Cruise – Day 10 – Sa Dec and Cai Be

Forward: I don’t know why the prospect of writing this particular blog about our trip has seemed the most daunting? Was I getting burned out from the photography?  Doesn’t seem likely  I took the second most pictures on the trip on this day. Maybe I was a bit down knowing that today was our last day of excursions and the following morning we would be docking in Sai Gon and the trip was almost over. Anyway, I apologize for taking as long as I have  to get the final day of the Jahan cruise online.

Our last full day on the Jahan, began like any other. We woke up around 0730 and had our breakfast and then boarded our excursion boats to head off to a rattan weaving village.

Here is the second group queuing up to board the excursion boat.

A couple of boats passing each other on the river. Do you notice the eyes on bow of the barge?  The Vietnamese believe that evil spirits inhabit the river, and when they come to the surface of the river to do the evil things that evil spirits do, they will be scared by the ferocious looking eyes on the front of the boat, and leave the occupants alone.

A couple of girls that were playing along the river bank, who stopped to wave at us (Taken with the Canon 70-200mm f4/IS).

A friendly baby waving to our as we pass their floating house / fish farm.

As hard as life must be living on the river, it amazed me how happy and carefree everyone seemed.

A child holding his kite while his dad is fixing his nets.

Our excursion boats arrive in Cai Be, and as we proceed through the village we observe the villagers performing everyday chores as seen here by a  girl doing laundry.

Some colorful wildlife strutting around, enjoying freedom until the dinner bell tolls for thee.

Speaking of the tolling dinner bell. Here is a chicken having its dinner bell rung.

We stop at the village temple on Binh Tanh Island.

Here is the village shell station, which also sells phone cards for you cell phone.

Cambodia and Viet Nam are a street photographer’s paradise, nobody seems put off by having their photograph taken, in this case here is one of the village elders heading home from the market, and another woman tending to making some whiskey.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We now come to the rattan weaving district. Where young and old take part in weaving these Rattan mats.

These women are using a wooden loom to insert the rattan fibers in the tread mold.

 

 

One of the crew members from the Jahan, who was in charge of secretly getting photographs of us throughout the cruise, The photos were presented to us later in the evening.

She was out on the dock taking pictures of this man tending to his nets. She had a good eye, because I was heading over to take a picture of the same thing. She did not look to happy that I was poaching on her photos.

These nets do not look easy to carry.

I think I could spend a month or more traveling through Cambodia and Viet Nam just taking pictures of the people.

A Vietnamese child playing on the gang plank to their families river boat.

More Children at play in the village.

I don’t think chicken woman was very happy to see me, Is she contemplating ringing my dinner bell?

Leaving the village and heading back to the boat for lunch. Here are a couple of school girls making sure to wave to us from their boat.

Vietnamese fishermen unloading their catch of the day.

We ran into some trouble heading back to the boat, and our driver could not steer the boat. Instead of shutting down and waiting for the other excursion boat to come back and tow us back, the driver kept trying to power across the river, resulting in us bashing in a few fish farms on either side of the river..

Our afternoon excursion consisted of a tour of a candy, pop rice, and whiskey manufacture.

Here is the coconut candy being mixed.

Pop Rice being made. As you can see, they are very much like rice Krispy squares.

Our guide trying to make spring roll.

 

Snake liquor anyone? (If it can embalm a reptile, think about what it would do to your liver.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

If your not into the snake liquor, but still think the local cobra’s are a tonic for all that ails you,  you can try some of the local pharmaceuticals.  (Fat of Pythons or some Cobratoxan anyone?)

It was then time to head back to the ship, and get cleaned up and rested for our going away party. It certainly was a strange feeling heading back to the boat from out last excursion, knowing that this was our last night on board.

As the sun set and we pulled up to the pier at My Tho, the crew put on a BBQ and farewell dance party. Our last time to say goodbye to our shipmates, and crew. Once again Mi Jung was the hit of the party. With her Korean dance moves.

 

All too soon it was time to say goodbye and goodnight, head back to the room and make sure we were packed, for the bus ride to Sai Gon.

We had a great time, and the service and crew aboard the RV Jahan were first class! I would highly recommend this cruise for anyone who is looking for a cruise off the beaten path.