Hung Home Stay - Day 2

Getting up at 5:30 was not a problem. The roosters begin crowing up and down the river around 3 am, the river boats start roaring down the river around 4 am, and motorcycles around 5 am. We had to have our bags ready to go because we would be taken to the bus station after our morning tour. Hung had made bus reservations for the Austrians, the Aussies and us for an 11:30 departure.

First we had to board a very small boat with no seats to row across the river to the early morning farmer's market. Since the boat was wet, we all to squat in the bottom of the boat in the style of the Vietnamese. I'm glad it wasn't a far row, I don't think my knees would have straightened out again.

The farmer's market was small and fragrant. One lady had three live ducks for sale, another had a duck in a bag that was pitching a fit inside the bag and squaking away. There was lots of fruits and vegetables that were the most appetizing things there. Augie bought something that looked like a churro, but without the sugar. Hung bought a bag or rolls which would be part of our breakfast.

When we left the market, we boarded our regular motor boat and headed for the main part of the river. On the way, Hung served us our breakfast of the rolls, cheese, jam, coffee, tea, and bananas.

When we got the main part of the river, it was an amazing scene of hundreds of boats up and down the river, all filled with whatever they were selling. And what they were selling was hanging from the boat's rigging. There were boats filled with pineapples, sweet potatoes, watermellons, carrots, beans...just about any vegetable and fruit you can think of. Hung pointed out that you can tell where the boats are from by the numbers and letters on the sides of the boasts. Some had come from as far away as 120 kilometers.

After getting a gazillion pictures, we headed back to Hung's neck of the woods to see some of the local businesses. We saw how rice paper and rice noodles are made, how rice is processed and bagged for shipping, and we all took a walk on a local "monkey bridge". We were all very intrigued yesterday when we saw the bridges they had made over the river that are made of tree branches and bamboo. We told Hung we wanted to try walking over one, so he indulged us today. And no one fell in!

Finally, our tour was over and the boat dropped us and Hung off where the driver from the bus company would pick us all up to take us to the bus station. Hung bought us a bag of rice paper for a snack to eat on the bus. We all said our goodbyes. What a great adventure!