I wake up very early, I have to join the others before sunrise. This morning we will visit the floating market on the Mekong. Our boat is waiting for us just outside of the resort. Everybody seems sleepy, the air is moist and the river hazy. I cannot believe that I actually am on the Mekong river, so far from home, alone. The river is dirty, trash floats on the surface. The sun rises slowly and we reach the main market area.
Our driver asks if anyone wants to eat some noodles. I pass the message to the front of the boat, no one is interested. I have fun waving my hand to kids looking out of their houses, they mostly wave back. Some confused younger ones are helped by a parent to waves back. I feel warm inside.
On the way back we stop at a shop, where a presentation of how rice paper is made. All very touristy, I purchase a few Vietnamese delicacy. I will not be staying a long time in Vietnam so I have to try to maximise the time I have here to try local foods. I share some with our small group. (We are only four on the boat).
On the way back to the resort, we get a glimpse of women doing their dishes or washing clothes in the river, sometimes giving us a smile. I spot a woman carrying a big dog by its one front leg. I think to myself "what a peculiar way to carry one", she instantly dipped the animal into the water cleaning it thoroughly, and out. I elbow Ella, "Look, that's going to be for lunch", she is terrified. Yes, this dog is a dead one, I myself believe that eating a cat or a dog is no different from eating beef or chicken. Eating meat in general is cruel.
We are back at the resort, I hang out with Ella for a while. She doesn't like coffee but wouldn't mind trying the delicious Vietnamese brew. I order it with condensed milk this time to try out. But damn I like my coffee like my metal, BLACK.
Today I will head down town where I will spent a night in a hotel. I retrieve my passport from the reception, or so I think. It is not mine, this passport belongs to Benoit, the French guy sojourning in the resort with his girlfriend. The problem is that they both left a few hours ago, most likely with my passport. Damn it, it is bad. the owner of he resort and I try to contact the French guy, sending him mails, Facebook messages, skype and so on. I know from a conversation we had this morning, that the couple was heading to HCMC where Benoit was starting a new job. I decide to wait a couple of hours, maybe the guy would have noticed that he did not have his passport and run back to the resort before taking the bus.
Duy joins us, he invites me to come to a friends wedding (or birthday party, I don't remember). I don't know what to do, I'm afraid to find myself alone surrounded by drunk Vietnamese men, on the other hand it could be a great experience with food and friends. I am also concerned about my passport being travelling arround on someone else's hands. Not knowing exactly where I am going I decide to kindly refuse, Ella seems to share my opinion. Hah it is sometimes so frustrating to be a solo female traveller!
I ask Ella if she wants to come with me to look around for food and explore the surroundings. She says that she spotted a cafe on Google maps, hopping that they have air con as she is suffering from the heat. We walk along the bridge, it is hot and we arrive in front of the cafe. As I expected, it is Vietnamese style, open on the street with no air con. We sit anyway, to have a few drinks. A group of young Vietnamese find us hilarious and keep laughing loud and staring hard. Haha, whatever, the waitress is sitting at their table. She is nice and helpful. We enjoy cold drinks, cooling off under the fan.
No knews of my passport, I decide to move to the hotel downtown anyway and keep trying to reach Benoit. Duy drives me to the Hotel Xoai, he explains my passport situation to the girl at the reception, she tells me to hand Benoit passport instead. I thank Duy for all his friendliness and services and enter my cute little room.
The hotel is located just in front of a Buddhist temple, a very disco temple with blinking lights and music. The streets are bustling with vendor and motorbikes. I decide to do some clothes shopping. Vietnam really is a shopping paradise.
Later that evening I skype with my mum and spend some time on the roof top of my hotel. Benoit finally answers my mails, I will get my passport back tomorrow in HCMC.
