Category: Vietnam

We arrived at Ho Chi Min City in the evening but did not disembark until the next morning. A few days earlier, I discovered that I had booked the hotel for the day after we were to disembark. An out by one error when working with calendars. I find it quite easy to make this sort of mistake and have done much worse. Once booked a train trip for the wrong month. Very embarrassing at the station. This one, fortunately, was spotted in time and quite easy to fix. Hotel sorted, we still had the problem of what to do for the day until we could check in. The solution to this was a guided tour of Ho Chi Min City. Logistically this worked well. We could load our luggage into the car and get dropped off at our hotel when the tour was finished.

First stop was a market. A massive covered market selling everything from clothing and jewellery to food. It was slightly interesting. It was also hot and crowded. The sheer volume of goods was quite remarkable. We passed through a section that sold hats. Every type of hat imaginable. Thousands of hats. I have never seen so many hats in one place. Then there was a section for kitchenware, then souvenirs, then t-shirts. And so, it went on. Mixed up in all of this were little stalls selling hot food. Usually, some sort of noodles along with tea and coffee.

I imagined there might be people, probably pale and a bit shifty, that came into the market first thing and never emerged until well after nightfall. Maybe they just lived in the market all the time. I am sure there are many secret and hidden places deep inside the labyrinth.

Fortunately, we emerged, blinking, into the sunlight after less than an hour. Next up was the Independence Palace. In 1962, the palace was bombed by two dissident Republic of Vietnam Air Force pilots. They were attempting to assassinate the President Diệm and trigger a general uprising. The revolution failed but the palace was razed. The Independence Palace, officially the Reunification Hall, was built in 1966 as the presidential palace, home and workplace of the president of the Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam). Famously, it was also the site of the Fall of Saigon in April 1975 when a Liberation Army of South Vietnam tank crashed through its gates ending the Vietnam War. The palace is now preserved as a public museum and a convention centre for state events.

We wandered around some of the publicly accessible rooms. They were all grand, a little bare and very 1960s. In the room used by the president to receive guests, the presidential chair was raised, regally, a little above those of his visitors. On the roof of the palace a Bell UH-1 Iroquois – “Huey” still sits – all ready to evacuate the president and his family. We also went down to the basement which has two levels of bomb shelter. The rooms here also acted a command centre.

On the way out, we stopped to take a photograph of the famous tank. First, I needed to wait until some people had done with posing in front it. Now, I don’ t mind waiting my turn but I have included a picture of what I was waiting for. Why do people do this? I am referring to the strange poses where they are sort of pointing at each other. See this a lot and do not understand it.

Next stop was the carpet shop. There is always a carpet shop. You know that now. This one was making lacquered pictures. The pictures are on sheets of wood for mounting on the wall, or on little boxes, bowls, plates, cups and even chop sticks. They are genuinely nice but overpriced and we have no way to carry any of this stuff home.

We got served some interesting coffee. Usually, if you get coffee made from beans it will be some type of Arabica coffee. Instant coffee is more often made from Robusta coffee. Robusta is easier to grow and much cheaper but has a bitter taste. This can be removed chemically during the instant coffee process. Here they were serving Robusta egg coffee. The egg yolks are whipped with condensed milk and sugar and then gently heated using a water bath. Direct boiling would cause the eggs to curdle. The lipids in the yolk emulsify with the coffee, neutralizing the bitter tannins of the Robusta bean to form a thick, silky smooth and slightly aromatic foam. End result is really quite delicious.

We discovered that knowing Cambodia requires understanding something of what happened with the Khmer Rouge. It was a massive upheaval, from which shock waves are still reverberating. Similarly, I think understanding Vietnam requires some consideration of the war.

French Indochina is approximately the area covered by Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. Since the 19^th century it was ruled by the French. During the aftermath of WW2, the Indochina wars were waged from 1945 to 1991. Communist forces (mainly ones led by Vietnamese communists) against the Vietnamese nationalists, the French, American, Laotian royalist, Cambodian royalist, and Chinese communist forces. The second Indochina war became known as the Vietnam War – a civil war but also a proxy war for the USA, Russian and China. The third war began in 1975 when the Kampuchean Revolutionary Army invaded a Vietnamese island. It officially ended with the signing of the 1991 Paris Peace Agreements. Things are reasonably peaceful now but the whole area has an enormous legacy of wars. Our next stop was a museum about the Vietnam war. This was the most intense of the Indochina wars.

