Day 11

The morning started off with a few of us waking up at 5:00am to catch a few shots of the early sunrise. We flew the drone and got some of the prettiest shots we have gotten the entire trip. We then ate breakfast and prepared to head out for a two hour bike tour of the delta.

We followed Hao, our Mekong Delta Tour Guide, to the bike stands and chose our bikes. However, as she sped away, only half of group followed her, while the other half of the group got separated. The first half of us rode for a least 30 minutes before we realized that the other half of the group were missing. The first half of us began riding back and met up with Thanh who then explained that the other half of the group went the wrong way and we had to back track to find them. Once we had the group back together. The ride was pretty bumpy and many times we had to get off our bikes and walk to cross the many narrow bridges in the delta communities. Although we did go the wrong direction at the end and had to turn around, we finally reached the other side of the river across from the Homestay. All of us dripping in sweat and thirsty, we took a break at a near by cafe where we rehydrated and snacked on fresh fruits.

We crossed the river after we regained our energy and went back to the Homestay to finish packing and checkout. After we refreshed and bagged our luggage, we had the final meal at the Homestay. As we finished the meal, we said our final goodbyes to the owners of the Homestay, thanking them for everything and ensuring that our stay was more than comfortable. We then boarded the boat and departed from the Mekong Island.

When we got back to the mainland, we were greeted with a different bus that had larger seats and WiFi (which ended up not working). All of us exhausted, many of us fell asleep as we sped back to Saigon.

After 2 hours, we arrived back to the Saigon. After being in the countryside for so long, the cityscape seemed odd. We checked back in to the Palace Hotel and had 2 hours of free time to relax.

tWe want to thank Quan and Thanh for being two of the most awesome tour guides ever, you guys are just simply amazing.We met downstairs for dinner at 6:30 and got on the bus. Prepared for a fancy dinner, a few of us dressed up only to realize that we were going to eat at a newly opened Pizza Hut (not our first choice) Although the service was terrible and the food was as expected, we had an amazing time talking and laughing about the last 11 days we have spent in this country.

Now, as we sit and write this blog, Vietnamese hotel staff are in Claire, Emily, and Macy's room attempting to catch a bat. Which, in many ways, sums up this entire trip. Completely chaotic, truly unbelievable, yet utterly incredible. We can say for a fact that this experience has thoroughly changed our lives. We will never forget the rich culture, the beautiful landscape, and the incredible Vietnamese people that have made this trip so amazing. Although expecting coming here to just make a documentary, we gained so much more than we expected.

We want to thank our group leaders Nathan and Christine for organizing this experience and making sure everyone was safe and healthy.

We want to thank Peace Works Travel for creating such a rich and fulfilling tour of the country that taught us so much

We want to thank Quan and Thanh for being two of the most awesome tour guides ever, you guys are just simply amazing.

And finally we want to thank Vietnam for having us, you have changed our lives forever.

So for the last time.

Goodnight Vietnam!

Day 10

Today we woke up for an early breakfast at the homestay to begin our adventure filled day.  We were then rowed to the Cai Be floating market, where we learned about the local commerce and cooking techniques.

We experienced multiple cottage industry workshop lessons; including popped rice, coconut candies and rice paper. It was really interesting learning how the locals cook different types of food!

Our guide taught us how to say different  phrases and types of ingredients in Vietnamese.  He then gave us a challenge to split into two groups and purchase the ingredients from the markets to be cooked for dinner.  We spent around 10 minutes searching through the different options in the markets, enjoying the energy of the local commerce.

We had a quick lunch by the markets and then took a boat cruise back to the homestay.  We arrived back to the homestay, where we were given an hour of free time to prepare us for what would happen next.

We were given a long sleeve button up and pants to wear for what we were going to do next.  We were told we would be going fishing, and began walking.  Staring into a muddy pit, we took off our shoes and started climbing in.  We were taught how to catch fish with a little basket and our hands.  After a bit of struggle, we successfully caught about a dozen fish, and brought them back to the homestay family.  After this, we washed all the mud off and got ready for dinner.

For dinner, we cooked the ingredients we purchased from the market.  We made rice pancakes with carrot, onions and beef.  After dinner, we played another game where we had to keep an egg from cracking by wrapping it in straws.  Team 1 won again!  We ended the night sitting on the dock by the delta, while singing songs and playing guitar.

Day 9

June 26th,  We started off our day by packing up our belongings and heading out to the Mekong Delta. After a quick breakfast we went out on a two and a half hour drive. We all slept which was nice. This bus drive concluded on the Mekong River were we had a lunch on a local dock.
Afterwards, we met our new mote of transportation, a riverboat! We also met one of our new tour guides while we traverse the Mekong, Hao.

In addition, we went to a pottery mill and learned the process in which pots and clay items are molded, cooked, and produced. The clay is firstly pressed into large spaghetti-like strands and group them together in large piles. The clay strands are then placed into molds, and an axe like tool is brought down to push the clay to the outermost part of the mold. A skilled pottery maker with a steady hand guides the clay to make sure it shapes properly. After this process the mold is removed leaving the shaped clay to be dried and cooked.

