It’s our first full day on the Mekong River and we’re off to a great start. Ready for the relaxing atmosphere of the Jahan after the hustle and bustle of Saigon city, we woke up to a beautiful sunrise cruise in route to our morning destination of Cai Be. Once we arrived, two small sampans took us through winding, narrow canals where we saw floating markets and local riverside life. Next we went to shore and caught a glimpse of how the villagers produced pop-rice candy, rice paper, and rice wine. It’s an eye-opening experience to watch how labor intensive these simple products are and how much time and energy goes into producing them.
In the afternoon we sailed to Sadec, where again we boarded local sampans and visited a small village that remains largely un-impacted by tourism. This was an amazing visit, and two of the town elders spoke to us about their lives, providing a fascinating account of the history of the small village. In many of the homes, women were weaving mats that the Vietnamese people use to sleep on—another amazing display of the labor intensive production that goes into making everyday household goods.
We were back on the Jahan in time for sunset, and were blessed with perfect weather for the evening cruise up the river. Today was a great introduction to the Mekong, and we are all excited for many wonderful days to come!
