Life On, and Sometimes In, the River

Friday, September 23, 2011

The people of the Mekong know their river well. Their fortunes rise and fall, literally, with it. Our program brings us here in the rainy season, when the water is at its highest. Many city people live and work in floating houses, others have homes built on stilts, and some temporarily abandon flooded buildings until the river recedes. It's an annual event, and everyone knows how to cope.

The large markets of My Tho and Chau Doc attract many shoppers by ferry, but in smaller towns, the markets come to the people. Small boats filled with today's catch, or fresh fruits and vegetables for tonight's dinner, cruise from house to house. Shopping here is also a chance to visit and catch up with each other every day.

The river sometimes brings special events, such as the wedding we happened to witness during our morning cruise in the Cham minority village near Sa Dec. The groom's family boarded a small boat right next to ours, and everyone stood during the short cruise to the ceremony a few hundred yards down the river. The young groom was dressed completely in white, and his proud family beamed behind him along the way. 

Mostly, life in the small villages is peaceful and slow. The world flows by with the Mekong in front of their windows or waterside decks. Some of them are cooking, others fish, and still others simply watch it all in a way they have come to know for a long time. Our last morning in Vietnam is a nice contrast to the bustle of the past few days, and we look forward to crossing the border into Cambodia later this afternoon.