JC3C+88J, Đường Cao Tốc TPHCM – Trung Lương, Nhị Thành, Huyện Thủ Thừa
Long An, Vietnam
… more pix and vid on Google Maps
A quick bus stop here at Bao Minh Coffee, off HCM Trung Luony, about an hour away from Saigon.
Very pleasant. Great coffee. Very good and quick service. Clean bathroom.
Not sure if they would turn on air conditioning on a balmy day. Today it’s not necessary.
Lap Vo – Dinh An, Vietnam
I like it a lot but don’t know how it’s made.
It also called 豆腐皮 tofu skin.
After the floating market in the morning, we visit the small factory or home that made sleeping mat and tofu skin.
Long Xuyen, Vietnam
Will return.
… more pix & videos on Google Maps & TA
One of my favorite outings of the tour.
This floating market 水上市场/漂市, or more like village, spreads out along the eastern bank of Mekong River in Long Xuyen.
#floatingmarket #vietnam #longxuyen
Long Xuyen (龙川; formally called Thủ Đông Xuyên) is the capital of An Giang province 安江省, in the Mekong Delta region of south-western Vietnam. The backdrop is newly built or in the process of building, low rise apartment buildings.
Ships need eyes -:)
Many boats look a like, which were built with the durable mahogany woods that they paint it with tar at the end of each year. Many of them live on their boat year around. Their children go to school on land, ferry to shore by small boat. People are very friendly.
The guide lives 40 miles (65 km) from here, who showed us some boats where he purchased, we also get to visit one of the boathome.
We also visited a boat, the owner has a 12 years old daughter who’s at school. The owner treated us to juicy watermelon. Our only question is, what do we do with the seeds and rind.
“It’s organic, throw into the water.” Buffalo said.
The guide served us coconuts and pineapple on the boat. He cut off a small piece to use as spoon, to scrape off the white flesh, which is very yummy.
Phu Tho, Vietnam
Day 6: We sailed 37 miles (60km) from Tan Chau to Phu Tan-Long Xuyen.
After breakfast, we visit Phu Tho village, where many residents produce terra cotta / claypots.
Per wiki: Phú Thọ is a province in northern Vietnam. Its capital is Việt Trì, which is 80 km (50 mi) from Hanoi and 50 kilometres (31 mi) from Nội Bài International Airport. The province covers an area of 3,534.56 km2(1,364.70 sq mi) and, as of 2023, it had a population of 1,530,800.
Mekong delta has 20 million people, per guide. Wiki has it at 17,432,120 [2022] @ 15,800 mile², $36.1 billion in 2021. China’s Pearl River Delta 珠江三角洲 has 86 million people [2020] @ 21,500 mile², $1.9 trillion).
As we walk around the narrow paths, all the people are warm and friendly, willing to be photographed, even they don’t know where US and or Canada is, per the guide.
A women with a basket, walks pass our, heating to the water, to wash
It’s common that people start drinking at 9am. An elder man in blue shirt, freshly drunk, grabs Buffalo as they’re dear friends and haven’t seen each other for a while. He insists that our tour manager take a cigarette from him. When that failed, he then forces on to the local guide. He tells his story, that his wife has left him.
“Just now?” I asked.
“No, long time ago.” Buffalo replied.
The claypots, some call them terra cotta, are made with 80% soil (high in PH) and 20% sand.
They use rice husk to burn 700 pcs at a time in brick kiln, to red color
Rice straw makes fire stronger.
Middle men’s boats can take up to 500 to 600 final products.
… the outing
At sunset, we enjoyed lion dance on the top deck, while anchored at Tan Chau, Vietnam.
The boys are good. One younger one is only 7. For some reason, this is the first lion dance that I watched from beginning to end. I know what lion dance is and watched fragment of it from time to time. Here, I’m the captive audience.
… me dance the lion
… and here is more
On the Mekong river @ Tan Chau, Vietnam
… more pix n video here
Tour said sampan but it’s one big boat for our entire group, and life jacket is required.
We’re between the banks of Hong Ngu to the north and Tan Chao to the south.
The locals call Mekong river Sông Cửu Long, which translates to “Nine Dragons River”. It’s muddy, with silt / mud. The local tour guide jokes, “you pay to have a mud bath elsewhere but here it’s free.” His English is pretty good but did apology to his English… I don’t know if he’s faking it, or just Asian modesty.
Many boats have eyes … just like the Chinese would…
The route is pretty busy. Some boats carry river sand – Vietnam has stopped letting Singapore to take it; keeping it for themselves to use. To expand their land. Some carry fish, supplies, etc.
They produce basa, snapper, red tilapia and anchovy. “5 tiger prawns is a kilo,” the tour guide said.
The fishermen have their homes on the land behind.
Day 5, sailing 75 miles (120km) from Phnom Penh to Tan Chau in Vietnam.
It’s Vietnamese way to make dumplings: a great way to gather together, to make a meal. The crew member said, his mother has him grating the coconuts from 4am to 12 noon.
“Mom, can I take them to the market?” So the machine can do it …
“No,” his mom says. She wants him to do it, by hand.
So, here goes the process:
voila …
… then we went to watch IndoChine, the 1992 movie with Catherine Deneuve (1943-).
Lotus flowers are very popular in Southeast Asia. They’re very beautiful, full, bold with loviest colors.
Reportedly, they are considered a sacred symbol of purity and enlightenment (in many cultures), particularly Buddhism, due to their ability to bloom beautifully despite growing from mud, representing the potential to rise above adversity and achieve spiritual growth. Chinese has a saying that goes, 出污泥而不染 (out of the mud without stain). I see this flowers everywhere in SE Asia, from flower streets, to restaurants, to vendors by the temples. It’s deeply ingrained in that region’s art, cuisine, and religious practices.