The US dropped at least 7 million tons of bombs. Over three times as many as were dropped in WW2. In Laos this amounted to approximately one ton of bombs per person. Over 80 million unexploded bombs remain. So far, they have killed nearly 50,000 people and continue to kill 50 innocents a year. Despite the efforts of Amanda (remember Amanda the Hero Rat?) and her friends, the explosives will possibly never be removed completely.

The museum primarily focuses on what the USA did during the war. It is harrowing stuff. There were massacres, rapes, and other war crimes. There was carpet bombing – saturation bombing where bombs are dropped in such a high concentration on a small area that nothing escapes. Chemical defoliants, such as Agent Orange, were used to open up hiding places and prevent food from growing. The massive dose of chemicals continues to change the landscape, cause diseases and birth defects, and poison the food chain. 20% of the jungles of South Vietnam were destroyed along with 20-36% of the mangrove forests. The museum includes many examples of ordinance and weapons. Outside are military vehicles and aircraft.

The last part of our tour took in some city centre sights. The Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica of Saigon is undergoing renovations and covered in sheets. I noticed vines growing up the scaffold poles and wondered about how long this project had been going on. We had a look at the post office – a classic example of French 19^th century architecture – which still functions as a post office. We went to the opera house and finally we were done.

We stayed in Ho Chi Min City for a couple more days. Nothing dreadfully exciting happened. We found a nice Indian Restaurant. I spotted a skyscraper that looks like the Avenger’s Tower. Bought some clothes at the incredibly cheap market dead opposite our hotel. Paid too much for a western style pizza. It was hot. Too hot for simply wandering around except for quite short trips. Suddenly it was time to go. We got some nice views over the whole city as we left.

We all had a late breakfast after visiting the floating market. Meanwhile the Princess pulled up the anchor and set sail for Ben Tre. This was going to take most of the afternoon. We got to kick back and enjoy watching the river slide past. It was thoroughly enjoyable having a lazy afternoon. I indulged with a beer at lunch, caught up with some sleep missed because of the early morning and spent a while sorting photographs out. Later on, the chef appeared to give us a demonstration of his knife skills. I was hoping this might involve some kitchen staff tied to a rotating wheel while the chef, blindfolded hurled enormous carving knifes at them. The reality was a melon carved into a flower and a slightly odd-looking bird made from two tomatoes.

We dropped anchor across the far side of the river from Lien Hoa Pagoda. This is a new temple and features a prominent 33 m tall statue of Avalokiteshvara. Next morning we were all ready to get on with it. An early breakfast and then into the sampan to visit “coconut island”. That is what Nam the man called it. We crossed the river and then turned into a narrow channel lined by bamboo and coconut trees. During the Vietnam war, many people hid out on these almost impenetrable islands. It was easy to see that they would make great hiding places. Further in we stopped at a small jetty. Just a few steps to the water really. This bought us to a footpath which we followed for 15 minutes or so.

We were walking through farmland. It was clearly cultivated although it felt very natural. There were many coconuts and also pomelo. This started me thinking about vodka again although it was a bit early in the morning. How could I smuggle a couple of large pomelos onto the Princess? Suddenly we emerged onto a narrow concrete road and there were two xe lôi (motor carts) waiting for us. This was a genuinely nice surprise. We clambered in and then were driven down the narrow road for another 15 minutes or so. Eventually we arrived at the carpet shop. This was inevitable although it was an interesting one. Here they made coconut candy. We were shown how it was produced and given a sample. It was nice, a little like a soft toffee. The main ingredient was the juice of the coconut flesh which was squeezed out and then reduced over an open fire.

Next to the fire was a still. Here they made firewater into which they put scorpions and snakes. Mostly cobra. Apparently, the alcohol neutralises the poison. I would have been game to try the liquor but not with a drowned snake in it. There was a large display of local goods. Thing made of wood, bowls, scarves and cotton shirts. Once we had bought all that was going to be bought, we were herded down the garden.

Here we got loaded, four at a time, in exceedingly small sampans which were paddled downstream through the bamboo lined channels. This was a twenty-minute trip. It was good, gentle fun.  I hoped to spot a snake in the water but didn’t. We did see a lot of water coconut also known as nipa palm or mangrove palm. Unlike most the nipa palm’s trunk grows beneath the ground. Only the leaves and flower stalk grow upwards above the surface. The leaves extend up to 9 metres (30 feet) in height. The fruit is globular made of many seed segments. Each seed has a fibrous husk that allows it to float.

