Jan 26 23:45 local time
Serendipity and the Monk.
How is that for a title . How can you not continue reading?
Yesterday started with a ride south to Long Vinh, on the coastal side of the Mekong. I had asked Vietnam Tourist to put together an interesting experiance and a stay with a rural family on a orchard was planned. First the ride by car to the general area then a small boat to an island in the middle of Mother River.
We took along bikes, we being Thrang, my ever helpful and delightful guide, and myself. (As a side note Thrang is the one that invited me to both the wedding of his friend and then upon my return from the Northern trip to join his family for Tet).
Got to the island and we biked around for a while. Got to see this beautiful rural area. The island is home to about 4000 inhabitants, most having small fruit farms and wonderful gardens. A jungle swamp area with waterways and small roads everywhere.
The "road" is what we would call a sidewalk. Good concrete, not cracked and the same width as our sidewalks. Naturally two way motorbike traffic. The offshoot roads are dirt and much smaller. Some the width of my two feet. A real maze but fortunately people know their way arround.
We stopped at a pagoda, one about 250 years old. A monk was in charge, a pious one. We asked about the pagoda and talk let to an offer of tea and it turned out California Raisons sold by a Malaysian company. We discussed some details of confucianism and budhism and then he invited Thrang and I to dinner. We were both quite suprised.
After going to the homestead, a farmer and his wife, both in their sixties and looking older – much older – than we do at that age, but without any arthritus and able to squat and work on the ground, we had tea as a welcome. Fruit orchard, Longons mostly but other fruit as well. They live a self contained life with items from the farm and the mother river. When hot water was needed the wife squatted down, built a fire in a clay pot and put a pot filled with water for boiling.
Outdoor squatter plumbing, bucket over the head for showering, tiled floor or tiled platform for sleeping. The tiled platform was given to me and they put up a mosquito net. She and he slept on the floor, same tile, same .25 inch thick tatami mat. A little harder than we are used to.
After some moré tea went back to the Pagoda for dinner. It was fabulous. Enough food for 20 or so. He did not eat as he eats his one meal before noon. Was prepared by the junior monks who ate the leftovers. Pictures of the food in the main camera.
Discussion was on the importance of taking care of one's parents. More Confucian wisdom, training and placement in the karhma of Budhisim. Dinner was noodles with Thai type Tom Yum soup, cha Gio, rolltemps, Bahn something, frozen milk yogurt. All vegetarian but one would have guessed that the shrimps looking items were real shrimp; they wére not. Everything was especially well prepared. He then had me tour his kitchen and sanitary facilities. Naturally spotless, something he considered important.
As mentioned his is 81. Was a rich disco and diamond merchant but in 1993 he gave it all up and gave away all he had to move to the pagoda and pray.
Now it was dark and we took a boat back to the other part of the island. Pitch black a guide met us at the quay and then, with a flashlight, walked us through the maze of the jungle.
To sleep around 9 PM after some tea and talk with the homeowners. Roosters started first round at 03:30 and second and final round at 05:30 so up by 6 am. Fortunately the night was cool and though a bit hard I got a good night's sleep.
Took an early morning walk, see picture of road outside the home.
Breakfast of fresh eggs, a longer walk, a nap on a hammack (quite comfortable if hard to get in and out of) and then a special lunch made for us. Included fish and banana fritters and some special snack of rice powder and coconut paste steamed on banana leaves. Pictures in the camera.
Back to the boat for an hour ride around the island and then towards Saigon. Driver met us and picked us and the bikes up. Back just in time for the wedding.
Large Asian style affair. Combination business responsibilty for all in both companies and related businesses and maybe a few friends. 500 or so guests. The quality of the food and service was first class plus some. Not a rubber chicken at all. One pic of one dish -there were maybe 7 rounds of dishes like the one pictured each different and interesting. Then a few grapes and everyone got up an left. Took pictures with the couple on the way out. Very friendly and welcoming and gratious.
The wedding was at a dedicated wedding place with hostesses, moving walkways, children dancers (children of the staff), father speeches. Very similar to Tom's in Japan without the rice ceremony.
Finished the evening with a visit to a Jazz club.
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