So, the weekend before last (30-31 Jan for those not keeping count) we escaped Soc Trang and went for a bike ride to and around My Phouc Island. My Phouc is a tiny island, accessible only by ferry (2,000 dong per person and bike - 200,000 dong if a local succeeds in convincing you to take a private boat over). The island is very green and tropical and very quiet! Something we aren't used to in Soc Trang! We biked around the 'main road' of the island which was more like a concrete sidewalk (though no-one walks anywhere in Vietnam - why walk when you can take your motorbike!) and were happily enjoying the peace and quiet...until we stumbled across a birthday party for a 12 year old girl.
I don't know how things are normally done in Vietnam but, when I was 12, my idea of a good time wasn't sitting around with a bunch of adults watching all the local men get drunk. But that is exactly what this party was like! The locals insisted we join them, so we did. The local men took quite a shine to Dan for some reason, they were patting his arm and head, pointing to and pulling out his grey hairs and rubbing the stubble on his chin. Then they dragged him off to drink beer and rice wine with them.
After a while we escaped (after performing a rousing rendition of 'Happy Birthday To You') and continued on our adventure. We drove past fruit orchards, fish farms, shrimp farms and bamboo groves. It was all very scenic and a lovely place to escape the city to.
On the main road
Dan drinking rice wine
Dan's new friend - who was fascinated with Dan's sunnies
No comments:
Post a Comment