Another beautiful day welcomed us as we continued our exploration of the Mekong Delta. After an invigorating Tai Chi practice on the terrace deck, we boarded our covered longboats, which transported us from Jahan to Binh Thanh Island at Sadec to explore a local community. In the central pagoda, we sat with a respected elderly woman to learn about her life on the island and the experience living there during the Vietnam War.
Following our in-depth discussion, we walked through the village’s quaint streets and alleyways, interacted with the locals and visited homes where people weave rattan mats. We were able to watch the labor- and time-intensive practice to setup, weave, color and finish the mats, which will then be sold throughout Vietnam. After this eye-opening experience, we once again boarded our longboats and cruised through the narrow canals that define the island. From this vantage point, we had a close-up view of life along the water – we saw fisherman casting their nets and others transporting produce and goods by boat to be sold at a nearby floating market.
After lunch, we visited another fascinating location within the Mekong Delta – Cai Be – a hub for fruits and vegetables. En route to Cai Be from Jahan, our longboats cruised past a floating market where people usually live for several days in order to sell out of their goods. Onward, we came ashore to learn how locals make products from rice, palm sugar and coconuts. We witnessed the intriguing processes for creating puffed rice squares, coconut candies and rice paper. To top it all off, we even had the opportunity to taste rice wine directly from a still and sample ginger-flavored malt candies fresh from the mixer.
Back aboard Jahan, everyone prepared for a wonderful farewell evening. To start, our photo instructor, Eric Kruszewski, presented the guest slideshow, which allowed everyone to see our journey through the lenses and visions of those on board. A cocktail party ensued, followed by an exquisite dinner, which wrapped up with some delicious surprise desserts. As the sun set on our last evening, the skies transformed into hues of orange, pink and purple. Guests gathered on the terrace, photographed the beautiful scene, shared in each other’s company and commented, “What a wonderful way to end the voyage!”
