** At Sa Dec** – sampan to a bustling market on the river. Fascinating- very fresh food- vegetables and fish and other goods. A large market and such variety.
Ended this part of walk at Huynh Le House, a late 19th century home made famous by French novelist Marguerite Duras and her novel L’Amant (now on the reading list).
It was interesting to see a brick factory where bricks and tiles are made from Mekong River mud and fired in old beehive-like kilns or the new “modern” version. Next door is a rice husking factory and the husks are used to fire the brick factory kilns, ashes are then used as fertiliser – nothing is wasted here. Very very hot, hard and dusty work – low paid – many working here as supplementary work.
Sailing through the canals is a great way to observe locals going about their daily routines – children swimming, men throwing nets and families harvesting water hyacinths.
In Cai Be a little further down the river we sailed through the floating markets. Fruits and vegetables for sale plus a variety of other items- you advertise your wares by putting a sample atop a pole on your boat- eg. kumara on a stick. Houses all stilted of course along the river as tidal and also avoid monsoon increases.
Stopped at An Kiet House – beautiful home and garden and then to a rice factory – this was the highlight of the day!
They pop rice candy, make rice paper, coconut candy and other products. They also pickle snakes and other interesting herbal products. A close encounter with a snake – Mark was brave!! and Gill had a go at making rice crackers – belting hot by the fire and definitely some practice needed.
Sampan trip to house, rice factory 1
