Vietnam Water Markets

Have you seen the professional photos of the floating markets?

Gorgeous, colourful, idyllic scenes that give way to romanticizing what life might be like and makes you want to travel and soak up the image conceived in your mind. 

I've seen those photos. . I've sent my daughter a postcard of one. Part of the reason we did the bike tour was to go and experience it myself.

Reality was a little different.

Reality was better.

Reality was raw and real.

Early one morning we got on a small boat and headed for the water market on the Mekong River.

The river is brown.

Plastic bags, debris and water hyacinths float along beside you.

The homes  along the way are weathered with necessities of life cluttering their small spaces.

The boats haves stood the test of time and miles of travel,
with only a few affording the time and work of adding color.

The skies  are grey with pollution and clouds.

Boats crowd together as each family comes to sell the goods from their farm. You note what they sell by looking at what is hanging from a pole off the front of their boat.

They stay in the harbour, paying a daily fee, until their produce is gone.  Then they go back home to their farms, load up and come do it all over again.

They live in cramped quarters. Washing off the back of the boat, cooking on the boat, dumping all their waste into the water. Making sure their little toddlers don't fall off the edge.

Sometimes there were smiles, sometimes the faces just looked tired.

Rain,wind, heat.....  real life!

Vendors selling drinks, sometimes soup or sandwiches to those on the boat.

I think she's finished her shopping.  

This market is bulk buy for restaurants and those who will go back to their stalls in the market. You don't come here for your daily fruits  and veggies.

An interesting morning and so glad I came!