Coffee and Planning
Diem and I had arrived back in Saigon from Da Lat the night before. It is nice to be with the family again. But the swampy jungle heat of the river delta is just relentless. My brother Luan invited me for a coffee and we rode to a nearby coffee shop for an iced coffee and a good view. We sat next to the canal, sipping our refreshing beverages, and discussing our next move.
In a bit of providence, everyone was off of work the following day, and Luan and I were working on a plan. We were laying out the details to a destination I had hoped to visit since we arrived in Saigon some weeks back. Deep in the heart of the river delta is the now bustling metropolis of Can Tho. A massive modern city that sits in the middle of a swampy jungle wasteland. With solid land at a premium, the city’s markets had evolved into floating towns of excitement and commerce.
I was to fund a three row SUV and Luan, a professional truck driver, would haul us all to Can Tho. It is only 106 miles from Saigon to Can Tho, but the congestion out of Saigon combined with a not always complete or well maintained highway system, made the journey a better part of 6 hours. It is 117 miles from Atlanta to Chattanooga. The particular market we were visiting, Cai Rang, only operated from 5am to 10am. We would need to be there incredibly early to fully enjoy its exciting offerings.
Off to Can Tho
It was around 4:30 pm when we left the coffee shop. Luan dropped me off at the house and headed off to collect our vehicle. At the house everyone was arriving home for work. We began to pack for an overnighter, had a quick and not very exciting snack, and were ready to go. It was just before 7 pm when Luan arrived with our transportation. We gathered our things and walked down the lane towards the waiting SUV. It was already pitch black and one of our nieces led the way with a very dim flashlight.
The vehicle’s occupants included Luan and his wife Duyen and their little one in the front. Diem, myself, Duyen’s sister and her daughter in the second row, and an empty third row. I offered to sit in the back. But as the seat was dropped to let me in, I realized that the third row offered about as much leg room as to only allow comfort for a five year old. Needless to say, I withdrew my offer.
An Unexpected, Yet Wonderful Acquisition
We trudged slowly out of Saigon to the southwest. On the edge of the mega city traffic eased and we began to move in a more American style pace. Almost immediately we exited the highway, and I couldn’t for the life of me figure out why we were stopping. After all, we had barely been on the move at this point, and there were many miles to go. I, apparently, was the only one unaware of what was going on.
Diem informed me that we were picking up the oldest sibling Hai and his wife. How wonderful this development is. It had been discussed at great length, and I was present for these conversations. However, what is often forgotten is my ability to pick up about 10 to 15 percent of any conversation. It’s getting better, but it’s not perfect. Luan parked, Diem and Luan exited the vehicle to look for a snack and find Hai, and I followed.
A Humbling Realization
It’s hard to pick a favorite in law. They are all an amazing group of humans. But Hai, the oldest of them all, was the first to really get to me. I will never forget his smile, open conversation in the light of a language barrier, and welcoming laughter when I first met him. He was the first to friend my mother on Facebook, and though no one in the family has ever made me feel less than welcome, Hai went out of his way to welcome me from the first time I met him.
Most approached me in the beginning with mild trepidation, but quickly became wonderful, newly acquired brothers and sisters. Hai jumped in head first. As the oldest it is obvious that he “leads” the siblings. As he should, and I was pleasantly surprised that he was joining us now. Hai and his wife have lived in the same small apartment for 20 years. Vietnam wasn’t the modern, accelerating economy then as it is now. And Hai and his wife settled into, what was considered at the time, a very comfortable apartment.
The Apartment
The apartment was tight and my American sensibilities took over my emotions. The motorbike was parked next to the bed, which was a bamboo mat on the floor. The bathroom was only separated from the room by a partial wall and no door. The bathroom housed a traditional squat toilet and there was no way to automatically flush it. I had learned early on in Vietnam that most squat toilets must be cleaned manually. They have plumbing out, but many have no plumbing in, so you must pour water from a bucket into the toilet to flush it. It works the same as a plumbed toilet, only you and a bucket are the tank at the top.
