Happy Valentines Day! Linh and a new driver pick us up for our trip to the Mekong Delta. The Delta produces the bulk of Vietnam’s rice and other vegetables. Along the way Linh tells us that her family is from a village in the Mekong and that she lived there for several years. She also tells us that her father was a supporter of South Vietnam and that he did not go to the US at the end of the war because her mother was pregnant with her. Interesting!
Our first stop is Vinh Trag Pagoda, a Bhuddist temple. The pagoda was first complete in 1850, but has been rebuilt and restored multiple times. When we arrive we are greeted by three giant Bhudda statues and lovely gardens. We walk around, admiring the statues and garden for a while then enter one of the buildings. There is chanting and ringing of a gong, which I assume is recorded. I’m surprised and delighted when I round a corner to find a monk going about his prayers doing the chants and using his gong. Also in the building is a large bell that was cast in the late 1850’s.
We walk into the main building to find multiple alters with statues of Buddha and beautifully carved wood panels. The grounds also contains a small graveyard for the monks who maintain the temple.
Then we are on to explore the river. We take a boat to an island which specializes in honey. From there we go to the small village of An Khanh on another island for a look at coconut candy production, a walk, and a ride in horse-drawn carriages. There’s a clear diversity in the quality of the housing that we pass and Linh explains that some of the people have relatives who have immigrated to other countries and send them money.
Back to the boat for our next stop. The path we follow at the end of the ride takes us to a pavilion where we’re served fruit and listen to traditional Vietnamese songs. Refreshed, we’re off to small boats which are paddled through a stream giving us a chance to put on traditional Vietnamese hats for a photo op and to feel a cool breeze under the shade of the trees. After the ride the path we follow takes us back to the river and a rickety gangplank to our first larger boat for a ride to lunch.
The family-run lunch spot is a favorite for small and large groups. There are pavilions of various sizes. Our set-menu includes a whole elephant head fish which the server uses to make spring rolls. Fun!
After lunch we have a nice 20 minute boat ride on the very wide Mekong River to our waiting driver and air conditioned van. The drive back to Ho Chi Minh City takes about two hours. We stop for a few minutes at the Opera House to buy tickets for tomorrow, then to the hotel we go for rest and relaxation.
After lunch we have a nice 20 minute boat ride on the very wide Mekong River to our waiting driver and air conditioned van. The drive back to Ho Chi Minh City takes about two hours. We stop for a few minutes at the Opera House to buy tickets for tomorrow, then to the hotel we go for rest and relaxation.
In the evening we go to the mall to find a restaurant for dinner. It’s hard to figure out where to go, but we choose a Japanese restaurant where we cook the food ourselves at the table. It’s a little crazy to see a server walking around with super-hot coals that slip into the grill at each table. Jim and Dan expertly tend the food on the grill. It’s an experience!
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