Vietnam Markets

On Tuesday we went around the floating markets of Cai Be in the morning, and looked at the local French Gothic Cathedral. Then in the afternoon e went to the fruit markets of Vinh Long which had some amazing looking and tasting fruits.

Each boat signifies what they are selling by hoisting it up on a stick. There are around 100 of these boats in total floating on the river, buying and selling and bartering.

You even have a soft drink dispenser!

They took us to a rice paper and candy manufacturer where they make amazing products from rice. This is of sand being mixed with brown rice, to make white rice products.

They then chop it up.

And package it. The staff get paid around $2 an hour, which is pretty reasonable for Vietnam.

This mother hen was picking at rice paper and feeding it to her chicks. Then they got noticed and chased off by stick wielding women!

Anyone fancy pickled snake for lunch?

Deshelling. She (and her mother) get paid 25c a kg and are pretty fast at it. The kids all go to school, but are expected to help earn money when not at school.

The exterior of the Gothic Cathedral. The rest of the town is pretty basic, so this sticks out somewhat.

And the interior.

This is from the afternoon at the fruit markets. These are in fact a type of apple.

I’m not sure if you eat the fruit on the right or use it as a weapon!

No plain packaging in Vietnam!

Yum, fish. The markets were fascinating – both from an economic perspective, but just to see the variety of fruit, and trying them out. We have such little variety in NZ.