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Post by Deleted on Apr 18, 2009 17:33:35 GMT
Thread created by kerouac2At the snake market, one of the 'attractions' was the feeding of the snakes. Everybody crowded around to watch this, not just the tourists. Lest one forget that these creatures are not raised as pets, we quickly saw the display of reptilian culinary delights. Yes, it was that same day that I ate a marinated raw snake salad at a restaurant. It did not immediately become my favorite dish.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 18, 2009 18:17:06 GMT
The last stop on this tour was the city of Chau Doc, which is only 2 km from the Cambodian border. There is a big bump in the flat delta lands called Mount Sam ( Nui Sam) which has a long spiral path to the top with a hundred pagodas along the way. The view from the top is breathtaking. Actually, it was already amazing part of the way up, because my travelling companion suffers from vertigo and could not continue the ascension. He went back down to have a Coke somewhere and wait for the group to return. (Getting the tour bus to drive around looking for him when we returned was as close to carjacking as I have ever come. While the other tourists understood my concern, the Vietnamese guides seemed to have no problem with the idea of just abandoning him on the spot.) That part of the Mekong delta was having huge floods at the time. The tour guide made it very clear that he did not much like Cambodians. The area had been invaded sporadically by Khmer Rouge troops, so we were told horror stories of the atrocities committed in various villages. The only one that I recall had something to do with Vietnamese villagers hiding in caves and starving while the Khmer Rouge pillaged and raped. The situation was desperate, so the villagers decided to kill all of their own children so they wouldn't suffer from starving to death. Naturally, the valiant Vietnamese army arrived to rescue them just one day after they slaughtered their offspring. However, the guide had one positive thing to say about Cambodians, even though he wrapped it in venom. "Cambodians are so stupid," he claimed. "They are probably the stupidest people in the world. But they are also very honest. If you lose your wallet in the main street of a village, it will still be lying in the same place if you come back for it the next day."
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Post by Deleted on Apr 23, 2009 18:00:54 GMT
Okay, here are the last photos of this trip. On the last night, there was an incredible full moon that mesmerised me. But would the Mekong be a sad and dark place on nights without the moon? I found the reply to that question a little later that night.
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Post by bixaorellana on Apr 23, 2009 20:45:31 GMT
What a gutsy display! ;D But you did not tell us whether it tasted like chicken or not.
The pictures of the flooding are beautiful, particularly the fourth one down -- thanks for sharing these.
And the moon -- so glorious and blue! I eagerly await the answer to the question about moonless nights on the Mekong.
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Post by Kimby on Apr 24, 2009 17:27:35 GMT
bixa, the answer is "Sony". And other advertisers in this rampantly capitalist land.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 24, 2009 17:39:14 GMT
Absolutely, Kimby.... big bright signs to light the Mekong nights.
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Post by bixaorellana on Apr 24, 2009 17:48:52 GMT
Oh!
That picture didn't open up for me when I first viewed the thread, so I thought the answer was coming later.
Yuck. That's a shame.
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Post by hwinpp on Apr 27, 2009 9:21:58 GMT
I can just imagine the VN/KH antagonism, K2. It's no different here, "illegal immigrants", "supported by the puppet government", "not paying taxes", "all the ladies hookers", etc., etc.
I've rarely spoken with a Khmer or a Vietnamese who has a 'normal' opinion of his neighbour.
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Post by bixaorellana on Apr 27, 2009 13:10:21 GMT
Is the mutual hostility a result of the most recent wars and changes, or is it a long-term historical hatred?
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Post by Deleted on Apr 27, 2009 13:34:13 GMT
I think it is a very long term feeling, but it was revived when the Vietnamese invaded Cambodia to overthrow the Khmer Rouge. Just like when the U.S. invaded Iraq, the people of Cambodia did not run out and wave Vietnamese flags in joy, even if they were happy to be rid of the Khmer Rouge.
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Post by hwinpp on Apr 28, 2009 11:23:01 GMT
LOL! Jack is right. It's a long, long hatred. And the Vietnamese are the only people the Khmers are scared of. They laugh about the Thais.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 23, 2011 22:06:45 GMT
I am yearning for the delta. I'm just wondering if I can authorize myself a week in the south sometime this year...
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Post by hwinpp on Mar 2, 2011 2:00:57 GMT
Coordinate with me. I'll be going a couple times more.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 26, 2011 20:54:28 GMT
I think I should mention that quite a few of these photos -- including all of the ones in black and white -- were taken with "disposable" cardboard & plastic cameras which were commonly available 10 years ago (although I saw somebody with one of those cameras just last week and was amazed that they still exist), so I don't want to hear anybody claiming that they can't post pictures because they don't have a good camera.
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Post by bixaorellana on Sept 27, 2011 1:56:56 GMT
You tell 'em!
Hey ~~ this is great. I tend, probably along with almost everyone, to think "oh I've seen that" about older threads. But looking at this 2 1/2 years later, it's all new again. Thanks for floating this back up to the top.
Looking at this thread, I also thought how very lucky we are to have people willing to share pictures and experiences (thanks, Kerouac) and others willing to enhance the reports with their knowledge (thanks, HW).
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Post by hwinpp on Sept 27, 2011 15:10:46 GMT
Looks the same now as when K2 took the pictures from Sam Mountain. Everything flooded. The Mekong hasn't breached the banks... yet.
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Post by nycgirl on Sept 28, 2011 14:58:24 GMT
Beautiful photos of the full moon. It looks bright as day. Good job capturing these with a disposable.
The snake feeding is fascinating in a repulsive way. It's crazy that the thing can wrap its mouth around a duck.
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Post by htmb on Sept 1, 2014 16:44:44 GMT
Absolutely fascinating reports and stunning photos of the Mekong area. Reading through these posts certainly has opened my eyes in regards to Southeast Asia and specifically Vietnam. I'm looking forward to seeing updates one day, as you are sure to take future trips.
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