From Tra Vinh City to Cau Ke

Today was all about rice!  Much of this area of the Mekong Delta is populated by Khmer people and the regional architecture and temples reflects this.

First stop was Ba Om Pond.  A big pond with water lilies growing in it....and next door was a large local Buddhist Temple. All that gilt paint is a sharp contrast to the palm thatched dwellings.

The monks were busy with their daily chores.

More gilt and opulent painted carvings were inside the Temple.

and of course the dominant colour was orange.

What this photograph doesn't show too well is the Budda light up and flashing like a Christmas tree!

But the decorations in the temple were beautiful 

Once again there was lots of gilt.

Why are my shoes so filthy and Tân's so clean?.

Many hands make light work.

Even monks have to do the laundry!

Sweeping done, wonder what's next on their agenda?

At the YSP this propped spade would have become an art installation!

Every year about 1,000,000 kg  of rice are lost in the harvesting. Not wishing to loose so much the pragmatic Vietnamese put ducks into the paddies.  They eat the fallen grain, get fat and can then be sold . Very clever.

And this lady is collecting the straw to use as cattle food. Nothing is wasted if it can de avoided.

This area can grown up to 3 crops of rice in a year. So it's not unusual to see one flooded, one being harvested and another half way through growing.

The mechanical rice harvester can now do the work of 10 people, everyone else tries to catch the rats instead!

Cycling is this area is easy but the pathways required more concentration. I will have to admit to nearly falling off my bike as I misjudged the steepness of a bridge.

We take our water breaks just under the shade of the trees.

There is more rural poverty so the houses are often bambo structures clad with palm leaves.

cycling across the paddies is stunning  to look at, but also tricky riding.  There are holes of every size and shape and so many humped backed bridges that you really needed your wits to be sure you didn't fall.

Cows are not kept for milk, but to eat .

Look at the size of that water container?

What goes around, comes around. This pile of grasses will be fed to the cows and in turn the manure is collected and dried to use as cooking fuel or put straight onto the soil.

Any one know what these are? Put your answers in an email to win a sample...

Tân buy in our daily fruit allowance.  

Every roadside coffee shop has hammocks strung up, this place uses frames.  I've yet to see a woman lounging  in one,  they work way too hard for that luxury.

Once the grain has been harvested the stalks are left to dry.

Local lady- what more can be said?

Happy to pose for me!

What does this remind you of? 

These geese are on a one way ticket...

As you cycle through the paddies you can smell the ripening rice as its scent gently wafts in the air.

These two ladies are playing with fire....hand picking chillies. Buckets of red chillies sat by the road side.

No lounging in a hammock for Vietnamese women, far too hard working.