Day 11

 May 16th

Today we departed from the hotel at 8:00 am and began the two-hour bus ride to the Mekong River Delta. Our first stop of the day was to the silk and bamboo factory. When we arrived, we were shown the silkworm cocoons and how they are manipulated into thread that is further processed into the silk. Our guide then took us into a classroom where she demonstrated some of the products that they offer. They had bamboo cleaning towels that cleaned up soy sauce and oil. They also had clothing items such as towel dresses, bamboo jackets with visors on the hood, undergarments, and the magic scarf that could be manipulated into a shirt, dress, hood, shawl, and sweater. After our infomercial like demonstration, we were directed into the area where we could purchase the products. They had many additional items for sale such as pillows that unzipped into blankets, ties, robes, pajamas, kitchen supplies, and many more. 

Our next activity was the boat tour on the Mekong River. 

We were pleasantly surprised to discover that our tour guide for the boat tour was Tony’s cousin. We boarded our boat and traveled to an island where we ate pineapple, mango, dragon fruit, tiny bananas called “lady fingers” and sapodilla, an orange fruit that some described as tasting like papaya or honey. 

We were entertained by locals who played the one-string zither, two string fiddle, and two types of guitars. Two women and one man took turns singing solo, before singing a song together. At the end, a couple of students were allowed to play the two-string fiddle, and the one string zither. With assistance from the musician, the students were able to play “Jingle Bells” and “If your happy and you know it”. 

We then walked over to another area of the island where the locals raise bees and sell honey. We got to see a portion of the hive with hundreds of bees busy at work. The locals also made us a small drink consisting of kumquat, bee pollen, honey, and tea. It was very sweet, and many students got a second serving.

FISH FARM

We then made a small detour on our boat ride to the next location and stopped at a small local fish farm in the Mekong River. Only a few of us at a time fit on the boards that were laid out around the top of the fish enclosures. We got to see red snappers, and a few of us got to feed them as well. There were over 20,000 fish in a 20 ft x 20 ft area that was 9 ft deep. It takes them 6 months to get to a market weight of 5 lbs. One group member even braved getting a “foot massage” by the fish.

COCONUT CANDY

We stopped at a coconut candy shop that makes all of their won candies from scratch. We learned the techniques to open a coconut and peel away the fibers. Then the machines that they use to grind up the coconut into a powder that they can then process into a mixture that is formed into the candies. There were many flavor options of the candies that we could sample as well as purchase to take home.

 Additionally, they also had a liquor that is known in Vietnam because it has a real snake in the bottle. Many group members braved this unusual beverage and gave it a try, leaving very mixed reviews on the taste.

At lunch we ate elephant fish that was served on a stand that allowed it to sit upright. 

It was cooked whole and had scales and everything still on it. To serve the fish, the staff removed the fin and peeled off the meat to place it into a spring roll that the server assembled for us. The menu also included noodle and shrimp crepes, soup made with chicken, corn, and noodles. As well as shrimp, pork, chicken, rice, watermelon, and “dinosaur egg” which was a large sphere about the size of a volleyball made with sticky rice.

After finishing our meal, we then ventured inward on the island and got to ride a small horse and buggy. This took us to a location where we got to get into row boats that took us through canals back out to the main delta area. There was a high tide at this time, so the canals were beautiful. From here we got back on the boat where our tour guides served us coconuts to drink, and we made out way back to the dock to get back on the bus.

CHOCOLATE FACTORY

On our drive back to Ho Chi Minh City we stopped at a local chocolate factory. Upon arrival they showed us the cacao fruit, from which they get the cocoa beans from and gave us a taste of their hot chocolate. While they were currently in a power shortage, this didn’t stop us from exploring the factory and chocolate making process. We saw the process of the beans from start as a whole, to ground into cocoa nibs, then it is pressed and they extract the juices which can be used to make white chocolate and cosmetics. Then made into a powder and out into a machine that stirs it and makes it into the chocolate bars we know and love. They had many types of chocolate as well as a spread for us to try and purchase. We then got on the bus to continue our travel back to Ho Chi Minh City for supper and the return to the hotel.

We went to another unique restaurant for supper before wrapping up another day. It’s hard to believe that there are only 2 more full days left in Vietnam!