#43: The first day in Can Tho

27.02.2020

On the first day in Can Tho, we have to wash another load of clothes and we explore the city on foot. After a late breakfast and washing, we are ready to go.

Although Can Tho is considered an industrial metropolis in the Mekong Delta, the city has a typical Vietnamese small-town flair. It is chaotic here, but without feeling completely overwhelmed. The people here are very nice and smile at you on every occasion. Both children and adults often take the opportunity to test their English 'hello' when making eye contact. It is also noticeable that there are not many Western tourists coming to this city/area yet, as we are often observed with interest by locals. Even with English, we often come across language barriers surprisingly often and quickly. For example, Vanessa's 'vegetarian' dish contained pork, beef, shrimp, snails, and possibly other meats. Rat is a common dish here. While Martin tried a little bit of it, Vanessa preferred to skip her dish and we shared Martin's food.

Today, we walk past a large city pond, along the food street, through the night market (during the day), to the bank of a Mekong branch, to a huge statue of Ho Chi Minh. We have to cross several 3-lane (more like 12 for scooters) main roads. We quickly realize that these roads can only be crossed with the motto 'close your eyes and go' because there is never a continuous gap in the traffic. At the beginning, we stand at the street for a while, to the amusement of the locals who watch us. After a few crossings, it becomes easier. The trick is to just start walking. The million scooters and 1-2 cars automatically fit you into the traffic.