The front of the motorbike rested against the kitchen counter and the only supply of running water. A rice cooker and portable burner and portable gas single eyed burner were the only cooking equipment. Everything was washed, cooked and flushed from this knee level spicket that protruded from the wall next to the open bathroom. There was a loft above that housed their belongings, but beyond this there wasn’t much. WiFi and cable television were the extent of their luxuries, no A/C or refrigerator. Hai and his wife had lived in this very apartment for more than 20 years and are two of the happiest people I have ever met.
A Roadside Dinner
We collected our companions, and thankful now for the third row, we again made our way to Can Tho. We made it to the outskirts of My Tho around 9:30, the halfway point, and decided on dinner. As hunger was setting in everyone began looking for a roadside eatery that looked worthy of our business. I still struggle with the lack of refrigeration in Vietnam, but I’ve never experienced any issues, and the Vietnamese have definitely figured this challenge out.
All roadside and or street vendors display their meat offerings in closed, glass topped roll carts. Often on the bottom shelf are the dishes to display their cleanliness. When one sees something that looks appealing and hygienic, you stop to eat. This particular eatery offered Banh Canh, the delicious fresh fat noodles, with pork chunks and fresh herbs. The pigs head was propped in the glass and when everyone saw the jaw with gleaming teeth on display, the time for dinner was agreed. I have no reservation in plucking meat off of the cooked head of a farm animal, but the joy and excitement the average Vietnamese gets from this activity is a bit amusing to me.
The Last Stretch to Can Tho
We slurped down our steamy noodles and chunks of pork cheek and jaw meat, and settled into a symphony of toothpick work. The bits of collagen and connective tissue that accompany a roasted pig’s head can often get trapped in those dental crevices and require diligent extraction. We paid our bill, loaded the car and again made our way towards Can Tho.
Most in the car, including myself, fell asleep for the last leg. I awakened to a beautiful night scene of what looked like a new city. Lit with massive street lamps, broad avenues and well manicured medians. I was surprised in the modern sensibilities of this deep river delta city. I would come to find it even more beautiful and modern in the daylight. It was about a half hour before midnight and we needed a hotel.
Never Send A White Man in, in Vietnam
The car pulled to a stop in front of the first hotel that looked cheap. Diem pushed me out the door and as the youngest sibling in the car, it was her job to negotiate. I knew as she walked away and grabbed my hand, that I was coming with. I also knew this was a bad idea. It is impossible as a European descendant, to get any kind of reasonable pricing in Vietnam.
It is common knowledge that there are three prices in Vietnam, The local price, the your not from here but have been here long enough price, and the your not from around here price. We often work this angle at markets, one has to. I survey what I want and then send Diem or a friend in to negotiate. Never disclosing our relationship to each other. As I went in with Diem while she negotiated room prices, I automatically put her at a disadvantage. My mere presence started the negotiations at 4 times what they normally would be for any Vietnamese without a white boy in tow.
Take It
It took three hotels and a desire for everyone to lay down, before it was decided that I would not escort Diem in for the next negotiation. Duyen made her way in with Diem while I sat in the car purposefully keeping my presence hidden. A room was procured with three beds and as it was well past midnight, we unloaded. I looked back at the car as we walked towards the hotel. We had parked in front of a stadium almost hidden in the night. It was the training facility for the Vietnamese Olympic team. The Green Team as they are called. Huh, how about that.
We piled into the classic Saigon style hotel room. There were 10 of us and three beds, Luan and Hai slept in the SUV while I, the only other male in the group, flopped down on a bed in the corner and fell fast asleep.
The room wasn’t anything special, but it did offer an air condition to keep things comfortable. Beyond that it was something that could have been in a war movie as we had left the modern city interior behind for the more affordable delta outskirts. I didn’t care as we were only in need of a few hours, we would be leaving for the markets by 4:30 am, and at this point the room was more rest stop than accommodation.
Before Dawn
It felt like I had only slept for mere moments when the first Alarm sounded. I looked at my phone, 4:10am. “Well,” I thought, “no sense in harping on trivial things as a lack of sleep.” We, after all, had a most unique market to explore. When my bathroom slot came I took a quick shower and brushed my teeth. I gathered our belongings and walked to the balcony. The room we were staying in was on the 2nd floor with a long catwalk that overlooked the street.
