A warm night comes to an early end, as fortunately the neighboring roosters act as a communal alarm clock from around 4 in the morning. By 6 o'clock at the latest, there is no more thinking about sleep, we get up. We are not yet in breakfast mood, so we decide to jog the bike route from the day before. It always goes along the canal on paths that can accommodate only two joggers, but apparently 3 mopeds side by side. At this time, the whole village is already awake, generally getting up early so that a siesta can be held in the oppressive midday heat. Vietnamese hits are blaring out of almost every house at an ear-deafening volume, listening to loud music seems to be a popular hobby.
We have some animal encounters, a few Delta residents can afford large livestock that 'grazes' (or rather, 'earth' given the visible number of ribs) directly next to the house.
Almost every house keeps chickens in the garden and the corresponding roosters in interesting wire enclosures (although it can be assumed that these roosters still enjoy twice the space of a European battery hen).
Similarly, almost every household has one or more puppies, so the question naturally arises of what happens to all the dogs when they grow up... Which brings us to our breakfast:There is a vegetarian noodle soup, which we refine with soy and chili sauce. In addition to toast with peanut butter, we are served fresh fruit in the form of mango, watermelon, and dragon fruit, which looks much more impressive than it tastes. Later at the market, we find a version of the dragon fruit with red flesh, which is said to be much more delicious, and a taste test confirms this. For drinks, there is fresh kumquat lemonade (an orange-like citrus fruit) and the legendary ice cappuccino (coffee with lots of condensed milk and filled with ice). It is very sweet but still delicious and nourishing.We then take a nap in the hammock and enjoy our chill jungle life. At around 12 o'clock, we go for a walk that is supposed to lead us through the Mekong Delta on foot. Many small bridges lead us over the various canals, and we wonder if the holes in the bridge floor or rather the lack of railings are intended to make us think about safety. We postpone the thinking, take a photo, and just walk over.On top of the bridge, we find the famous 'cable salad', as explained to us by a local, in which no one bothers to untangle or bring together the cables. We encounter various fruits along the way, here a tree is heavily burdened with the weight of huge jackfruits. The banana trees bear numerous fruits, which are harvested green and then ripen. And sometimes we ourselves are not sure exactly what we are photographing at the moment, if someone can help us, please do. Of course, the obligatory coconut that we are supposed to drink every day should not be missing today either. Our path leads us away from the delta arm and suddenly we find ourselves in the middle of an uninhabited planned city, some houses are empty, already starting to decay, others are still being worked on, and only a few are actually inhabited. However, this place does not really have a village or even a city character. When we cross the nearby main road (of course without traffic lights and zebra crossings), we find ourselves in front of the gates of Long Thinh, a district of Can Tho. The streets here are much busier, the shops are open, and there is a market in the rear area. We stroll through the district on foot and eventually find a quiet and shady spot where a Ca Phe is served to us. But first, a hen with her 8 chicks is shooed away so that we can sit there. In the metal can is a freshly brewed green tea, which tastes very bitter but refreshing after the sweet drink.We have already given up our resolution to always order drinks outside of our accommodation without ice (due to water quality), everything is simply served with ice and it feels good in the heat. So far, there haven't been any consequences. A beautifully speckled dragon lizard catches our eye on the metal grid next door On the way back, we pass a small roadside stand where fresh summer rolls are being prepared, we can't resist! The summer roll tastes excellent with fresh herbs, and we are already used to the animal dining companionship from the house. Without asking, we are served a homemade iced tea, which tastes excellent. The people recognize our linguistic incapacity (nobody here speaks a word of English) to articulate our wishes, and through their attention, they allow us to participate in typical Vietnamese life. And all this even though few tourists rarely find their way here. We are positively impressed. The evening ends with a beautiful sunset (it seems that one is more beautiful than the other)... ...and with a cuddle session with the kittens.Tomorrow we will set off early in the morning to Phu Quoc, the largest island in Vietnam. We will keep you posted!
