It was an early start this morning as we were off to see the largest floating market in the Mekong Delta.
And so were many others, and as always were people are queuing outside places then opportunistic retail opportunities present themselves.
I love people watching, very rarely do I mind having to queue. I see that pause in time as an opportunity to watch the world as it goes by. Being on holiday alone presents many such occasions, there's probably nothing so unthreatening as a middle aged woman standing alone, invisible but comfortable with it.
And if you are a Vietnamese woman you can play with colour and pattern too!
Many Vietnamese from Saigon come to see the floating market and according to Tân they are like herding cats. Never going one by one, but altogether and in different directions as well. Fortunately ours was a very select boat; just the 3 of us.
The floating market is a wholesale market, where smaller stall holders come to buy their wares. Also floating around are grocery shops, because the floating wholesalers come for a week at a time and are often too busy to go ashore.
Huge, glossy water melons were in plentiful supply today, it's a wonder the smaller boats don't sink when they are laddened up.
Many of the larger boats have eyes painted on them to ward of the dangerous sea monsters, but not the fishin boats though as they drifted the fish away.
Can you tell what these boats are selling? All the available produce has a sample tied to a mast.
When several boas are lashed together it because they're from the same family.
I spy someone having a sneaky lie down!
Even the baker takes to the waves. Can you see the pineapple tied to the mast of the boat behind?
Here's a closer look and to make sure you know it's a pineapple boat they even had them on the roof as well. I love fresh pineapple, so climbed aboard and had a sample. Dipped in salt and chilli it made my lips sing ;-)
The families live on the boats, so daily life continues whilst they are in the market and that includes doing the laundry.
Back on dry land we walk through a covered market to reach the van with our bikes onboard. These unusual objects are banana flowers, which are shredded and stir fried.
And here are the sweetest bananas - in size and taste.
Mouth watering fresh chillies
Dried fish in all shapes and sizes.
The market was very lively with families buying their groceries this Saturday morning. But we left them behind for one last cycle along side the Mighty Mekong. We peddled our way along the concrete paved byways that connect the villages. Many are in questionable states of repair, hence the need for a mountain bike, the front suspension was helpful too.
We came upon a family, all hands to the deck, harvesting milk apples. So Tân as if we could buy some, and off we hoped to sample several different varieties. One of the strangest fruits I've ever had,
But tastey too. And just look at the amazing colour of the flesh.
The fruits are harvested using a long pole and net, either that or you send Dad up the tree!
Theses chaps are busy making a processional wedding arch out of banana trunks and leaves.
Before too long we reached the van and that's were my bike was stripped down and loaded on board. It's been great fun cycling the byways of this great river, exploring the real life of the people who live in the Mekong Delta. I've met some wonderful people, been over more bridges than I can count and answered ' heeeellloooo' so many times in a day I repeat it in my sleep.
A long road trip back to Saigon and the hotel where the adventure began. It's the one with a glass window between the bath and bed!
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