Good Morning Vietnam!

I was not looking forward to crossing another border, but I was absolutely psyched to spend a few days in Vietnam. We were headed to Chau Doc, an untouristy town just 45 minutes from the Vietnamese border and I wish I could share some photos of what it was like to experience a crossing, but photos are strictly prohibited and believe it or not the Vietnamese border control can be pretty intimidating.

We arrived in Chau Doc in the afternoon and I was pretty excited to get out and do some exploring. As we headed to the markets we quickly realized that we were the only Westerners to be seen. This was wonderful because we were actually able to browse around without anyone forcing things at us and trying to convince us to buy! The Chau Doc market was one of the most fantastic I have ever been to. There were dozens of varieties of fruit and veggies, and we bought huge bags of rambutans and longans for just one dollar. I was loving the produce but when we turned a corner into the fish and meat section, I was instantly taken aback. I should have been prepared to see everything alive, but I was devastated to see fish barely breathing in an inch of water and chickens and ducks caged by the dozen. Needless to say we didn't venture too much further for fear we'd reach the butchery.

We arrived back at the hotel to find a gang of young Vietnamese men ready to bring us by motorbike to the top of Mount of Sam to see the sunset! This was easily one of my favorite parts of the trip. We got to ride all through the town and the suburbs and I have to admit that even I was delighted by the gorgeous children yelling and chasing after us with their outstretched peace signs. We wound around to the top of the mountain and when we finally arrived at the top, we discovered a quiet bar dotted with hammocks to relax and enjoy the atmosphere. With a frosty Saigon Red in my hand, I was truly living the life!

I loved the cities and I loved the beaches but Chau Doc was an amazing experience and a fantastic look at how the Vietnamese live. If you ever get to Vietnam, please stop into Chau Doc - just don't venture too far back into the market!