Ho Chi Minh Impression / 胡志明市印象

We booked a jungle boat ride tour (US$45, the book mentioned that the tour included the floating market, but actually not. If you intended to go to the floating market, you would have had to pay additionally, and is only available on weekends) on the next day and dinner cruise tour (US$35, including the water puppet show) in the evening. The jungle boat ride tour was in Long An, Mekong Delta, which was 2-hour's drive from Ho Chi Minh. On arrival at the ferry terminal, we took a ferry ride to go to the island. Things at the ferry terminal were cheaper than Ho Chi Minh city. For example, Vietnamese hats were selling at US$1, but in the city, they were US$1.63.
Mekong river is extremely dirty. There were many roadside stores on the island. The tour guide (she is a Vietnam Chinese, who studied for 3 years at a Chinese school) brought us to visit a coconut candy factory, to show us how they made the coconut candy. I did not check the price, since I was not at all interested. Then we stopped at a makeshift shelter to have some tea and fruits. 5 different fruits (banana, pineapple, dragon fruit, mango and watermelon) were served there, as 5 is the lucky number in Vietnam. Traditional Vietnamese music was presented. Upon finishing, they would collect tips, but it's up to you to give. They also sell honey there. After that, the jungle ride started. It was on a small narrow boat, which only can take 5 or 6 people. The river was extremely narrow, with both banks lavishly covered by bamboos. It was interesting, but very short. The boatman demanded for the tips, but we ignored him. We felt since we have already made the full payment, we should not pay any more. A Vietnamese style lunch was included. The most familiar food being the spring rolls. I like them! Although we can buy the rice paper in Singapore, it is totally different. In Singapore, the rice paper smells bad. But in Vietnam, it was not. The waitress showed us how to make it. First cut a small slice of the fried fish, raw vegetable, cucumber slices, rice noodle then wrap them. Yummy.
At night, the other guide came to fetch us. First he took us to the water puppet show, which is unique in Vietnam. It had many different episodes, quite interesting, I think. Then we went to the Saigon cruise. It also had the traditional Vietnamese music performance there as well as Vietnamese cuisine. The river was dark and the food was no good, but I still enjoyed it.
Late at night, we went to the Hyatt Hotel for a drink. It's pretty expensive, unlike in Singapore, the prices in the hotel are similar to the prices outside.

第二天，我们订了去湄公河三角洲丛林游（书上说美金45元，包括水上市场。但事实上是不包括的，如果你有兴趣游水上市场，需另付费，且只有周末才有）河西贡河游船晚餐（美金35元，也比书上说的贵，但包括水上木偶剧）。丛林游在龙安省，距离胡志明市有差不多两个多小时的车程。到了码头后还要倒船才能上岛，这里的东西比胡志明市要便宜，比如说越南草帽这里卖$1.41，而胡志明市卖$2.3+。
湄公河其脏无比，那种一条大河波浪宽，风吹稻花香两岸的情景大概只有歌里才有吧。岛上到处充斥着小贩，导游（越南华裔，读过三年华校，居住在唐人街）把我们带到一家手工制作椰子糖的工厂参观，向我们展示其制作过程，当然最重要的是推销啦，我连价也没问，根本不感兴趣，感觉这里的卫生条件很差，都不知能不能吃。然后又带我们去了一个临时搭的棚子里，这里给我们提供五种水果和茶水，还有人表演传统的越南音乐和歌曲，表演完后要小费，不过好在你愿意给就给不愿意就拉倒，不像泰国人那样脸皮厚。这里据说也生产蜂蜜，但我也没兴趣。这以后开始了丛林游，在一条窄窄的，两岸长满了竹子的河道上，一条仅能坐5，6人的细长小船穿行于此，很有意思，不过感觉时间好短喔。船夫问我们要小费，我们没给，因为我们觉得我们已经付过钱了，他也没再坚持。接下来就去吃午餐，午餐是越南式的。有著名的越南春卷，服务员向我们展示了其制作方法，将米皮浸水，然后放上炸鱼块，生菜，黄瓜片等放上，然后将它卷起来，味道不错，跟新加坡的完全不同，新加坡的米皮一浸水后就有种臭味，且米皮不粘，很难卷。
晚上，另一个导游来接我们，先去看了水上木偶剧，只是只有越南才有的，也很多小故事组成，也很有意思。接着去了西贡河游船，游船上供应越式晚餐及传统音乐表演，西贡河也很脏，两岸黑漆漆的，但船内的气氛还不错。
夜里，去凯悦饭店喝咖啡，不同于新加坡的是，这里的咖啡比外面贵得实在太多，新加坡则贵点有限。