or down (not quite sure) the Mekong delta for about an hour as we headed to a local family’s house/restaurant for lunch.  However because the tide was out (much like where we live) there was quite the traffic jam on the Mekong as  large boats were stuck in the muck and smaller boats, like the one we were on, were struggling to get by and had to wait.   And lone behold along comes this family boat (mother, father, and what looked like a set of ten year old twin boys who were running the motor) and they were determined to get through because they communicated that they had been on the river for quite some time.  Everyone worked together, they got through as did several smaller boats like ours…….it was quite interesting to watch and a real sense of community……….it was certainly the highlight of the day and I cannot do it justice here.

    Once we broke through all the larger boats we were headed for lunch which, as always, was fabulous.  From there we toured a bonsai and fruit garden and because the weather was changing we started back for shore….and I might add just in time.    The wind was coming up and on our way back to Saigon(which is what they prefer to call HCMC here) it started to pour rain and we were very thankful we were off the water. Unfortunately for the six million motorcyclists they were caught in the rain and this was a sight to behold.  Some were pulling off the road to cover themselves, and sometimes their family, with those plastic dollar store ponchos which were flapping in the wind and many others were just driving through hoping it would stop soon.   What was most amazing, and I saw it twice today, was what I can only call the  ‘egg delivery man’.    Picture this:    he’s on his bike and driving just as crazy as everyone else.  Behind him, on what I assume might be considered the passenger seat, are egg carton/flats.   Each flat is 8 eggs by 8 eggs and they are piled 14 flats high and if you’re doing the math that’s about 900 eggs but that’s not the best of it.   In front of him, ie. between him and the handlebars, there’s another six flats, ie. about 380 more eggs so in total he’s carrying approx. 1400 eggs on a motor bike.    This of course led me to ponder why sometimes I cannot manage to get from the Superstore to Tidnish in  a subaru without cracking one egg out of the dozen!!    I think I will sleep on it because it’s getting late and my fingers are tired…….it’s been a great day and good night, or good morning depending on where you are.