During the Tet Festival in Can Tho (Mekong Delta)

Even in Can Tho, the effects of the Tet festival were noticeable. The metropolis (the largest in the Mekong Delta) was deserted during the day, and even the floating markets, which are usually the main attraction in Can Tho, did not take place. So, we didn't have much to do here except gather some information about our next destinations and enjoy some cold drinks. What initially felt like a wasted day was actually relaxation that we desperately needed.

As we sat comfortably on a park bench in the shade, an elderly Vietnamese lady approached us and tried to persuade us to take a boat ride to the floating market the next day. We were somewhat skeptical because the market was supposed to take place a day later. However, she managed to convince us with a good price, and so we agreed to be at the pier at 5:30 a.m. to witness the sunrise.

In the evening, the city slowly came back to life. Where there was not a soul to be seen moments ago, people soon crowded the streets, and we wondered where all these people suddenly came from. In the city center, there was a street decorated with flowers and thousands of kitschy lights to celebrate the festival.

4:30 a.m.: Wake up! We reluctantly got out of bed, packed our things, and gathered in the hotel lobby at 5:20 a.m. as a driver was supposed to pick us up. Unfortunately, the driver didn't show up, so we had to find another taxi to get to the pier on time. There was no sign of the old lady who sold us the ticket yesterday... fortunately, someone else was able to call her because we had taken a photo with her and her number was scribbled on our receipt. And there she came, greeting us with a toothless kiss and pulling us by the arms in a hurry to another pier. Another German couple was already waiting in the small boat, even though we had booked a ride for just the two of us, but they had faced the same situation. So, we set off on the Mekong, filled with tourist boats and waves. The driver gave us some small bananas, which we gladly ate since we didn't have any other breakfast. When we reached the "largest floating market" in the Mekong Delta, a bit of disappointment set in: instead of hundreds of boats crowded on the water where you can ride from boat to boat and buy fresh produce, there were only about 5 large boats with pineapples, 5 boats with watermelons, and 2 boats with potatoes - that's it. Short-staffed because everyone was still on vacation due to the Tet festival. Our driver bought some fresh pineapples from one of the boats, which he sliced for us while steering the boat and smoking. Very delicious!

But the journey wasn't yet over: he maneuvered us through narrow channels of the Mekong. It was just greenery, narrow bridges, and a few sheet metal huts of the locals around us. It felt very idyllic, and we immediately felt far away from the metropolis! We stopped somewhere, and the driver signaled us to get off and walk along the shore. This led us through beautiful fruit plantations, where our boat was waiting at the end. During the rest of the journey, the driver stopped a few times to pick fruits from trees along the shore, which he immediately sliced for us. This time it was a star apple, as we would later find out. Its flesh is slightly slimy, with large seeds and a white, sticky juice, and it tastes similar to a ripe, sweet persimmon. Quite delicious, but quite messy.

We then continued to a fruit garden with an adjacent restaurant. In the garden, a friendly 18-year-old Vietnamese girl showed us around, made palm leaf rings for us girls, and explained the different types of fruits, which we also had the chance to taste. Very tasty, but our still weak stomachs couldn't handle too much raw food, so we ordered a bowl of pho, Vietnam's specialty, at the restaurant.

Our tour was supposed to take us to a glass noodle factory, but when we arrived there, it, too, was closed for the Tet festival... of course, it would have been nice to know all of this in advance, but we couldn't complain, so we took it easy (something you quickly learn in Asia).

Back in the city, we briefly visited a temple, which, by the way, are very different here in Vietnam - very colorful and kitschy, some with LED-lit Buddhas - and walked past a giant golden statue of Ho Chi Minh. Since we had plenty of time until our bus to Saigon, we decided to go for a smoothie and dared to order a durian smoothie. Durian is a popular but stinky fruit here, and unfortunately, it lives up to its name... the smell and taste remind you of a half-rotten onion, already brown, sweet, and moist on the outside, if you know what we mean... and it's really disgusting (please don't try it!!!)! In the end, we had to leave the shakes untouched after trying them and quickly left the restaurant.

Now we are continuing to Ho Chi Minh City/Saigon on a comfortable bus!