The engine started about 7am. Justin was already awake but I wasn’t. I got dressed quickly since a bit of a walk about in the market was on the agenda before our journey continued.
Back on board, we were welcomed by a huge delicious breakfast and lots of iced Vietnamese coffee.
On our boat, we have our guide, our driver, and two other young men, “the boys.” These are the guys who do all the work. They are the deck crew, the cleaning crew, the cooks… and everything required. We will remember this when we tip at the end.
Our first stop today was Cao Dai temple. Founded in 1947, this religion, unique to Vietnam, combines Buddhism, Christianity, Taoism, Confucianism, and Islam. Hmmm… might need to do some more reading here.
Didn’t we just eat breakfast? No worries, it’s time for lunch. Soup made with cabbage and minced pork, shrimp and onions, pork with quail eggs, chicken salad with lotus stems, steamed rice and mini bananas for dessert. Yes, that was soup plus three main dishes.
Last stop for today was Tiger Island and the ancestral home of President Ton Duc Thang — Uncle Ton. No, there weren’t ever really tigers here, but there is a great story.
Earlier in the day we passed many rice refineries; this afternoon, the face of the river had changed to include many fish farms. All along the River, we’ve seen various floating markets. These markets first appeared when the roads were still in poor condition and people were required to travel by boat to exchange goods. Many vendors display what they are selling atop a long stick above their boat. Buyers can see from far away just what is available.
Dinner on board after docking for the evening. Another feast.
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