Our last two days in Ho Chi Minh City were jam packed with things to do. We had booked a trip to the Mekong Delta with the same tour group that took us to the Cu Chi Tunnels. It was an interesting trip but it did feel a bit too commercial. We were expecting to explore the coutryside and get a feel for the river system but it didn't feel as authentic as we had hoped. Our journey started with a two hour bus ride to the Mekong Delta and then a boat trip to an island to watch how they made coconut candies. Of couse, I was the only passenger to get splashed with dirty Mekong Delta water. And I was wearing a white T-shirt so when the water dried I was left with a lovely brown tinge to my shirt. After the candy making we were taken to a Bee Farm and served a honey drink and some fruit.
(honey drink)
On our walk to the Bee Farm we were passed by a few donkeys and carts and we got to see some of the local houses in the area. Once we were finished our honey drinks we got onto the traditional boats and were rowed down the river by a woman and her son.
And then it was lunch time. We were boated to a different island (there were four main islands namely Unicorn, Phoenix, Dragon and Turtle island) and we were served and interesting lunch of springrolls and a fried fish and rice. The fried fish was dropped into the oil with scales and all. Once you'd scraped the scales off, it was good. We wrapped the fish and some vegetables in rice paper and it was very tasty.
(poor fish)
We sat at a table with a British man who was travelling around Asia on his own and a Canadian/Vietnamese woman who was visiting her relatives in Vietnam for the first time. She said she was having a hard time adjusting to the lifestyle of her relatives because they were poor and didn't have a bathroom and all the facilities she was used to living with. Her cousin was a motorbike taxi driver (taxis people around on the back of his bike) and was hoping to upgrade to a car to make more money. After our lunch we were taken to another island for some tea and fruit and we were able to watch some 'traditional' singing and dancing, or so we were told but the 'traditional' song was to the same tune as 'If you're happy and you know it' except with Vietnamese words.
(the white fruit with black spots and pink/purple skin is dragon fruit)
( the pink and green spiky fruit is what dragon fruit looks like whole)
Next morning was our last morning in Vietnam and we had to hit the markets.
(Market)
Our flights (we were on two seperate flights) were at 00:05 and 01:20 so we had a long day ahead. We had a successful day shopping but we have decided if we ever go back to Vietnam, we will take only the clothes on our back and a large empty suitcase each. I could have shopped for longer but Brad started getting bored after a while so we went for lunch and then went to laze by the hotel pool to kill some time.
We had a relaxing evening, we had some beers on the pavement at a bar and we had some dinner. And then it was time to say 'goodbye' to Vietnam.
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