At the end of the boat ride came another 15-minute walk. Although there were a few houses around, this still felt deep in the jungle. Exotic plants were everywhere with dense, green foliage.

We arrived at a coffee house right on the bank of the river. Perfect. Drinks were served. Small green coconuts with straws in. Our sampan arrived almost like it had been summoned and we all got onboard for the short trip back to the Princess.

That was pretty much the end of trip. The Mekong Princess made her way to Ho Chi Minh City. The route was interesting. The boat was designed to be able to moor up close to the centre of the city unlike many of the river cruise boats which are forced to stop several hours drive away. There was another cooking demonstration but since this involved cutting up fish we chose to skip it. The rest of the day was packing bags, sorting out some photographs and getting ready to disembark in the morning.

We docked at Can Tho City late in the afternoon. This was altogether a much larger and more vibrant settlement than we had become accustomed to. We moored up alongside a park area. Across from this was the main street and then off to the left, a large market area.

Shortly after we arrived, two unicorns turned up. To me, a unicorn is a white horse that poops rainbow coloured ice-cream and has a narwhale tusk on its head. Not here. In Vietnam we have the Tứ linh, the Four Sacred Animals. These are:

• Long (Dragon) Represents power, nobility, and the emperor.
• Lân (Unicorn / Qilin): Represents luck, virtue, and peace.
• Quy (Turtle / Tortoise): Represents longevity, wisdom, and stability.
• Phượng / Phụng (Phoenix): Represents grace, rebirth, and nobility.

These turn up all over the place from small household decorations to major installations in temples. Our two unicorns looked, to me, like saffron yellow dragons or possibly lion-dogs. But they were definitely unicorns. A unicorn has hooves rather than claws, which is how to tell the difference. Our unicorns actually had sneakers just to add to the confusion. Nonetheless, they were here to do the Vietnamese unicorn dance, the múa lân, for us. The dance is a vibrant traditional performance that brings blessings of prosperity, happiness, and luck during major celebrations like Tết (Lunar New Year), the Mid-Autumn Festiva and when the Mekong Princess arrives on your doorstep. Its origins are in China where it is called a Lion Dance. From there, it has now spread all over the world. Since 1984, there is a biannual Lion dance world championship in Malaysia.

Each dragon was manned by two energetic youths. Accompanying them are two actors representing Ông Địa – pot-bellied God of the earth and Thần Tài – God of wealth and prosperity. According to legend, Ông Địa tamed the wild, beastly unicorn to bring peace and good fortune to humans. During the dance, he clears the path, interacts with the crowd, and playfully teases the mythical beasts with a palm-leaf fan. Thần Tài wears regal, imperial robes (usually bright red and gold), a traditional mandarin hat with extended wings, and a long black beard. He often carries a golden ingot (thỏi vàng). He bows politely to business owners and hands out symbolic red envelopes to attract financial success. Together, Ông Địa and Thần Tài represent a complete blessing for a household or business—Ông Địa brings peaceful stability to the land, while Thần Tài brings flowing wealth and fortune

The pace and emotion of the entire dance are controlled by the musicians who perform right alongside the dancers. They are viewed as core characters of the performance rather than just background music.

The whole performance probably only took about 10 minutes. But it was both fascinating and fun to watch. Once everything was over, our guide, Nam from Vietnam, took us off to explore the Zuhang Pagoda and the market. Dusk was falling and lights were coming on. We visited a statue of Ho Chi Minh (Uncle Ho) in the park. Ho Chi Minh sailed the world as cook on a ship. He joined the French Communist Party in Paris in 1920 to advocate for anti-colonial freedom. He formed the Viet Minh independence movement in 1941 and seized power in Hanoi, declaring Vietnam’s independence from the French in 1945. Of course, the French may have been a little distracted on account of WW2. Uncle Ho is revered in Vietnam. There is a strong cult of personality.

The Zuhang Pagoda was built 1890 by Chinese immigrants. It features traditional vibrant colours, glazed tiles, and intricate roof carvings. It was recognised as a national historic and cultural relic in 1993. The temple primarily honours the Chinese deity Guan Yu alongside altars for the Goddess of Mercy (Quan Âm) and the God of Fortune (Thần Tài). We had just been blessed by Thần Tài so it seemed appropriate that we popped in for a visit. Wikipedia mentions “The interior is famous for its large, slowly burning conical incense coils that hang from the ceiling, filling the space with a fragrant, atmospheric haze”. The truth is a thick smog of smoke that will leave you gasping if you spend too much time in there.

