Water

There are staggering amounts of life in Vietnam, and almost everything revolves around water. From rice paddies in the mountains to the vast stretches of the Mekong delta, water is everywhere. One result is that everything in the country is green – and the Vietnamese use everything that water and nature produce. Virtually every plant is used for food, medicine, fuel, construction, or some other purpose. The population concentrates around the rivers everywhere. The Mekong delta, a staggeringly huge place (more than 40,000 sq. km.), is home to more than 20 million people, living in thousands of villages and some very large cities. (Who knew that Can Tho is larger than Atlanta and Albuquerque together?!)

As it approaches the sea, the Mekong splits into 9 separate rivers, each huge (this morning, more than 120 kilometers from the sea, one of the nine was nearly a mile wide), and connected by large numbers of canals. When the river floods every year, the people rejoice and celebrate, because it brings fresh soil and new life.

The is the General Store in afloating market on the Mekong

These shipping containers have a Mediterranean Sea label. Wonder where they started?

Fran is lovin' life as she sails down the Mekong River Delta.