Sa Dec & Cai Be

We started off our last day on the Mekong with a visit to the market in the town of Sa Dec.  Both sides of the street were lined with locals selling all of their food products.  Every type of fruit and vegetable were on display beside pans of live seafood,noodles and bags of spices. Some were cutting meat for sale after slaughtering the animal earlier that morning.  Apparently when they run out a family member will kill another so the meat is fresh. The vendors were eating their breakfast of pho as they conducted their business many sitting on mats on the pavement.

We visited the home of Marguerite Duras' lover which was the true life affair that led her to write the book The Lover.

A drive through the countryside took us to a Viet Cong camp at Xeon Quyt.  A really interesting walk through the dense jungle where we viewed the small bunkers where the soldiers hid waiting for their enemy made it quite evident that the Americans did not stand a chance against these people who knew the rivers and jungles so well.  An area where the US landed its helicopters is still riddled with land mines today. A very educational view of recent history.  On our drive we encountered numerous hammock coffee shops.  These outdoor shops have numerous hammocks set up and after a cup of coffee the patrons take a short nap.  Maybe Starbucks is missing an opportunity.

In the afternoon we went by boat through the floating market of Cai Be which was pretty well finished for the day and then we went on a walking tour visiting one of the few Catholic Churches in this mostly Buddhist country.  We then had an informative visit to a rice paper mill and coconut candy making shop.  The samples were delicious.  They also make snake wine here and gave out samples.  Whole snakes are actually soaked in the wine as it ferments and the locals believe it to be their own source of Viagra.  We did not think Canada Customs would appreciate us bringing some of this home.

After an entertaining musical show by the locals we set sail for Saigon.

Life on the river

Taking her wares to the market

Stalls big and small

The produce looked fresh though knowing it was washed in the river is a bit alarming

Wonderful smells

Eating while waiting for customers

Hard workers

Bunker in the jungle

Dense growth provided lots of hiding places

Would not want to cross this at night

Beautiful huge lily pads in the river

Candy makers at work

A cell phone break while making rice paper

Snake wine

Could not resist this face