Back out in the fresh air, we could inhale the fresh air deeply and smell the durian fruit. Diane and I encountered durian in Thailand. To some people it is the king of fruit. To others, the smell is as if the worst sewer ever had been rotting for a hundred years. It is banned on public transport and in most hotels.

The market was quite amazing in the early evening darkness. Masses of fruit and vegetables along with many types of animal parts, fish bits and things with suckers on. There were also little plates of prepared food, cakes, sweets, raw stuff, cooked stuff and stuff that could have been anything. One stall had a great display of food on skewers. I think the idea was that you made a selection and then cooked it yourself on the charcoal grill at the front. It was quite remarkable just how much food was on display. We looked politely but saved ourselves for the lovely meal that chef was preparing on the Princess.

Dark and early in the morning, we were back in the sampan heading upstream from our mooring in Can Tho. The Cái Răng Floating Market, about 15 minutes from Can Tho, usually starts early, around 3am. It is primarily a wholesale vegetable market. Traders get here early so that they can buy goods to take to the commercial markets by sunrise before 7 am. So, we had turned out ludicrously early. Even before breakfast.

The market consists of a lot of boats, some rafted up together, in the middle of the river. At the market, goods are advertised by a method known as “bẹo hàng”. This is the practise of of hanging a sample of the goods (such as fruits or vegetables) on a long pole instead of using signs. The “selling boat” typically hangs any plant pot to distinguish it from the “buying boat.” The “bẹo” is a long pole (often made of bamboo), tied with any item for marking or signalling something. So, as we approached, we could see boats with pineapples, sweet potatoes, water melons and other produce hanging from bamboo poles.

Smaller boats circled the sellers collecting goods to take to market. In between these were other small boats supplying services to everyone else. This included some general store boats carrying a bit of everything. And café boats selling coffee, tea and something for breakfast.

We drifted past and then went to visit a floating noodle factory. This was a two-story building on a barge. Downstairs was the shopping area selling a vast range of noodles and souvenirs. It was in fact, a floating carpet shop attracting tourists that had been lured in by the floating market. Upstairs they made the noodles. A thin dough was poured onto a fine mesh over boiling water. I imagine the dough was a rice and water paste. After a few moments cooking, it was collected onto a large, bamboo roller and put to dry. After an hour or so the disc of partially dried dough was mechanically shredded into fine noodles. These were balled up and left out in the sun to dry or fried in deep fat. The ovens here used stone fireplaces fuelled by the rice husk we had seen collected from the rice polishing factories. It burned quickly so a hopper on the top of the oven could be used to provide fine control over the oven.

Back in the sampan, we passed through the market again. Things were getting a lot quieter on the selling front now. Then we went ashore close-by to have a look at the wet market. An area of narrow streets where pedestrians fought with scooters over goods that were mostly laid out on the ground. We had been warned of the possibility of gruesome goods. In particular, we were warned of rats. Not rats running around stealing stuff but rats as food. Killed in the rice fields and hung up ready for cooking. At the same time, we were assured that there would be no dogs. There used to be the odd canine culinary concoctions but now the dodgy dead dog dinners are illegal. Some of our group were appalled at the idea of eating dogs. Me too. I don’t like the elitist justification for extreme violence towards an innocent animal. However, many of our group eat pork and I struggle to understand how they are content with the cognitive dissonance this evokes. Pigs and dog are equally intelligent happy animals that can be trained and form friendship bonds with humans.

We never spotted any rats but we did see many types of live fish, eels, snails and frogs. The fish were in shallow bowls. Occasionally one would manage to jump out and flop its way down the street before being recaptured. The frogs were enormous and the snails were a good size as well. Is this the French colonial influence at work or will these people just eat anything? There were masses of dead and bloody meat on display as well. I did not look too closely. Just seeing all the flies buzzing around was, I thought, enough to put anyone off. The whole scene, from a distance, was one of bloody massacre, a visceral carnage.  

