Monday, October 21, 2013

Mekong Delta - Vietnam

Day 2!
Good morning!!!! 0740(VN) 0840(SIN)
Actually, I wasn't planning to go for the Mekong Tour but I have already paid for the ticket. The receptionist booked for me the night before, she was really considerate. I was touched...
Asian way of thinking I believe: She booked the earlier return time for me as she worried I would be back late to the hotel. So kind and pure, saying I was lovely...
It was too tiring after the night before... Plenty of reasons as well; I wasn't use to going to a group tour, I hardly speak to people, I like to be alone, I wanted to go to the zoo and see animals etc.
Thong proposed to go with group tour, if I were to go alone, which was pretty far, it will take hours and the taxi was one of the main reasons as well haha.
So the receptionist called me and told me the guide was downstairs waiting for. Took the shuttle bus and we headed off to pick up some others and off we went!  
The first Stop: Mekong Rest Stop; or the happy house. Trying to replenish yourself with plenty of fruits, fruit juices, ice creams and buns. I didn't even eat, just had a Quail Bun. The place was not very attractive, just more towards a souvenir shop. 

Souvenirs! 
After that, we headed off to the boat terminal. The guide was telling us where he would bring us to. 
Voila! Here we went and took the boat! We were heading to the Ben Tre Province.

joanna lai



honey lime drink
We were taught to make Honey lime drink. 
joanna lai holding honey bees
Me taking photo with the honey bees!!! They wouldn't hurt you and Nguyen put one of the bees onto my nose! Lol. 
joanna lai carrying a python
After that, I took photo with the python! It doesn't bite or eat you up, but it's saliva had been dripping! :) It was very heavy! I was happy! Because I got to see animals! I also missed Juvi!!!

joanna lai on the boat

joanna lai wearing vietnamese hat

Taking the boat! People have been friendly and greeted us friendly with an irony :)
"Hello, give me 5USD!"
5USD must have been very big to them...  


mini handmade quilt carpet
Handmade quilts! One for 5USD! 
Listening to the music sang by the villagers' girls.
People also tipped them for their songs. 

The Making of Coconut Candy
Then we headed to the Coconut Candy Workshop station.
vietnam snake wine
Snakes in the bottles :( known as snake wine... 
Dragon fruit tree, jackfruit tree 
horse, animal in slavery
Animal slavery.. I shouldn't have seat onto the carrier... Five to six persons sitting in the carrier... There were obese people as well... And the little horse had to "drive" us quickly to our next destination... They wore an eye bag as so they could only look straight and nowhere else...  
Yes that was what the horse riders do for a living. Without these animals, what could they do?
domestic cat, roosters, ducks
We went to the local restaurant which was other last stop for lunch. There were plenty of animals there as well; cat, roosters, ducks, fishes and turtles. Unfortunately, some were used for food...  
deep fried fish
A few of the people from the tour group ordered this deep fried fish. It didn't look attractive to me and I didn't share with them nor eat, the food served was beyond average as well...  
soft shell turtle
Can you spot a Soft shell turtle there? In fact, there were six of them I believed. I really hoped they are still alive...
mekong river
Bye bye Mekong!! 

I reached the hotel about 17h30 and met Thong again at 1900. I didn't really eat that whole day because I wanted to save some money for the next day and so I was pretty hungry and went down for some street food before he came.

We went to Wrap & Roll, they have a few outlets in Singapore as well! We ordered a lot of food also! Lol. The bill was around 20ish USD.
Steamed Shrimp & Pork Dumplings from wrap & roll
Steamed Shrimp & Pork Dumplings
Bánh bột lọc 
grilled chicken rice from wrap & roll
Grilled Chicken Rice, "Cupcake" version of the shrimp pancakes! Lol. 

escargots from wrap & roll
Escargots!

Then we went to the Binh Tay Market to walk around. Actually I wanted to buy some stuff but ah well, he sent me back to the hotel. I wanted to get up and go down again but my legs were to tired after one whole day. So I rested and slept peacefully that I dreamt of Fayssal.

He was back, didn't go to Dubai. I held his forearm, he put my hand towards his hand and we smiled. I waited for him in the mosque but he didn't came out but another person claiming he was Fayssal. I said he was not Fayssal and he showed me his text message where Fayssal passed him to me... He left me again... Fayssal, do you know how much I miss you and I just wanted to know what happens with you and whether your safe or not... I just want you to be safe...
Suddenly, I thought of Heinz's last message to me, asking me to be safe and healthy... Heinz, when could we ever get back? 

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