Somewhere in the Delta

There were vendors at the bus stop selling sunglasses and whatever else you might want. I later figured out that a group of seemingly un-related sellers were really a family trying to hit everyone's needs.

I'm always amazed at how much Vietnam changes between trips. Today, we were on new roads, and could see future roads being laid out. Finally, we got to the boats.

The scenery in this part of the Delta has become familiar. We're seeing the same cottage industries I've written about previously. But even they are changing. Jobs that required a man to turn a wheel or stir a boiling pot are now being done by motors.

We were in a group where there were people only on a 1 day trip, a trip to Cambodia, and then 3 day trips. My Lovely Wife and I are doing a 4 day. That's where you take the 3 day, and at the end of day 2, you just don't get on the bus to day 3 until 24 hours later. This will give us an unsupervised day. The people on the 1 day, well, this is all they will see. They are missing so much.

There was only 1 person doing the trip to Cambodia. A back packer from England who decided to go around the world when the economy went bad. Tomorrow, he will leave the group, and get on a boat to Phnom Penh. We talked a lot about Angor Wat, Angor Thom, and the other great sights in Cambodia; but warned him to not bother with the sunrise at Angor Wat. It's very over-rated.

We were on our own for dinner, and tried a restaurant the guide mentioned. On the way we were being pitched by a bicycle taxi. OK, he can take us around town after dinner to see the flower market.

A lot happens after dark. People are still buying and renting plants for new year. (Some plants are so expensive renting is the only practical way to have them in your house on the new year, hence there is a market.) In the south, you want a plant with a yellow flower, and in the north you want a plant with more of a peach color.

What brings the luck is the name of the plant which, in Vietnamese, are usually favorable words, like "lucky" or "happy", etc. So having a "lucky" plant with bring luck in the new year.