Hoa Phuong Can Tho

... br style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><br style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Day 2 : Can Tho - Long Xuyen - Chau Doc (B/L/ -)<br style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial">After breakfast. Visitors first take the boat trip to explore the picturesque tributaries of the Lower Mekong river (the Bassac river) . The boat trip later takes you to the Cai Rang and Phong Dien floating markets, which are the most original ones and bustling places of the region. Visitors will have the most probably ...

... about what we love about Vietnam &#8211; there's been a lot.<br><br>#1:<br> We love how life is lived outside in Vietnam. It reminds me a bit<br>of spending time at my grandmother's in the summer when everyone is<br>outside catching up with friends because it's actually cooler outside<br>than in. That Vietnamese climate is DC summer all year round &#8211; and<br>most people don't have A/C. In fact, most people don't have standard<br>doors just flaps of fabric &#8211; and ...

... drove 3hrs north to a town called Chau Doc on the Cambodian border stopping at a crocodile farm and a buddist temple on the way. At the farm there were hundreds of crocs sunning themsleves in the concrete enclosures most with their huge mouths open (which they do to regulate their temperature). The temple at Sam mountain sounded like a bit of a trek but turned out not to be too bad. The climb was pretty easy up to the temple and we were rewarded with panoramic views across the ...

... were friendly &amp; calling out to us We saw a rice mill and the canals and rivers and how everything is transferred from the farms to the cities. <br> <br><br>We saw big rice barges down to small row boats where the woman row them standing up with big, long oars. After lunch we went to a hammock cafe &amp; we ...

We catch the ferry from Phu Quoc to Rach Gia in the afternoon, having a lie-in and a lazy morning in Phu Quoc. We roll into Rach Gia at 4 o'clock and get off the ferry looking around for a tourist office, in order to book an early bus to get us to Can Tho in the morning. Having come off the ferry we're hassled by some moto drivers (per usual) and they're insistent we go check out the bus tickets from this station. We actually go see the price of tickets ...

... we could say anything, the lady poured it over ice. We felt obligated to buy it even though once we saw the ice, we both got nervous. We just were not sure how the ice was made or where it came from. Then, this afternoon, we found out...<br><br>We found a huge street market that sold every animal, every part, every fish and every part of it too. I saw heads, with the eyeballs still in it staring into my camera as I took its picture, snake, eel, squid, tongue, heart ...

Very early start today, my pick up is at 5:30. I hopped into a boat to cruise around the Mekong. The aim was to see two floating markets. The first market was Cai Rang but as we made our way there we ran into our guide's mother, so we stopped for coffee. Then on to the market ...

... we were back on the bus to ride to the hotel 80 Km further into the Delta. First, we had to stop and rearrange passengers as some were going back to Saigon and others were getting picked up from other tours. In the end we haddropped to 27 passengers and didn't need the big bus, they say. Ibstead we got a bus that held 26 and half of their luggage. The bus wasmore of what Iwas used to , very creaky andlimited airconditioningand ...

... people in 2004, the 13th most populous in the world. 65% of the population are under 30 and the country now has a 2-child policy in urban areas! Some locals mentioned this policy only applies to government employees who will lose some salary if they break this limit! This time we stayed in the Hong Hoa, unfortunately Hotel 127 was fully booked. We reserved tickets for the open bus tour for the next day. $31US for the 1,100km trip with an open on off policy at about 5 ...

... and a meal was in order. Vietnam is building up to "Tet" their new year on the 6/7th Feb and there is a real buzz in the air. the markets are manic, full of colour, flowers, bunting and people rushing everywhere. From our restaurant balcony we watched the world go by it was a real sensory experience. <br><br> By next morning I was a new man ...