Second day here. A very hot one, 92 degrees.
LAST EVENING
We owned the bar. People were late do to the very long tours.
My favorite Merlot
Vegetable spring rolls.
Beef bourguignon with a pasta and mushrooms.
Chocolate Profiteroles with chocolate ice cream.
Photos of the Grand Deck Barbeque
TODAY
Alarm went of at 6:15 this morning as I had a tour to depart at 7:15. I had part of a room service omelet as was too early to eat.
This was my tour and bus number.
Our guide, Luc. Loved him as I sat on the front row across from him during the tour. During his talk he mentioned the Ho Chi Ming Trail used during the Vietnam War to bring Viet Cong and supplies from the north down to the Siagon area. I told him the I had bombed the trail in 1972. Then he asked me if I had bombed Hanoi during the 12 days of bombing in December 1972. I told him I had. He wanted to know more from me about my bombing missions. He was totally impressed and asked my name. He called me Rick the rest of the day. He was highly intelligent and a university graduate. When not doing his guide speaking, he would talk to me. He is 43. He told me I looked very young. Ok, that increased his tip!!!
Our driver was amazing. I have no idea how they do not kill hundreds every day on the roads. Motor bikes, trucks, cars, and other things zipping back and forth across what was supposed to be lanes. When they want to turn they just play chicken with the on coming traffic and turn.
I was the first one on the bus so went to the back row where I usually like to be. But just before the bus departed no one was on the front right seat so I moved up there. Really glad I did.
Better view. Lots of motor bikes front left merging in our lane.
It was morning rush hour
After a 1 1/2 hour drive we arrived at our first stop at the boat pier for our half hour cruise on the Mekong River.
Luc took this photo. I wrote the life vest but it was too hot for it. Right behind me was the speaker sitting on the floor and it was soooo loud it was hurting my head. I moved for the trip back across the river.
These fishing boats would go out to South China Sea for 2 or 3 weeks at a time. Luc said the Vietnamese do not call it the South China Sea but call it the Pacific Ocean. Why? Because he said the Chinese think it is THEIR waters.
We crossed the river to an island (there are 4 of them). We first got a taste of coconut candy and saw how they made it. Here the fire is heating and blending it.
These ladies are packaging it. I did not buy any.
Then we walked down to board these sanpan boats. Four people per boat with a man and woman paddling. It was very tricky boarding as you had to step in the middle and sit in the middle or the boat would tip.
As you see the water was a chocolate color and just a few feet deep as it was low tide. High tide the canals would be 4 feet higher.
It was 93 degrees and humid. No breeze in the canal so was sweating just sitting there. No a fun part of the tour. I guess the ride was 25 minutes long.
At the end of it we were served some fruits and tea. I had a piece of very sweet pineapple and a piece of delicious watermelon.
There was also a folk group performing a Vietnamese song. Better keep their day jobs as they were not in tune.
Not sure what this bird was. It chased a dove away.
Then we walked to a honey tea place. They have bees here making a special honey.
I sat with Millie (on close right) and Karl (back to me). The hot tea and honey were on the table so I put some honey in a glass and filled it with tea. Then the guide came over and took it. Said she had to do it. Well, she did it and gave me the glass the old guy at the table had drank from. Obviously, I left. No tea for me!!
This was our guide for the boat trip and island visit. She was very good.
We boarded the boat for our trip back across the river to board the bus and headed to this stop to visit Vinh Trang ancient Buddhist pagoda from the 1800's.
Interesting tree root system.
Lying Buddha
Laughing Buddha
Next stop was here for lunch. Very nice restaurant but the open rooms were not air conditioned. Not too bad comfort wise however.
This is an elephant ear fish. Luc said the fish is shaped like an elephant's ear.
I told the lady next to me she could have the eye balls.
The waitress made spring rolls with lettuce and the fish rolled up in rice paper. There was a very good spicy dip also.
She is rolling one
Also some chicken. There were no serving utensils and I was sitting with 4 others. They were using their forks to cut off pieces of chicken and dipping into a noodle and beef dish (not pictured). I ate the spring roll and that was it. There is a bug going around the ship and I take no chances.
Some vegetables in a water like. I did not eat it.
We drove by many of these places along the road on our 3 hours driving today. Luc said there were for the motor bikers to stop and have a rest. All they had to do was buy a tea, coke, or beer.
Rice field that had just been harvested. They get 3 crops per year.
I thought she was selling these styro foam containers but Luc said she was asking for food.
Luc asked if we had seen an beggars in Vietnam. Come to think of it we haven't. He said the government picks them up and takes them to a "social house". They are put to work making handicrafts and given a bed in a big room with many others.
I was back to the ship at 3pm. I had uploaded most of my photos at two stops on the tour that had high speed internet. So I went right to work putting the photos on this blog post and adding captions. It is 5:15 now and I am finishing up.
We will be heading down for cocktail hour in Mariner Lounge shortly followed by dinner in Compass Rose. Menu above. There is a pre-dinner production show at 6pm, "Tuxedo". We have seen it many times so not going. The show at 9:30 is featuring a violinist so you know we aren't going.
We sailed a little late (4:30) as was waiting for the river pilot to show up. It will be another 3 hour sail this evening back down the Saigon River into the "Pacific Ocean", as the Vietnamese call it. Tomorrow is a day at sea enroute to our next port for Bangkok, Thailand.
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