Today is our last day in Vietnam, and we started the day super early (6am) by visiting Can Tho's floating market. This is one of the larger markets in Vietnam and is the place to buy fruit and vegetables in bulk. The local market vendors go out in their smaller boats and buy the necessary produce from the bigger boats. It is fascinating to watch it in action.
Typically each big boat only sells one or two types of produce. They display what they are selling by hanging the produce on a bamboo pole. You can see the watermelons or pineapples just flying off the boats!
At one end of the market we also found the floating food market. Here there is a selection of boats that can tie up to yours and serve a variety of local dishes and drinks. Highly popular and very busy when we were there, while was nearing the end of market, and was breakfast time for the wholesale vendors.
Along the way we stopped by a rice noodle factory, where we got to try our hand at making noodles. They start the process by making rice paper (just like at the cooking school in Hoi An), slightly drying it out before passing it through the cutter. This one factory makes the noodles in a variety of colours, all using natural ingredients and colourants.
Before heading back to the hotel for breakfast and check-out, we stopped by the local market to see all the product that was bought from the wholesale boats in the stalls and ready to sell! It all looked fresh and amazing!
After breakfast we set off north, to Mr Tiger Island. The legend has it that when the people first settled on the island, it was quite a dangerous time as there were many tigers there. And a number of villagers would be killed by tigers every year. Then one year a white tiger showed up, and he stepped in to protect the people of the island, keeping the other tigers in line. When his time came, with his final breath, he let out a massive roar that scared all the remaining tigers off the island. The locals believe that he choose his place to die, and they buried him there and built a shrine dedicated to him. To this day the locals come to the shrine and pray to him for protection.
We got to visit this shrine whilst we cycled around the island. The tour has definitely shown that the Vietnamese love their Karaoke. Along the ride, we heard plenty including a neighbour karaoke fight of who had the loudest music system. We felt sorry for the rest of the neighbourhood!
After Mr Tiger Island we headed to Chau Doc, to our hotel to check in and relax before heading out to an early dinner. Tomorrow is an even earlier start as we are taking a "speed boat" up the river to Cambodia and it’s a 5+hr boat ride.
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