There were of course an awful lot of lovely fresh fruit and vegetables on display. Fresh green pepper corns – if you have never tried, they are amazing. Racks of watermelons. Beautiful bright yellow lemons. Mushrooms of every shape, size and flavour. I also spotted a shop making enormous slabs of tofu. We both enjoy tofu but have never tried making it. Yet another project for a rainy day.

After seeing such so much food it was time to head back for a late breakfast. On the way, we passed some boats with mesh on the side of their hull. This is to deliberately let water in. The ships are used for transporting live fish. They do this by partially flooding the hull.

First thing in the morning is not the time to be getting diacritical marks wrong. An inappropriate circumflex or grave could cause all sorts of problem. Hội An is a historic city on Vietnam’s central coast known for its UNESCO-listed Ancient Town and glowing evening lanterns. Hòa An is a beautiful mountainous region located in Cao Bằng Province in the northeast of Vietnam. Hoa An in the Mekong Delta is famous for its pretty handicraft villages and authentic countryside life. This last one is where we were.

A short trip on a sampan and then into the waiting xe lôi (motor carts). We were comfortable and familiar with how this works now. Then we were off into the countryside. I often enjoy this sort of trip much more than some of the forced tourist experiences. We were bimbling through the fields where a few people were out working. Enjoying the gentle pace, seeing how ordinary people lived here and taking a few photographs. I was very happy doing this. Some of the crops I could recognise. Many I could not. Occasionally someone would wave at us. Too soon, we were back at the sampan but it had been a good start to the day.

We did not head back to the Princess. Instead, we headed up one of the many small tributaries to see how the rice is processed. There were many little factories here. Each one processing rice in a similar way. Many barges were arriving from the fields with the raw rice and many were leaving with sacks of finished rice.

Raw paddy rice is dried and hulled to remove the outer husk. This gives you brown rice. I like brown rice. It has a nice nutty flavour and bit more bite. It is also rich in fibre, B1, B3, magnesium, iron and healthy fats. Takes a bit longer to cook. As with much of life, I am in a minority. Most of the world prefers polished rice. This turns the nutritious grain into simple carbohydrate. Most of the vitamins, essential minerals and roughage is gone. To combat nutritional deficiencies like beriberi (caused by a lack of vitamin B1), many countries mandate that polished rice is enriched with synthetic vitamins and iron after milling. So why throw away all this vegetable goodness?

People often prefer the softer, fluffy texture of polished rice. Polishing also gets ride of the nutty flavour of the bran and this creates a more neutral and versatile base for many dishes. White rice cooks more quickly. So, it is cheaper to cook. However, possibly the most important reason, especially around here, is that polishing extends the shelf life. Removing the fat-rich bran layer prevents the oils from turning rancid. Like this, the rice can be stored for years without special packaging or refrigeration. The oils in the bran can go rancid in just a few days.

Nothing goes to waste. I don’t think anything ever goes to waste here. The raw rice bran from the polishing process is mostly used for animal feed. They get the benefit of all the nutrients removed from the rice. Some of the bran is used to create rice bran oil – a high-smoke-point cooking oil valued for its heart-healthy properties and ability to lower cholesterol. Once stabilised the bran is sold as a nutritional supplement. Consider the irony of adding bran to your Rice Krispies for a more nutritious breakfast.

The husk does not go to waste either. It is a used as a fuel in specially made stoves. From the factory, it is loaded into adapted barges with massive bamboo and canvas hoppers. They look absurdly overloaded. But the husk is not heavy. We are on a gentle river with no swell. Everything is fine. Mostly fine. There may be trouble with monsters.

To be on the safe side all the boats have eyes. Painted onto the bows close to the waterline to give the vessel a living spirit, guide it through dangerous waters and ward off evil water spirits. A pair of eyes to ward off the evil river spirits. Local communities view a boat not as an object but as a living creature with a soul. Owners perform a special ceremony to “open the eyes” by painting the pupils last. This ritual brings the boat to life so it can sense and navigate its environment. Traditional beliefs hold that rivers contain unpredictable spirits or monsters. The eyes help the boat watch for hazards and stay safe.

With all that sorted and understood we headed back to the Princess. The anchor was pulled up and we set a course for Can Tho City.

The MeKong river delta is a messed-up area of alluvial deposits cut through by a myriad of rivers and tributaries. Every bit of land is an island. The rivers are everything. They provide connection, transport and food. Cù Lao Giêng is a lush, peaceful island in the middle of the Tiền River. At about 10 km across the island is famous for its dense mango, jackfruit and pomelo orchards. It also has a big church and boat builders.

