We took a wonderful trip back to Vietnam in early 2012. Our first visit in 1996 had been somewhat limited by time and some difficulty back then travelling comfortably off the beaten track. So we did “the Grand Tour” back then but had always wanted to go back and see some other places.
This 2012 trip took in Saigon, Can Tho, the Mekong Delta (including a home stay in Ut Trinh), Dalat and then rest and relaxation in Ninh Van Bay.
Bad place to drop something – a major junction in Saigon
Up and out early for our breakfast cruise on the (lucky) Lady Hau [depicted above] boat, with other hotel residents, to the start of the Cai Rang Floating Market.
Then switched to our own boat where we meet Hiu and Hoa (Captain Birdseye). Captain Birdseye is a very good sailor when there are no other vessels around.
Unfortunately, the floating market has rather a lot of vessels, so we end up in tangled in someone’s anchor and Captain Birdseye goes under about three times failing to release us. He ended up cutting us loose, going under a fourth time and then sailing round finding a replacement anchor for the aggrieved boat.
Eventually we move on to Binh Minh village specialising in dried tofu…
…where we walked around – this village is only aspiring to be cultural and only a minority of households have achieved culture. We met some children and gave some pens. We also picked up Dhi Bay – (Mrs No 7) who prepares a lunch on board– Very tasty – pork stuffed courgette flower, spring rolls, chicken and some river prawns.
Daisy helped Dhi Bay with preparing luncheon
We then stop at Phước Hậu – a cultural village thank goodness [don’t ask how the dictate app imagined that village’s name is spelt], where Daisy cycled with Hiu and I walked with Binh. Very pleasant.
Daisy met this elegant lady on her cycling tourGed met this wonderful old-timer on his walking tour
We saw people growing mint and families playing cards – everyone was very friendly.
Comedy moment as Captain Birdseye crosses to the wrong side of the canal as Binh and I cross to meet him but eventually we pick up Daisy and Hiu and go on to Ut Trinh.
Captain Birdseye helps Daisy to board
Short stop at touristic nursery opposite (too long for Ged) and on to home stay, greeted by a rather sad/sickly looking Mrs Ba.
Mrs Ba cooking up a storm
Soon we meet Rowan and Cindy from Belgium and Manuel the German from Tokyo. Also Parisian Globetrotters Eloise (eight) and her parents.
Cooking class, dinner with our own freebie Park Hyatt wine and chat about the world afterwards.
Left Ho Chi Minh City for Can Tho by car after splendid breakfast of soup noodles (chicken) and bacon on the side.
Civilised hour of departure (11 o’clock) and arrive [at the Victoria Can Tho] shortly after 1400.
Enjoyed foot massage (extended in Daisy’s case)…
… On returning from a foot massage, Ged got into the lift with an elderly German couple and asked "where are you from"? "Germany" came the reply. "Which part of Germany"? asked Ged, at which point the woman lectured Ged on the fact that there is only one part of Germany now, that they haven't been "two Germanys" for over 20 years and that North, South, East and West is all "Germany". Ged replied by saying that he was enquiring which town. "Münster", came the reply, at which point this couple became The Munsters in Ged's mind – especially the gentleman: "Herman the German" Munster. Later of course, Ged & Daisy kept bumping in to those two all around the resort, with the German couple being overbearingly jovial and friendly – presumably to make up for the unwarranted tetchiness on first meeting. We even saw them on the floating market the next day, where the German couple looked none too happy on their [unfeasibly] little boat.…
…then Daisy hammered Ged at tennis.
Washed and then enjoyed excellent meal at the hotel – starter of Bon Bon salad, pork with O Mon noodles and roast duck Vietnamese style (whatever that might be!). A sort of coffee ice cream dessert to finish – very enjoyable.
Click above to read more about the Bon Bon salad at the Victoria Can Tho Hotel – photo from that hotel’s website