The early morning was quiet and still. The pub and restaurant across from our room had been alive, loud and full of people having an apparently wonderful time when we tucked in. Now it was still, dark and lifeless. Luan brought the car around and as we loaded in I looked up at the stadium across the street. I could see the early morning sea blue light begin to permeate the sky from the east. Dawn was quickly approaching.
The Docks
The drive to the docks was short, only a few miles, and the city was already coming to life. Vendors with motorbikes and bicycles packed with the day’s offerings had already begun the trek towards their selling grounds. It was just after 5am, coffee shops were opening up and the docks were already packed with people. We found a place to park across from a massive statue of Ho Chi Minh, just down from the dock entrance. The sky was beginning to glow in a fiery display on the horizon.
We walked across the street to the dock’s entrance and rivers edge to a seen of unexpected proportions. Diem and I witnessed the most beautiful sunrise I have ever seen. Sunrise on the rivers of the Mekong delta. It was breathtakingly beautiful. Painted by the hand of God himself. I stood for quite some time just in awe of the sunrise, lost temporarily in a moment of deep, internal peace. As the sun finally breached the horizon, and the Rembrandt sky melted away, it was announced that our boat was ready.
The River
We were actually on the Hậu river. A distributary of the Mekong, It breaks away from the Mekong at Phnom Penh, the Cambodian capital, some 227 km or 141 miles upstream. The river runs parallel to the Mekong, sometimes coming as close as just a few miles, all the way to the South China Sea. It makes up a large area of the southern part of the Mekong river delta and Can Tho sits on the Hậu river’s eastern bank.
Cần Thơ
What can I say about Can Tho, it’s presence and size just thrill me. In my imagination I have always put Can Tho in a class with cities like Manaus in Brazil, or Yakutsk in northern Russia. Cities that are remote and often in environments not suitable for large cities. Manaus in Brazil is a city of over 2 million people that sits in the deepest reaches of the Amazon. It’s so remote in fact, that the only practical way to reach it is by boat or plane. The only road to Manaus winds through the wilderness of Venezuela, Columbia, Ecuador and Peru. There is no direct route from Manaus to the rest of Brazil. And mind you it is a city of over 2 million people. That is almost four times the size of Atlanta.
Can Tho has that imagery to me. Deep in the Mekong River Delta, A harsh Jungle, remote, a plane that floods relentlessly, until recently no real highway system, and many other countless challenges that make the prospect of growing a massive metropolitan city seem daunting. Yet here it was. Modern, beautiful, big and sprawling.
A Brief History
Founded in 1789 as nothing more than an outpost in the newly created vacuum left by the retreating Champa, Can Tho would quickly find itself of both geographical and economic importance. The settlement would become occupied by Khmer people (Cambodia), and Kinh tribes (Vietnamese), before the French invaded in the late 1870’s. Turmoil and constant war would keep the development of Can Tho slow for much of the next 100 years. Until finally the civil war for a unified Vietnam ended in1975 and domestic growth could finally become the focus of domestic efforts.
With the rapid industrialization of rice production combined with 20th century civil projects such as canal building and infrastructure booms. The recipe was right for a city to emerge in the once remote and inhospitable region of the river delta. With a massive network of canals to control irrigation and mitigate flooding, the river delta flooded with a different item, rice. Within 40 years the river delta became the largest rice growing region in Vietnam, and Vietnam as a whole became the 5th largest in the world. At the war’s end in 1975 Vietnam produced 10,293 tons of rice, within 20 years that number would reach 25,000 tons, and by 2010 it had crossed the 40,000 ton mark.
An Opportunistic City
With this massive boom in rice cultivation the need arose for localized production facilities, mills and support industries. At the heart of the river delta was Can Tho and it rose to the challenge. Can Tho underwent a boom of its own. in 1980 Can Tho had a population of 185,000 and had only topped 100,000 ten years prior. Today the population of Can Tho is 1.618 million and is growing at a steady annual rate of about 6.8 percent.