We all hopped into the sampan again and left the Mekong Princess at anchor. Over lunch there had been some discussion as to whether our floating palace was a ship or a boat. Usually, the criteria for this is simple. Boats go on ships. So, if your vessel is carrying lifeboats, zodiacs, tenders and the like then it is a ship. The Princess does carry a small workboat on the stern. I suspect its main use is to fetch and carry occasionally. There are no lifeboats or other boats. A second criteria considers seaworthiness. A ship travels offshore and is capable of dealing with a wide range of sea and weather conditions. I think this is the crux of the matter. The Princess is not seaworthy. It is perfectly built for purpose and the conditions it will experience but this only includes rivers. Possibly only the Mekong River.  Any serious waves or swell and she would roll around like a drunk teenager. The beautiful French décor would become hopelessly dishevelled. Don’t worry, this will never happen, however, I think this clarifies that the Mekong Princess is a boat rather than a ship.

From the sampan we had a short walk to the two waiting xe lôi. These are small motorbikes with a trailer on the back. Space for 6 passengers. Terrific way to travel along the little roads of the islands of the Mekong Delta.  Also known as a motorised cart or motorised rickshaw.

A church and a monastery were built close to each other on the island at about the same time. Late 19^th century. The monastery was built for the French nuns of Saint Paul de Chartres. It was once an important convent and could accommodate more than 1,000 people. This included an orphanage, a school, a hospice and a leprosy centre. Today, there are still a few nuns there but mostly they are in retreat and not talking to anyone.

We arrived in the front yard of the church under an ominously dark and stormy sky. The building is regarded as one of the oldest and most magnificent churches in southern Vietnam. It certainly has some striking Romanesque and Gothic elements. The bell tower, which I completely failed to get a good picture of, is a remarkable 35 m.

Our guide, the wonderfully named Nam (from Vietnam), led us off into the gardens. I think the idea was to visit the cemetery. We had been briefed that it was well kept and picturesque. However, the rain arrived. Proper rain. The sort of rain to soak you to the core in less than 10 seconds. The cemetery was abandoned and we all ran for the church. Inside, we wandered around taking in something of the interior architecture. I am not a big fan of the Catholics, too much to answer for, but they did knock up a few good churches over the years. This one, in particular, is not only a magnificent building but also a remarkable project. Much of the stone and other materials used in its construction was not available locally and was shipped from France.

The priest turned up and invited everyone to take a pew. I have to confess that I did not hear what he said. He was speaking very quietly and I was not dreadfully interested. I was musing on how the Catholics had spent a vast sum of money building the church but the locals roundly rejected the missionary message. They recognised, correctly, that the church was not doing anything help raise them out of poverty or improve their lives in any other way. So, they invented their own form of Buddhism to be cost effective and easily incorporated into their working lives.

The rain had become patchy by the time we were clambering back into the xe lôi. We were each issued with a plastic, disposable rain cloak in case of further deluges. Then we set off to explore the island a little more. We stopped at a shop where Christine, one of our fellow passengers, could buy some new flip-flops. She had broken the strap on the ones she was wearing. Everything was sorted without her having to get off the xe lôi. Nam and the shop keeper ran in and out to find the right size and type for a replacement. A couple of US$ exchanged hands and we were off again.

Final stop of the day was a boat builder. We were arranged on seats under the balcony roof and then shown the skills. Planks were bent by heating them over a charcoal burner. Ribs were hand cut using a type of bow saw. Holes were made using a bow drill. Caulking was done using tree resin. It was all quite interesting but somehow lacked conviction. It felt more like we were being shown how a boat might be built rather than witnessing actual boat building.

At the end of the boat builders garden, past the pomelo trees, was where they launched their boats. This was also a convenient place for our sampan to collect us. I like pomelo. It is not as sharp as grapefruit and has a quite distinctive flavour that reminds me of the sherbet powder I use to eat as a kid. What I really like is pomelo juice and vodka. It makes the most beautifully balanced cocktail and is definitely not for kids. We get pomelo in the UK occasionally but they tend to be quite dry inside and quite tasteless. No good at all for cocktails. I eyed the ripe pomelos and wondered if I could come up with a scheme to get some of them back to the bar tender on the Princess. We were loaded onto the sampan before I got chance to act. As soon as we got back to the river boat, the anchor was pulled up and we set off for Hoa An.

