H C M C - day 4 - Markets

Thurs June 1

Another big day in Vietnam for us. Picked up at 8am by our motodrivers and guides, Mr Dat and Mr Tong, and headed out of the city. Got off the motorway about 45mins up the line to check out a rural market. Have seen many markets on our travels, this one had heaps of very fresh produce and animals. There were a few eyeopening sights .

(those a little squeemish dont read the next paragraph).
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Many many varieties of fish. Several types of water snakes - of differing sizes. Rats. Frogs. Chicken of course. Pork. Anything that is sold can be bought in any form. Living, dead as is, dead and skinned, or in the case of frogs - alive and skinned. Arrgghh. Poor things were just sitting there still alive, but breathing heavily and I guess in a state of shock. sent shivers up my spine. There were stacked cages of rats, smallest ones in one cage at the top, medium in the middle, and HUGE ones stuffed into a cage at the bottom. Alive of course. Across the path rats were being defurred and skinned. arrgghh. Seemed every part of every animal is sold and utilised in some way. I got plenty of photos for those who need to see the proof!
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Heaps and heaps of very fresh fruit and veges, many of which were of course alien to us.

We were quite the spectacle at the market. Seems they dont see many tourists there. Everyone was staring at us, indicating to their noses and pointing at ours, fascinated by our relatively straight and pointy noses. Very friendly people, obviously fascinated by foreigners. Many were commenting on Em's good looks, Mr Dat translated for us. Many were asking where we were from. Dan Dang Lee Lan - a very rough phonetic version of what the Vietnamese call New Zealand.