Mekong Delta

 Day 3 of my parents visit to Vietnam was spent touring the Mekong Delta. This area is South West of Saigon. We took the Jason "Superstar" private tour.  I could probably blog for the rest of the year about what we saw today...a very real life experience of Vietnam, not touristy. I've posted an overload of pictures, but consider yourself lucky since these are only a small portion of the hundreds I really took. 

After a 2 hour van ride we started the tour in Cai Be. My dad is trying a fruit called durian, it is  the most popular (and disgusting) in Vietnam. He was a good sport but one bite was all he could tolerate.

Loading the tour boat...

Drey loved driving the boat, he put the pedal to the metal and we cruised the Mekong Drey style.

The floating markets. The boats put whatever fruit they are selling on a stick on the outside of their boat as advertisement. These boats are also people's homes. 

Pumpkins

We pulled up next to this lady and she cut us a fresh pineapple....absolutely delicious! We ate is with a cajun salt which gave it a salty sweet mix...mmmm.

We got off the boat for a short time to walk around the main market. This is the first real Vietnam market experience for  my parents and I think they were a little surprised....especially with the meat.

After the markets we went to a Pagoda.

The Happy Buddah

Rubbing Buddah bellies for good luck.... 

aohmmmmmmm.....

Drey gonging the bell....I think he called everyone to prayer like 20 times :)

Our next boat ride was down the small canals of the Mekong.

This boat ride was so relaxing and amazing.

After our boat rides we stopped for lunch at a little house in the Mekong jungle.  Drey is catching our fish to eat ....in the not so clean water.

Frying up the fish, and hopefully off the bacteria.

This is called elephant ear fish.

Our tour group at lunch....Enzo is taking a little snooze.

Lunch menu: fried elephant ear fish, which was actually pretty tasty and fresh, rice, chicken, spring rolls, flour/sprout pancake, and soup. The owner of the house had an orchard growing with fresh friuts all around. He really liked my parents because they seemed like nice, happy, people and they were around the same age. He brought us fresh mango, bananas, and guava for dessert.

Sleeping after a long day...

.....on the Mekong Delta

The End!