2011-10-23
Can Tho is the largest town in the Mekong Delta region, which covers the southernmost reaches of Vietnam. Mekong Delta is known for its numerous rice fields and muddy rivers. We got up early and hired a small boat to take us to one of the nearby floating markets followed by a tour of some of the smaller streams that permeate the town.
The market was bustling with boats filled full of pineapples, bananas, and various mystery fruits and vegetables. Some boats were so full that they were nearly underwater. It was amazing to watch people maneuver their boats in such tight quarters, squeezing through the tiniest gaps and whipping themselves around as if they were wakeboarding. After the market, we went down some very quiet side canals and the woman who was piloting us folded origami-like creations out of banana leaves including a rose and a cricket, all while she was steering the boat at the same time.