I think this will be our only leisurely morning with a checkout at 10 am.  On the way to the ship, we stopped at a very large indoor market, similar to an indoor flea market, the size of a large block.  The outside aisle was government stalls with government workers and fairly fixed prices.  They weren’t as anxious to sell their goods as the individuals in the more crowded inner aisles.  There seemed to be sections of anything you might want to buy – blouses, clothing, baby goods, glasses, spices, dishes, pots and pans, fans, shoes, etc.  We arrived at the dock just before noon to embark on the Mekong Princess, home for the next week.  It’s only two years old and quite luxurious.  Tom and I had opted for one of the larger suites and were in awe.  We’ve never traveled like this.  The bathroom was larger than the one in our condo!  I could get used to this.  🙂

We had our safety drill and welcome, then lunch was a buffet with a variety of Vietnamese salads, soups, fruits, and desserts.  We won’t actually be on the Mekong for a couple of days because we have to traverse some other rivers and canals to get there.  But the rivers are so busy with different types of traffic that we were mesmerized by just floating along to see the commerce going on all around us.  Most of the barges were transporting sand from one location to another.

In the afternoon, Joyce gave her first presentation on “Discovering Southeast Asia!” that was very illuminating.  We hadn’t realized that so many tectonic plates met in the area, which resulted in early bronze, copper, and tin tools.  The ship stopped at Ben Tre in the evening and we were treated to a traditional Vietnamese Opera performance.  The performers came from a village about 60 km away.  Dinner on the ship provided options for a starter, a salad, soup, entree, and dessert – all Vietnamese, of course.

Cheryl

Bedroom