Tourism gone bad

Friday, June 23, 2017

After a noisy night from all the party action and traffic on our street, we woke to a funeral parade.  The casket was being pushed on a cart down the street followed by a four man band, who despite their small numbers were very loud and actually could carry a tune.  Then we were off on another tour.  This one of the Mekong Delta is a prime example of tourism gone bad, with excessive over tourism.  After a couple of hours on a cramped mini bus in which I was seated next to a teenage Vietnamese boy who was not pleased at having to sit next to me.  A couple attempts at conversation were met with a quick look away and out the window.  Even more petrifying to the young man was his falling asleep and having his head roll onto my shoulder.  He then overcorrected and banged his head into the window.  Though he was going to cry, but he toughed it out.

The tour had us boat over the Mekong River (which is huge and over 35 meters deep) to a honey factory, and then to a coconut candy factory, then a 1 km ride on a cart being pulled by a malnourished horse, then a ride in a paddle boat down a narrow side channel.  The paddlers were very skilled to maneuver in a small water way packed with other tourist boats.  Next, a stop for some fruit and live musical entertainment by some poor girls who will never make it far.  We then had a tasty little lunch at a spot specially designed for the tourist, with climbing ropes and other entertainment.  Final stop, the big Budda’s.  Happy Budda, Sleeping Budda, She Budda, they were all there.  How tough are we?  The boys went to check out one building but were kicked out by a monk.  Tail between oiur legs, we then headed back for Saigon for our last night in Vietnam.