The Mekong is a river not only recognized in Vietnam but practically all of southern Asia. It's the world's 12th longest river that starts in the Tibetan Plateau and runs through China, Burma, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and finally Vietnam before it empties into the South China Sea. Friends (from my days in Korea) and I had opportunity to float down the Mekong, observing how the locals live along the river and in an island village.
Life along the Mekong naturally revolves around the river, and many of the villages are accessible by water than by road. My group got in what's called a
long boat and became part of the active marine life. We chugged past house boats and a variety of cargo vessels that transported everything from food to construction materials. Shoreline activity also varied from people fueling their boats at docks to performing daily chores.
We came across a boat that was anchored not far from the shore, fully stocked with fresh fruit like mango, jack, dragon and tamarind. It was like pulling up to the neighborhood
7-11 for a quick purchase. We stopped alongside this boat and told the merchant the fruit of choice and they cut it for us. Needless to say, the fruit was about as fresh as it can get!
Later in the day, we got into smaller boats that allowed us opportunity to venture down narrow tributaries off the main river. Our tour guide planned for us to stop at an island, where residents provided lunch and rented bikes so we could tour the island.
I really enjoyed getting a closer look at village life in Vietnam. Some of the products the local residents make and sell are similar to what we have in Thailand, such as coconut candy. It was a new experience for me, however, to see the production of snake skin belts and everything made from rice including rice wine, puffed rice, their version of
Rice Krispies Treats, and even rice paper to wrap the candy!
Witnessing Vietnamese life along the Mekong River provided a wonderful contrast to life in fast-paced Ho Chi Minh City. While there wasn't a
Starbucks in sight, there sure were some appetizing alternatives!
