Jan 21. 15:00. Local time
(Libby – good suggestion)
Day started quite well with an excellent breakfast at the hotel. Make it yourself Pho, buffet style choice of ingredients. See included picture.
The morning toilette is long and involved, but suspect necessary especially in this Southern part of the Mekong. Shower, Malaria drug, sunscreen (do not miss the ears ) and a bit more sunscreen then grease up with deet paste and then put on cloths over this greasy mess. The others on the trip have been badly burned, especially on their arms – blisters and pain – so the motivation remaiins on my end. Havé avoided the burns and bites of mosquitos so far.
Into a small motor driven boat and off for a tour of the Mekong lifestyle in this area. More floating markets, a visit to a carp farm (local fish farming for local consumption – the catfish is for export ).
We then stopped at a town that is inhabited by the Chaum people. Came here from the central region in the late 19th century. Muslims. Went to visit their mosque, and sample their local weaving.
Met a young woman, from Holland, has been bumming about for almost six months. Cambodia, Thailand, Laos and Vietnam. Traveling alone. Always puts any adventures I do in perspective.
Might have purchased a local sarong.
Then back to the hotel and a bus ride to Sam Mountain. First a stop at sevéral temples. The first for a general who captured back the area from the Cambodians. They honor and rever him.
Second to the "The Local Lady". Picture of an offering included. Massive donations and lots of visitors. Many from the South feel that they must come here regularly.
Pagoda's bring in a lot of money in donations. Trang told us the story of a local Pagoda that was set up as a sham. Brought in relics, experts with commentaries on the budda, monks. It was all a sham to take money.
Next an exciting motor bike ride up to Sam Mountain. The road is too steep and narrow for the car so we all jump on the back of a motor bike and hold onto the driver. Up the mountain to about 800 feet.
A visit to the multicultural Tay An Pagoda (Muslim, Hindu, Buddist, etc. ). Very nice.
Short visit to a market – cloths (second hand shop is filled with goods Americans donate to charity and then these goods get sold at low prices in developed world countries; looked for items we might have provided but none in this shop ).
Seem to have connectivity so will send this now
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