Mekong Delta

We headed on the coach to the Mekong Delta (or the 9 Dragons River) and Chi Be.  Here we all got onto a boat with another guide who took us out into the main river area where we cruised around heading towards our next stop close to a fruit farm.  The land is so fertile here they have found it more productive producing fruit than rice.  We visited a shop where a lady was making items out of the water hyacinth plant that grows on the water of the river.  She had made baskets, ornaments, mats,  bracelets and plates.  The plant grows excessively in the river water and can be a pest when it prevents boats from moving around.  We next transferred into smaller boats that were rowed along narrower channels.  This was very relaxing as it was fairly quiet just the noise of the oars, except when boats came through in the other direction driven by a local person and usually with a motor.

After lunch we visited a sweet production place where we watched rice paper being made, see extra and various other rice products including popped rice.  I didn't try the snake wine but the large jar containing snake bodies was enough to put me off.  Apparently it was pretty rough.  Then we headed onto our Homestay an attractive wooden building with a pretty front garden and small rooms with shared bathroom facilities.  There was a chicken and her young, some noisy frogs and bats that flew around through the building.  It was a great place to stay and we all participated by making our own pancakes as starters followed by a good evening meal.