I’m not even remotely a morning person, something that can be confirmed by just about anyone who has met up in the morning hours. Until I get a cup of coffee I’m fairly intolerable, my brain cobwebby and clunky. But there is one exception: morning markets. With swarms of people bustling about, gorgeous piles of fruit and vegetables and more food to eat than I know what to do with, I fly out of bed in anticipation of a market visit.
I posted a few photos from the Mekong Delta’s bright markets when I wrote about my very fun soup angel rescue mission in Cai Rang, one that finally resulted in a bowl of steaming hot bun rieu. It was hard to choose the photos for that post. A mere handful of pictures insufficiently conveys the glory of all that technicolor at dawn.
Photoessay from the Floating Markets of the Mekong Delta
Tourists head to the Mekong Delta specifically for the floating boat markets, among other things. In recent years, however, new suspension bridges and rebuilt roads have meant that market wares available only by boat are now accessible by land. While the floating market exists, I found that tourist boats closely numbered the local market boats in Cai Rang; what used to take up a huge swath of the river had narrowed considerably. In its place, the land markets ** were growing quickly, with residents buying a motorbike instead of a boat. According to Theu, who ran the guesthouse I stayed at (more about her soon!), a boat and a motorbike were roughly the same price in this part of Vietnam, and families were opting for motorbikes due to practicality, resilience and ease of use. It made sense, then, that the markets would shift with demand.
[** A small note on terminology. The land markets in Cai Rang are still referred to as “wet” markets because they comprise a wet part (for fruit, vegetables, meat and other produce, where the floor and stalls are literally doused with water to keep them clean) and a dry part where spices, dried goods and other foods and household products are sold. When people refer to a wet market in Asia, it is usually on land, whereas a floating market would be on a boat.]What follows are a series of photos from the floating market at dawn, with soup sold boat-side and boats skewering their wares on spiked poles to indicate what they had for sale. In addition, there are photos from the Cai Rang wet market, a place most tourist boats skip on their return to Can Tho. Given that the land market was relatively untouristed, people were surprised to see me meandering around, buying dragonfruit and desserts and eating, eating, eating.
This photoessay is a small taste of the deliciously overwhelming, unique feeling of standing in the middle of what seems like total chaos and watching it move around you unperturbed. I know these markets are a normal part of life for people in the Mekong, and having seen similar versions of them during my travels, I am no stranger to their beauty. But no matter how many times I venture to the markets at dawn, I always find myself with a silly grin on my face, spinning in all directions to take in as much as I can.
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More to come soon about the Mekong, including the fabulous story of how the couple that ran my guesthouse met each other in Vietnam.
-Jodi
Great photos as always Jodi. I love the energy you captured, especially in the banh bao tin shot.
It’s incredible! What’s your camera? I love your photos from my country!
Hi there! I’m using an Olympus EP-3 with a 20mm lens. For more, please see my travel resources page (I link to the camera and lens there) – http://www.legalnomads.com/wds
Oh you make me want to book a flight right NOW!
Beautiful pictures…
Incredible photos! Thank you for sharing. I’m in the process of planning an around the world trip to work with and write about organizations empowering women, and these photographs are an inspiration to capture what I observe visually, and not just with the written word. Bravo!
Cultural richness, thank you for posting the beauty and detail of the floating market!
I stayed in Can Tho for 3 weeks. It was an amazing place. The pictures remind of the daily life there.
I love how in these markets all the food is fresh and ready to be cooked, unlike in so many American supermarkets where everything is wrapped or boxed because it comes from so much further away. Beautiful photos of delicious looking food!
great pix! you truly have the eyes of an artist.
thanks.
OMG the photos! You’ve become quite the photographer Jodi! So inspiring! I inhaled this post from start to finish, thank you so much for sharing (:
P.S. I live minutes away from a wet market and have never really thought much of it till now – but maybe I should follow my grandad the next time he hits up the wet market for a second look!
Man, I miss Asian markets and street food! Everyone thinks that street food is unhygienic, but the truth is I’ve never gotten sick from it. More importantly, it’s always fresh.