Can Tho, a backwater 100 years ago, is now the 4th largest city in Vietnam. Can Tho has become a center of education, industry and civil works. It is connected to the rest of Vietnam via the Can Tho bridge, which is the longest cable-stayed bridge in Southeast Asia. It’s streets are wide, well manicured, and lined with architecturally beautiful buildings. And all out of the flooded delta of a former fort and outpost. It is a testament to Vietnam’s recent successes and economic growth and hard work.
Down The River We Go
I snagged a couple of Pepsi’s from the vending machine next to the dock and headed down the ramp to board the boat. I had not yet consumed any caffeine at this point and It was well past time. The boat was long, probably 40 to 50 feet, covered for most of its length and had a rather short beam. As we loaded the thin vessel we had to position ourselves to keep the boat balanced. After everyone was on board and in position the friendly captain unmoored from the dock and maneuvered us out into the open water.
It was still not full light and the lights of the fading night could still be observed on the river banks. The markets were about a 20 minute ride down river. Given the value of land and most of the rivers edge used for transporting to and supplying of the markets. Any one wanting to just visit for the experience had to be brought in by boat from a distance. The ride was very interesting. We passed barges loaded with sand, mills filling vessels on the shore line, and quite a number of smaller vessels doing exactly what we were.
The Markets of CÁI RĂNG
After about 20 minutes we came to a newer concrete bridge spanning the river. At the center of the bridge was a large sign that read “Chợ Nổi Cái Răng”, Cai Rang Floating Market. Goosebumps of excitement crawled up my arms. I had waited for this visit for quite some time. As far as the sign goes, these are rather common here. With so many canals, river distributaries, tributaries and the like, much of the transportation in the river delta, whether private or commercial, is still done to a large scale on the water. You see these signs across most bridges or simply on billboards at the water’s edge like road signs. Offering the name of the neighborhood, area, or in this case market entrance. And the market here stretched from bank to bank.
We made our way under the bridge and towards the bulk of the market. At the center of the market were much larger boats loaded with piles of produce or other goods. A bunch of bananas or a pineapple would be perched on a pole that reached 30 feet or more into the air denoting what you are selling. It is mostly a wholesale market, where grocers and restaurants come for their daily offerings, so those just wanting to observe are relegated to the outskirts. That doesn’t mean however, that we could not participate.
Canoe Merchants
On the outskirts of the markets were what usually appeared to be husband and wife teams or mother son teams. In quick and highly maneuverable long canoes, these teams would pull up to your boat, while your at speed mind you, latch on with hooks and rope and pitch you on whatever they had in their boat. It was often the fruit and vegetables offered on the larger vessels in the heart of the market, but could also be beverages or even breakfast. The market was fast paced, wild and unlike anything I had ever seen. It was wonderful.
One thing that was particularly of note were the rather long shaft outboard motors that every boat, even the larger ones, seemed to possess. Nothing like the Evinrude or Mercury outboards you see on American river vessels. They can be observed in every movie or documentary I’ve ever watched that featured Mekong water travel and here I observed their full potential for the first time and in person.
These long shaft outboards, with their pivoting mounts, provide a maneuverability like nothing I’ve ever seen on water. A Tokyo drift like ability that is both impressive and at times harrowing. One minute you see a canoe heading straight for you at concerning speed. Then suddenly, seconds later, it is facing the same direction you are and neatly affixed to your port side and trying to sell you mangosteens. It was almost more excitement than I could handle. I was unable to get any photographs of this, my camera was constantly rolling on video, so be sure to check out the video link at the end of the post.
Breakfast
After a dizzying spell across the market we all agreed it was time to eat. Our Captain knew just the place and steered us towards a very popular floating restaurant on the edge of the market. It offered no dock to moore and we just slid next to a row of boats that sat butted up to the restaurant. We walked across the bow of the boats that separated us from breakfast, and with much maneuvering and bumping of other patrons, made our way to an empty table in the back.
It was about as makeshift and seemingly as dangerous of a place as one could possibly sit down for a meal. A wide berth of tires, recycled pontoons, old boats and anything else that might float, were haphazardly fastened together. The restaurant, and quite amazingly, had electricity and even a functioning bathroom. Though I can only imagine where it flushes too. We sat down at the bobbing river breakfast house, there were signs that the patrons also lived here, and ordered coffee and a big bowl of the local specialty. Bún riêu cua.
