final day in Vietnam

I’m finally to my last day in Vietnam!  We get to India tomorrow!  Ok… so back to the final day in Vietnam…
I went to the Mekong Delta on a SAS trip...Amy and Megan were in my group.  Our trip left at 8 and we drove about 2 hours to a temple where there was a HUUUUUUUUUUUUUGE Buddha!  There were 2 of them actually.  The one was the typical fat, sitting Buddha and the other one was tall and skinny.  After walking around that, we got back on the bus and then went to the delta where we took a boat to cross the river.  After we crossed the river, we went and saw people making coconut candy and how its made and we got to try it and buy it if you wanted.  I bought 6 things of it because it was only for a dollar!  When we were done buying candy, we walked to a horse-wagon, which is a wagon that holds 4 people attached to a horse and the horse took us on a little 10 minute drive through the town to the next place we were going.  The next place we went to was a like a sidewalk with vendors on either side but then there was a outdoor picnic type area where we got to taste honey and tea and all different types of fruits.  There was pineapple, papaya, mini bananas, and a bunch of other fruits that I don’t know what they are called.  One was red and spikey on the outside, but when you cut the skin away it was sweet with a pit in the middle of it.  There was also a HUUUUUUUGE snake there in a cage.  And then the lady took the lid off the cage and it started sliding out of the cage.  After that, we took a tiny boat that holds 4 people and our rower and went down the delta.  It was beautiful.  The water was a little gross and muddy though.  And there were a few times that I thought we were going to take water on because we were so low in the water and were rocking a little.  Other than that thought it was beautiful.  After going down the river we got onto a bigger boat where it took us to where we were having lunch.  Oh lunch that day.  It was definitely interesting.  I wish I knew how to post pictures on this so I could show you what was placed in the middle of the table… but I will try to explain it as best as I can.  It was an elephant ear fish.  And it was whole, and fried, and being supported by 2 prongs, and it was staring at me.  When I say it was whole, I mean it still had its fins and scales on its face.  And the lady came over and sliced it and made us some fresh grilled elephant ear fish spring rolls.  And guess what… I ATE IT!  I know… I know… for those of you who know my picky eating habits will be shocked.  I was the first person at my table to try it.  It was interesting.  It didn’t taste fishy though but it definitely had a weird texture and taste to it.  One was enough for me!  But then the lady made me another one, and I took one bite of it and then she walked away and I stopped eating it.  The next course was pretty good.  It was what I thought was deep fried mashed potatoes almost.  But in a French fry form I guess.  I don’t know its hard to explain…and then there were fried spring rolls.  We also had jumbo shrimp, crunchy noodles with vegetables and then it ended with a pork hot pot (which is like soup).  After lunch, we got on the bus and headed back to Saigon.  We got dropped off at the Rex Hotel, and me, Amy and Megan went to go pick up Amy’s dress.  We then went to the market to attempt to get sunglasses but were unsuccessful and then ate at Pho 2000 which is where Bill Clinton ate when he visited Vietnam.  After that, we just headed back to the ship because we had to be back on the ship by 8. 
So there you have it!  My time in Vietnam… I think it tops the other countries so far.  And I definitely want to go back and explorer northern Vietnam.  Other than that… we get to India tomorrow and I’m not as nervous anymore.  I think it will be interesting and definitely eye-opening and shocking but hey… that’s what this whole trip is about.  Its about learning new things and being pushed outside your comfort zone… and I have done that a lot so far.  I have done things that I would never do… such as eat elephant ear fish.  India will definitely be an experience.