Following the pottery mill we made it to the homestay, one of the most beautiful and amazing places we have seen so far. The house is on the riverfront and overlooks the area.

We were greeted with open arms as we met the family and began to settle in. Then the rain hit us once again. Hard and fast it came pouring down, get ready for more slow mo rain. When the sky settled a little the group headed out to meet one of the most interesting and unique individuals we have come across, a former  Vietcong Commander. This experienced man told us stories of the war and the trials and tribulations he faced while commanding a platoon. We also filmed an interview with him and got to ask him questions relative to our documentary.

Next, we returned to the homestay for some much needed rest and free time, which was spent exploring our new area. After the rain subsided a beautiful rainbow formed in the sky over the river, the image was breathtaking and made us reflect upon our trip so far.

At 6:30 PM the homestay family called us in, tonight it was our job to prepare the dinner. We learned how to make traditional vietnamese spring rolls with taro root, butter, and egg. Some of us were better at rolling together the food then others ( Christine and Evan were pros). We then went to sit down and eat dinner. This dinner consisted of a deep fried fish that we could pull from, a ramen dish, chicken soup, and the spring rolls we made earlier. All of which were remarkably delicious. For desert we had jackfruit and pineapple and like all fruit in Vietnam, was extremely good.
After dinner the homestay family did a traditional musical performance, similar to theatre. The performance consisted of different costumes, songs and acting. It was remarkably fun to watch and clap along to the rhythm.

This concluded our first afternoon in the Mekong Delta and we are excited and ready to see what this area of Vietnam has in store!

Day 8

June 25th, our third day in Saigon, began with a slightly different start to the morning than our usual routine by immediately embarking on a long 2-hour drive to a city by the countryside outside of Ho Chi Minh City at 8 AM. The uniqueness of the start of today's morning thus brought about a new sense of unfamiliarity, which allowed for greater anticipation for the following events that unfolded throughout the rest of the day. After rounding up some usual stranglers in the hotel and a sleepy ride, we arrived at Trang Bang to meet with Kim Phuc's family, the 9-year old child who was hit by napalm, whose image called "The Girl in The Picture" was famously depicted in the 1972 issue of Life Magazine. Excited to meet and interview the family of Kim Phuc, we woke up and quickly seated ourselves within her sister-in-law's family restaurant to learn more about her. We began by watching a documentary on her life and forgiveness as well as later asking her sister-in-law numerous questions regarding Phuc in a full-fledged interview conducted by us.

She gave us an inside look into Phuc through utilizing personal experience with first-hand accounts of the Vietnam War and her relationship with Phuc. After the sister-in-law expressed her gratitude to be able to spread her family's perspective of the harsh realities of the war and said our goodbyes, we left to visit Cao Dai Temple.

It was only down the street. When we arrived at the threshold of the entrance, we were required to remove our shoes in order to enter.

After entering, the temple opened up to an intricately designed interior and as we entered a colorful hall of the temple, we were encountered by a view that is only fully understood by a picture.

Once we were done taking pictures and appreciating the architecture, we were ushered upstairs to see a live ceremony performed by various Caodaists.

Afterwards, we got back onto our bus and headed close by to where the Kim Phuc's image was taken on the highway to take pictures.

Our next destination was the museum of the Cu Chi tunnels, an underground labyrinth that housed over 10,000 Vietnamese soldiers at the height of the war. The drive there was another hour, but an hour that can never be forgotten. The trip took us through Vietnamese countryside where we had the opportunity to see vast rice paddies, expanses of forested areas, a plethora of wild animals, and sceneries of an endless horizon. This allowed us to experience Vietnam by seeing it through one of its purest forms as a country. We marveled at the beauty of the natural landscape and the embodiment of simplified living that were the towns dispersed throughout the countryside.

Once we reached the Cu Chi tunnels, we had a quick lunch at a restaurant nearby that had a gorgeous view of the Saigon River.

We then entered the site of the tunnels and started off our interactive tour with a video detailing the battlegrounds of the war from the perspective of the Vietnamese. For the next hour, we walked through the forest of the Cu Chi tunnels that still have physical remnants of the warfare that took place there decades ago. From bombing craters to actual underground tunnel systems to traps set by the Vietnamese and a destroyed American tank, we saw everything there was to the historic site. To wrap the day up, some of us took the opportunity to shoot a real AK-47 at the shooting range, apart of the tour.

Tired and enlightened by these interactive experiences of a significant site of Vietnamese history, we went back on our bus once again to return to our hotel with another very sleepy 2-hour trip back.

After some of us grabbed boba near our hotel and rested up, we to a local restaurant close by for dinner.

Our day was concluded by having a filling dinner that had some amazing chicken and then heading back to the hotel for some well-needed rest.