Bún Riêu Cua
What an incredible dish. It begins with paddy crabs that fill the rice fields of the delta region. These particular crabs are rather small so an ingenious technique is implemented. The crabs are carefully washed and prepared for processing. They are then pounded into a fine paste, shell and all, until they are as smooth as cream. Placed in a press to remove excess liquid, the paste is then formed into cakes and steamed. The crab liquid is added to tomatoes and simmered for the broth. Fresh rice vermicelli, slices of crab cake, fresh herbs, half a stewed tomato, and this particular version offered a diamond shaped slice of cake made from pork blood and liver. It was absolutely divine, rich and filling.
A Honey House
After breakfast we loaded the boat. Our boat had moved, it was now the first boat in line, as other patrons had left and we hopped on and backed out and into the river. We headed further downstream away from the market. The Captain’s son had joined us by now and was helping to navigate the sometimes tight waterway. We passed more floating restaurants, gas stations and makeshift tin houses. We eventually settled in, as before, to a line of boats. This time they were lined up next to the shore and a home market.
The house was owned by a family and doubled as a honey production facility, candy factory and wood shop. I walked to the back of the property to find the bee hives. In open topped hives, the colonies were protected under tarpaulin awnings, I assume to offer visitors a look into the honey manufacturing beehives. They were quite tame bees. I had read of Asian bees being some of the most docile in the world, and they showed amazing friendliness here. So friendly in fact, that I was encouraged to pick up one of the honeycomb boards. I did, and the bees seemed happy about it.
More Worker Bees
The facility was quite impressive. A rather large property that housed not only the bees, but a sprawling garden in the back. Filled with fruiting trees and vines used to make many of the treats sold here for the masses. The entire family was in production and as it was Sunday, the only day of the week school was not in session, it was hard to know if this was a regular occurrence. School had just recently reopened after some 5 months in suspension, so I’m sure whether it was normal or just on Sunday, the children had recently been put to some serious use.
The children, sometimes as young as maybe 8 or 9, sat in facial coverings operating low heat flames to seal the packages of newly packed treats. In these circumstances one can’t be sure, is it helping the family business while not in school, or the beginning of a lifetime of hard labor. One sees these situations occasionally, but I would soon find that this household was well off. There were many on the river not in such a great position.
Broad Daylight on the River
We made our way back onto the boat, this time having to do a bit of maneuvering for our exit. We made our way back across the market for one last shot of excitement. Our captain purchased some fruit for his home and we generally just observed the ride back through the market. After reaching the market’s edge and heading back towards our origin a different sight became visible.
With a full belly, the sun high in the sky and the excitement fading behind us, I began to cry. I wasn’t sure at first why, but it was uncontrollable, and merely the realization of my surroundings. I tried to avoid Diem’s gaze, but she was on to me, and I just stared off into the depths of my observation. The discovery of the slums was upon me, a scene I had hoped to never see. There were so many great accomplishments in Vietnam, but here, on the banks of the Hau river, poverty existed as I had never witnessed.
An Emotional Scene
Trash piled up on the bank to make it difficult to discern were the trash ended and land began. Shacks built with rusted siding. Children bathing, defecating and evacuating into the river oblivious to the fact that anyone may find it inappropriate. Often I would see a nice apartment flat next to a block of slums that looked like a bomb had gone off. It was hard to accept and I cry over my keyboard putting the words to script now. It was about an emotional of a seen as I’ve ever seen in my life. And I’ve seen some rough ones.
Away From The River
The thing that really gets me about Vietnam is most don’t notice these things. The majority of people in the country lived in this way less than 30 years ago. It explains a lot about their ability to ignore rats, find curiosity in flying roaches, and in general just go on with their day when many in the west would throw in the towel. We reached the dock and exited the boat for a more modern situation. But the images at the edge of the Hau river still haunt my mind today. We headed into Can Tho for a wonderful day in the delta city. But I must leave that for another post. Even in writing this experience two weeks later, it drains me emotionally, recalling what I witnessed on the banks deep in the Mekong river Delta.
Click Here for an amazing and emotional video experience on the rivers of the Mekong Delta
or Click Here for other powerful moments of life.
