Last night we stayed in a big, old family house on a longanberry and pommelo orchard, right on a canal that leads out into the Mekong Delta. It was a bit of a walk even to the closest neighbor, and no store or anything nearby, but it was very beautiful. Our room was open to the outdoors, with mosquito nets around the bed, and a canal thick with waterlilies ran right up next to the window.
We learned to make spring rolls and fry sweet potatoes (during a power outage) from Chin, the woman who owns the place, and then ate a big feast with a couple of great Brits (Laura and Graham, looking fly and very special in some palm hats they purchased) who stayed there as well. We asked what people do at night in the tiny non-village, and Chin said:
"We go to bed early."
Hmmm... so we sat around on the hammocks for a bit, and she told us more about Vietnamese culture. Slightly more comfortable with us, and back on the subject of what there is to do at night in the Mekong, she elaborated.
"It's a good thing people have TV's now, because before there was really nothing to do at night, and everyone had 10 children. I am the youngest of 10."
Woah. On that note, we returned back to Saigon, and then on tomorrow to Central 'Nam. Not trying to do any baby-making on this trip...
Also...
Shanti shanti to the Agama people reading this. We love and miss you, and are so glad we met you all! When describing the experience to other travelers, it sounds suspiciously like we joined a cult that worships brown rice and running salt water through various orifices. They don't know the half of it :) We've been faithful with morning yoga practice so far, and hope you all are doing it as well. "Focus to perceive..." us thinking of you!
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