Vietnam's National Day - To Can Tho, Part 2: Life on the River (Ho's essay)

September 2nd, Vietnam's National Day, is the last public holiday of the year. Because of that, many Vietnamese people head back to their hometowns, meet up with friends, or travel around the country. My husband and I joined the crowd of Vietnamese travelers too, riding a bus for three hours from Ho Chi Minh City to Can Tho, the largest city in the Mekong Delta, for a one-night trip. And so, we headed to the main event of the trip: the "floating market." Here's the floating market itinerary we booked through the hotel, 1) Small and private 2) Enjoy the floating market to the fullest 3) Visit a hu tieu noodle factory... keeping it simple. *A staff member comes to pick you up at the hotel lobby at 6am. It's a tour for two people at 500,000 VND = 2,500 yen (1,250 yen per person). Walking along the riverside, we were constantly approached with offers for cheap cruise tours, and I did waver, thinking "should I go with this one instead?!" but... They told us we'd be leaving at 5 in the morning... I wasn't even confident I could wake up?! This was for a tour we'd booked at the hotel! The man we met at 6 in the early morning was the boatman who would hold our lives in his hands for the day! A floral-patterned non la hat, an Adidas knit shirt, a sharply composed face, and a solidly built core — his pedicure was a deep maroon color. I don't think he cares about fashion at all, but even so... An atmospheric woman put together in a calm tone.

The way it hops nimbly and lightly across the rocking little boat is truly reassuring. As for me, my hips just can't seem to plant themselves, and my core is weak too... Since I can't keep my balance, when I stand up I sway back and forth~ I'm filled with anxiety that I might tumble right out of the boat like this. All I can do is sit still and behave. (I keenly feel my lack of exercise!) But as the boat moved forward, I let myself go with the sway of the river's surface and gradually got used to it, and even had enough composure to take some photos.

A man standing and rowing a boat. Just standing there is already amazing! So cool! I can't help but think that. (It's like that syndrome where things look 30% cooler in ski wear at a ski resort, haha. Or that classic "Take Me Skiing" sickness—so old-school!) On this day, the waves seemed higher than usual. (According to my veteran husband Sei, who has five floating-market experiences under his belt, this was the roughest the waves have ever been.) When a big ship easily overtakes our little boat, the resulting swell and backwash come crashing into us — and the thrill of riding it out is something else! On top of that, when we're working our way upstream, we cross paths with a lot of speedboats too.

My boatman was steering the boat to try to avoid the splashback as much as possible, and while I was moved by that too, today the waves were high. No matter what, the boat kept crashing into the wave crests — splash! splosh! I fully enjoyed the “splash seat”!! That’s the real thrill of the floating market. It takes about 40 minutes to reach the floating market venue — or should I say the square? — but along the way you get to see scenery you can only find in a life lived on the river.

A woman rows her boat standing up. The way she grips the oar and gazes ahead, fixed on her course, looks so sharp and cool. Along the riverbank there are houses too, so you get a glimpse of everyday life.

There's a woman doing her laundry vigorously since a river runs behind her house. Here's some laundry too.

I wonder if they're a married couple chatting together? Though a little shy in front of the tourists, they smile and wave their hands at us. This must be just an everyday moment in their quiet, peaceful life. On the boats passing back and forth, too, we often catch glimpses of scenes of family life.

A child playing with toys on the boat. A young couple seems to have just finished unloading goods at the market... or are they about to? I wonder. Watching the young couple looking after the child is such a heartwarming sight. All the way to the floating market venue, I keep glancing left and right, trying to catch the perfect shutter chance, but with the boat constantly rocking and the subject moving too, I just can't get a good shot. All I can do is keep pressing the shutter of my heart, again and again. The main event is still yet to come〜〜〜〜. Overseas Life Ranking