Profile
Blog
Photos
Videos
The Mekong Delta and the Last Day 4th Nov
So today we visit the delta region, that semi-mythical zone that I recall form the 1960's news reports which is unlike any area in England. It's a longish drive south east of Saigon through the paddy fields. As we learn from Duc, this is an area that can produce three crops of rice a year if required. Brought up in the area, his father wanted him to be a farmer but he chose the life of a teacher, then a tour guide.
Before getting to the river we must visit our last 'pagoda', that of the Cao Dia. This unusual sect seems to have its feet in many religious camps. According to Wikipedia it is a, syncretistic, monotheistic religion officially established in the city of Tay Ninh, the town where we visit the pagoda in 1926'; or, in other words, 'All thing's to all people' except of course it isn't! As in many of the pagodas we have visited the building is very colourful and bright. As we arrived at the temple we come face to face with the last but most persistent, of the local sellers; 'Hat, madam $2', or 'Sunglasses sir, $2'. They will try and sell almost anything that moves if they think it might appeal to tourists. Some of us our disinterested and courteously walk past saying 'No thanks.' The price quickly falls but the persistence does not. They are even trying to sell to us as, sat in the coach and moving off down the road, they hold up their goods. Even when I ask what they do not understand about 'No thank you', they continue to pester. It is this style that wins success as several of the group surrender to the pressure, hats are bought, and thus encouraged they await the next coach of tourists.
Shortly after we arrive at the docks, we meet our local guide, a lady called Snow, who proves to be lively and excitable, an excellent recipe for the last day. The Mekong does not look wide or huge at this point and there is no evidence of the sort of large ships I had anticipated. There are, however, many rather smaller river craft which are busy transporting both people and goods. We wander over the river in our boat to land on an island that is 1 mile wide and 11 miles long and it is here that we spend the day. The focus of the local culture is coconuts and they are used to produce many things although we only see the sweets and matting. The sweets, however, prove to be are rather hard, very long lasting and a challenge to ones fillings. I find them hard to consume and biting into them, simply means that they jam in my teeth. The manufacture of said sweets is a sight to be seen. Five girls sit around the table and do everything by hand. One cuts the strips that have been pressed out on a board that looks a little like the old washing boards of the 19th century into bite sized portions: there is no device to ensure every sweet is the same size. There is no template, no measure, its all done by hand. Other girls wrap the sweets, pack the sweets and stack them up ready for sale to the tourists eg us! Later I am told that they must work for 7 hours a day, and talking is forbidden! Perhaps that explains why they appear to be using a form of sign language.
After this, we go for lunch and wine. Lunch is a mixture of local products including Elephant Fish. Why it is called that is unclear but it does not look like an elephant, nor does it behave like one but the flesh is good! Just before we begin we have to endure, or is it, enjoy, the temptation of snake wine. This consists of a large jar into which banana wine has poured, and then a snake is added, in this case a King Cobra. Apparently, the snake stays in the jar for about 9 months before it is replaced. In the meantime, the wine is drunk and the jar topped up. Some hardy folks tried the mixture and pronounced it a new fanged idea and even venomously delicious. I pass up the offer on the grounds of a long flight the next day and the need to be ….Well actually Meryl gave me a rather direct stare, which meant that I took the path of discretion. I had seen this look a few times on the trip I knew that to persist in a particular yearning to experiment with new things would not be wise. Next time, perhaps!
We also make a visit to a family who grow fruit and play traditional music. I cannot say that I have any understanding of this music and it is certainly challenging on the ear. In this case the have several instruments. Two of these are interesting. Both are single stringed but played very differently. One is held upright, held like a small cello but on the knees and is played with a bow. The other is placed flat on a table, and consists of a large piece of bamboo across which is stretched a single string. It is plucked but the sounds sought for are the harmonics the result of a pluck with what looks like a toothpick. Its effect is a subtle but ethereal sound of great delicacy. I attempted to extract a suitable sound from it but it is hard to achieve the correct timing of the pluck with the delicacy of the fingers on the string. The rest of the band consisted of a guitarist and some female singers who sang of the river. For all of you who may be interested I have a CD of the music so please let me know when you wish to borrow this historic document!
And so the trip came to and end. We said our farewells to the driver Tien and Duc, two excellent people who had contributed to our trip enormously. Tien because he was safe on roads which are mad and difficult: Duc because he was very knowledgeable, humorous and fitted in with the group. The evening was for our final meal together at 6.30. Brett had arranged to take us to a new restaurant and this proved to be inspired. The owner made sure that we had a great time so we had extra drinks and extra food. No doubt, he saw it as a business deal, hoping to attract more groups to the restaurant in future. Whatever, we had a great time even though it was rather more expensive than we had expected!
However, the meal was perhaps marred when one of the group, Josephine, declined to join us. She had always been a bit of an odd one out and had caused, in a minor way, group members to talk. On quite a few occasions, she had demanded a room change at hotels. She asserted that single people always got a raw deal, and were frequently given the worst rooms in a hotel. In Dalat she demanded a move from the 3rd floor and ended up in a suite on the 7th. This sort of behaviour did not please others who generally got on with their allocation. Anyway, all our rooms were very good throughout the trip! She also caused an issue in Hoi An when, having been for 3 fittings for some clothes she had ordered and demanding various changes she then rejected a skirt. The shop was angry, and it put Brett, and possible future groups at a disadvantage. As it is we paid no deposit and nothing extra for using a credit card and whilst we cannot be forced to buy the clothes we are under some obligation not to mess the shop around. Anyway, no one else had a complaint!
Anyway, she ducked out of the meal, failed to hand in her survey card and, I assume, did not pay her portion of the tip to Brett. Cheapskate!
So we set off for bed and a very early start the next day - 4.30 am as we had a very long day in the air. Saigon to Bangkok, about 2 hours and then, after nearly 3 hours waiting, a 12 hour flight to London. Oh joy but we do get home in one dash!
- comments