I never had stomach problems in Asia. The problems started when I came back to North America and was forced to eat processed foods that my stomach couldn’t handle.
Ironically, it’s in North America where I’m scared to eat at the restaurants now.
Hi Jodi – another great vicarious visit. The Mekong Delta means so many other things to those, like me, who where listening to the divergent versions of the war there from Voice of America and Radio Peking. Again, will post to Worlders.
What a great set of photos! You really get a good vibe of the place through these shots. And your breakfast looks yummy too.
All great pics and the last one is epic!
beautiful pictures!!
I love the stamped chickens.
Pig grooming? Wow.
Probably not the technical term, no :D
I like that you showed the trash, and the work going on at the markets too. Not just the food. A wonderful mix.
Some off the best photography I’ve seen compared to to other travel blogs. Great post.
Great photos, giving a real feel for the locale. Great undertaking you are on.
Johanna
Mmm everything looks so yummy!
Especially the “cuter” fish. Or is that funny, funky girl! LOL
Amazing pics!! Black chickens and piggy eyelashes = fabulous shots!!
Beautiful photos Jodi!
Great photos. I’m missing my Viet food here in Central America
Absolutely amazing pictures. I really want to go back to the Mekong again and have their food. Bring on the Pho!
This photo album is just deliciously perfect! I can almost smell the air with a wrath of petrol, frangipani and coriander in it.
yeah great photos!!
The mini black chickens look weird… and I feel sad that people do not dispose garbage properly.
The Mekong Delta is my favorite part of Vietnam. The people there are the friendliest and most honest.
Ah, the colors, grays, and pig heads of the Mekong. I’d have to say that nothing is more interesting than stamped chickens and birds so blue that the viewer worries about oxygen deprivation even though they’re dead.
Stunning pictures Jodi :-)
Great captures Jodi! I’ve noticed that these photos are much better than the ones in your earlier posts. :) Having just came back from a trip round Southeast Asia, I really like the composition in each photo and the captions which are so essential! A question comes to mind – do you still get the feeling sometimes that you are being ripped off when taking transportation (boats/tuktuks/taxis) since you’re a fa lang?
No, I never felt that way, to be honest! I’d just negotiate the price and sure it was sometimes higher than the locals but not by much from my investigations. It’s a part of traveling, you can just negotiate to mitigate as best you can. ;)
Love this. A lot of cooked food as well. I generally avoid wet markets for feeding (smells and bustle). Here I would have kept going to crispy pork belly… maybe a 5th. Thanks.
You did an amazing job with this article and the photography is beautiful. Keep up the great work!!!
Photos are absolutely amazing! My favourite has to go to the “Black Chickens”: very impressing composition, lightning and editing. I’ll for sure come back here for more :p
I’m going to Vietnam soon, can’t wait! I almost feel like I’m there already looking at these stunning photos.
Awesome markets, so much going on!!!
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Great pics
Looking at this post while hungry was a mistake! GIVE ME FOOOOOOD. :)
Beautiful photos! It’s almost like I can smell, hear, taste all these strange, wondrous things from that faraway Vietnam floating market.Cheers!
After reading several of your beautiful blogposts I’m more than sure that I have to visit Vietnam on my next trip. Thank you!
Hope your eating brings you to Chennai, India, the home of some great South Indian cuisines.
Lucky Balaraman
Great photos but what disgusting polluters the people of the emerging world are! No interest in trying to keep their environment clean.
Great photos. Scenery looks like that of Philippines. But Cebu’s lechon or Cebuchon in Philippines would much tastier!
Fantastic photo essay. The colors, the light, the textures – just gorgeous. I am even more excited for my coming visit to Vietnam in February!
Crap. I may have to move up my trip to Vietnam to March instead of May. You’re killing me with the yummy photos and food descriptions. I seriously miss the street eats in Asia at times. For now I need to find some decent Vietnamese food in Québec City – if that is even possible. LOL
very nice and i like that very simple living along the river
Great photos. But I feel a bit sad with trash, that is my country
Great photos and descriptions! Thanks Jodi!