Saturday 17 December 2011

My Tho, Ben Tre, An Hoa






It's Sunday and we are jst came bac from the floating market tour at Cay Rang. Can Tho is the biggest city in the South Western region (Tay). The traffic is as crazy as in Saigon. I still can't figure out how they manage to drive like that .... it's like liquid. There are very few traffic lights especially at the major intersections. The motobikes (they are referred to as xe hon-da or xe oto or xe 2 banh (2 wheels) they just weave in and out and around the cars. On the big streets, there are 3 lanes per side, the left lane is for cars and trucks, middle and right lanes are for motobikes and bicycles. If a car wants to turn right they signal and just jump from left to right and the bikes will slow down and yield and go around the car. But if a car wants to turn left they just start turning onto oncoming traffic and let the oncoming traffic slow down and go around them. very effective and fluid. After 10 days here I can tell you that two things that represent the people here : xe hon-da and cellphone. Everybody has a cellphone. Even a farmer in the field has a cellphone. We saw a monk in the temple chatting on a cellphone like there is no tomorrow. It's because cellphones are so cheap here and are readily available without any contract. Just pay for a sim card and pay an equivalent of $5 USD a month to use anywhere locally and long distance. And I am happy to know that every hotel has free wi-fi service. It's great for us.

Anyways, Carol has promised photos to follow so here they are. Enjoy.
1. Truong Tieu Hoc An Hoa
2. Emily and the python
3. Thiem Ba Niem, Phil, Di 5 and Chi Hai
4. Us on the boat travelling down a small creek lined with water coconut trees
5. Cam with the 100-banana-bunch tree

:)P

2 comments:

  1. That's not 100 bananas.........that's like 1000 bananas!!

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  2. Hahaha Mal's face was funny and priceless! Wow that's a very big snake, Emily you're so brave :) I would be so scared because I am terrified of snakes. Did you guys get the iPho shirt yet? ;)

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