We’re in Sa Dec, Vietnam, wandering around in a large open-air market. There are hundreds of vendors here, selling whatever it is they’ve grown, caught, or raised. We passed through the produce section and the fresh fish section, where, as far as I could tell, everything that was for sale was still alive. When we left off last time, we were just leaving the fish section, headed for the “meat department.” Continue reading “Delta Towns — Sa Dec and Cai Be”
Welcome to Sa Dec, Vietnam!
We’re cruising around in the famous and infamous Mekong Delta. Fifty years ago, this was a place where few people wanted to be. Today, it’s a laid-back network of rivers, canals, and rice fields. It’s one of the most fertile places in the world, and home to 20 million people. Yesterday we visited the quiet little town of Tan Chau, just across the border from Cambodia. Now we’ve moved eastward, further into the delta toward the South China Sea. Our next stop is the hustling, bustling city of Sa Dec. Continue reading “Welcome to Sa Dec, Vietnam!”
How Now, Tan Chau?
Today we’re going to visit Tan Chau, Vietnam. It’s a small city just across the border from Cambodia. Tan Chau’s claim to fame is a special kind of silk produced here. We’re going to go see where it’s made, but I’m more interested just to see what life in a small town in this part of the world looks like. Continue reading “How Now, Tan Chau?”
Evergreen Island, Vietnam
We’re in Vietnam, on the Mekong river, just across the border from Cambodia. We’re heading into the Mekong Delta to see what this part of the world is like. Our first stop is at a place called “Evergreen Island.” Well, that’s what it’s called to us tourists, anyway. Continue reading “Evergreen Island, Vietnam”
Crossing the Border into An Giang Province, Vietnam
Our boat has dropped anchor in the middle of the Mekong river. We’re not going anywhere. We’re waiting for permission to cross the border from Cambodia into An Giang province, Vietnam. Not long ago, an official-looking boat motored out from shore to meet us. Uniformed personnel from the motorboat boarded our boat, but they didn’t stay long. They returned to shore – with all of our passports. Continue reading “Crossing the Border into An Giang Province, Vietnam”
Saying “Good-Bye” to Cambodia
It’s time for us to say “good-bye” to Phnom Penh and Cambodia. We don’t want to leave, but time marches on, and I guess, so do we. Our boat has already left the waters of the Tonlé Sap river. Now we’re floating gently down the Mekong river, headed south toward the Cambodia/Vietnam border. It’s only seventy miles from Phnom Penh to the border, so we’ll be there all too soon. Continue reading “Saying “Good-Bye” to Cambodia”
Cambodia’s Silver Pagoda, and “The Rest of the Story”
We’re in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on the lush grounds of Cambodia’s Royal Palace. We’ve seen some beautiful buildings, but the most impressive is yet to come. Some people call it the Silver Pagoda. Others call it the Temple of the Emerald Buddha. C’mon… let’s go! Continue reading “Cambodia’s Silver Pagoda, and “The Rest of the Story””
Cambodia’s Royal Palace and a Bit of History
We’re in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. At the end of the previous post, we were being whisked through the streets of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, in a bright red tuk-tuk. We were supposed to be going to a pharmacy, but the driver wasn’t going to the place we showed him on our map. We did just pass by the Royal Palace, though. Ooooh. Neat! Continue reading “Cambodia’s Royal Palace and a Bit of History”
Cambodia’s Capital — Phnom Penh
We’ve arrived at Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia. The Royal Palace is located here, and on the palace grounds, the Silver Pagoda. An excursion has been arranged for us to visit Tuol Sleng prison — an infamous vestige of the Khmer Rouges. I had mixed feelings about going. I had done my homework, so I knew what Tuol Sleng was about, at least in a general way. Of course, seeing it in person would take that knowledge to a whole new level. Continue reading “Cambodia’s Capital — Phnom Penh”
School is in Session on Koh Dach Island
We’ve been cruising down Cambodia’s Tonlé Sap river, heading south towards Phnom Penh. At Phnom Penh, the Tonlé Sap and Mekong rivers meet. We’re going to visit Phnom Penh, then continue on down the Mekong towards Vietnam. But first, we’re going to make a stop at an island called “Koh Dach.” Continue reading “School is in Session on Koh Dach Island”
