Spike got older and I hugged a Python (and we also did some other things)

Floating market

HUGE budda at a temple we visited.

From Saigon we headed off on a three day Mekong Delta trip. Day one also being Spikes 26^th birthday (along with the best day of the trip!).Three hours out the city we took a boat to Tortoise Island for lunch, had another view at rice noodle making (though this time on a much larger scale with machinery)and visited a coconut candy factory (and of course ate candy)... where we were presented with a python. When word goes out to do something that makes people a bit nervous it always takes one eager beaver to get the ball rolling. That person was me. As soon as he said “who wants to hold it” I was in. I was 100% excited and not the slightest be scared (which even surprised me!). That is the first time I have held a snake and it was awesome. Heavy though.  It made for a pretty sweet day. The day was topped off with Spike enjoying his birthday dinner of BBQ crocodile on the river front in beautiful Can Tho.

Spike and his BBQ Croc

The next day was Can Tho (very nice riverside city) to Chao Douc. These days included fresh honey from a bee hive (hand in amongst bees – I was much more nervous about this compared to the snake!), the early morning floating market (where we brought pineapple and coffee), monkey bridges, a fish farm, and a local village all before heading back on the final for 5 hours on the road to Saigon. Ewww. Slight mistake made on our part by doing the three day tour. Although we did see the Cambodian border from a Pagoda on a small hill which was pretty cool

So that’s the boring fly by of what we have been up too.

Some interesting facts we got along the way:

• There are 3.6 million motos for over 8 million people in Saigon
• They are building a metro rail system set to open in 2013
• The Saigon river is getting an upgrade, people already got kicked out of their homes when they built the new highway recently and more will have to go when they ‘beautify’ the city.
• They pump sand from the bottom of the Mekong Delta Rivers and ship it up to Saigon. The rivers are evidently getting deeper and the islands are disappearing.
• Dogs can ride motos by sitting behind a person and putting their front legs on the owners shoulders (yes, we really saw this).
• Babies can ride motos by sitting in a basket on the front.

 

Say no more..

Mosque

There are many mosques in Southern Vietnam. Religion is the cause of a divide between the Cham people of the central highlands and the south. And they are not the only people divided. It still plays an important part in many people’s lives.

I love the helmets the females wear here. They have a part at the back for their pony tail. Awesome. Not only that, but often they were wide brimmed loose hats underneath then (you know, they type that Alf on Home and Away wears fishing) to protect from the sun. The hat with the PJ’s combo, not bad sun protection. We could probably learn something from the SEA people that’s for sure.

The coolest statue outside the Pagoda near the Cambodian border

Sorry, I have gotten a little behind in the writing, will try catch up over the next day or so :)

I guess I had best include a snake shot...

Love it