In the morning we woke to find ourselves in Vietnam. All the border formalities and inspections completed while we slept. Good morning Vietnam. Same river, different country and everything had changed. Well, the river was similar. Wide, brown, silt laden water. But now it was busy. I mean extremely busy. Ships everywhere. We were on a major highway for barges and floating platforms. Bulk carriers of limestone, chippings, pebbles, gravel and mud were all around us. Big barges discharging into smaller ones. Smaller ones into tiny ones. Cranes lifting stuff between vessels. Dredgers sucking up more sand. The banks were lined with housing and warehouses. Floating homes, somewhere between a houseboat and a cargo boat were all around.

Mid-morning the Mekong Princess dropped anchor near the town of Hong Hgu. We all hopped into a sampan and went off for a look round. A sampan is a traditional, flat-bottomed wooden boat common in Southeast Asia. The word comes from the Cantonese term sāan báan, meaning “three planks,” which describes the simple hull design of a flat bottom joined to two side pieces. The shallow draft and ease of construction makes these small boats ideal for getting around on the river. Larger sampans have an engine and the smaller ones get paddled by someone stood up by the stern.

We went ashore and set off on a short tour of the village. There are only ten of us on a boat made for 30 passengers. I am sure this is a pain, possibly an expensive one, for the owner but it is great for us. For a start, it is quite easy to get to know the rest of the group. I even got to know some names. This is unusual for me; I am embarrassingly terrible at recalling names. It also meant that even a couple of days in we could mostly chat in an easy and relaxed fashion. That was nice.

The tradition here is to bury your parents and other relatives in the front garden. We have seen this ritual before in some south Pacific islands far from here. I find it a slightly odd business. The front gardens here are not especially large. It only takes half a dozen expensive marble tombstones and all the space is taken. Then where will you get buried? I also wondered about moving house. How does having your parents in the front garden affect the resale value of the property? Do you take them with you when you move? Maybe you could do a tomb-swap with owners of the house you are moving into?

The farms generally grow rice and tropical fruit. The typcial arrangement is to have a well-kept presentation garden, with parents, to the road. Then behind the house are the paddy fields for growing rice. Alongside the fields are fruit trees and the occasional cow. The road is sealed but only narrow. Really only suitable for scooters and tuk-tuks. Many families also have fish nets by the side of the river. The nets are everywhere. Simple traps held in place by bamboo poles. There are so many nets that it seems a wonder any fish can every swim more than a couple of hundred metres without being caught.

We wandered down the road and waved at the guys that were eating brunch and toasting us with shots of moonshine. The village is very spread out but at the approximate centre is a general-purpose meeting room. Intricately painted and set amongst some brightly coloured flowers.

Next to this was a small shrine. The majority religion in Vietnam is Buddhism. Our here on the islands of the Mekong Delta, they have their own version of Buddhism designed for farmers. Hòa Hảo is a new religious movement. Typically described either as a syncretistic folk religion or as a sect of Buddhism. Founded in 1939 by Huỳnh Phú Sổ (1920–47), regarded as a saint by his devotees. It is now one of the major religions of Vietnam with several million adherents, mostly in the Mekong Delta. We were shown an altar with pictures of Sổ. Now I would have claimed that there were already far more religions in the world than we need and that creating a new one was just asking for trouble. However, what Sổ did was to make Buddhism more accessible to poor people. Hòa Hảo eschews elaborate rituals and temples, maintains no monastic order and teaches home practice. It also advocates that each devotee can have direct communion with the Buddha. For farmers, this makes the religion enormously more practical to incorporate into their daily lives and work. Be nice to each other and do not spend a fortune, that you can’t afford, on priests, temples and other religious frippery.

The first carpet shop of the day were some weavers. Apparently, there is a long tradition of weaving here although I am not sure why. Most of the required materials need to be brought into the village. Nonetheless, here was an excellent, family run workshop with a wonderful collection of rather ancient looms. Most of them were electric or had been adapted to work that way. One of the looms, takin pride of place at the front, was completely manual. The father fired this up for us and weaved a short length of fabric. They were making cotton goods. Mostly cotton scarves which are commonly used throughout SE Asia. Diane and I were sufficiently impressed that we each bought a scarf. It was nice to see something that was genuinely genuine (and ludicrously cheap).

With that, we all made our way back to the sampan and then back to the ship for lunch.