This tour has been the most fun so far! Nine of us got into moped and rode around the city for a couple of hours. It was CRAZY going through traffic, hearing all the honking, cutting people off, having huge trucks honk on your ear and pass you! At the beginning we were all holding super tight to our bikes but little by little we all relaxed and were able to have fun and not be scared! By the end we were high fiving each other from moped to moped! It was amazing!
Our first stop was at a place where they make the clay pot for the Vietnamese barbecue!
There was an older man doing the clay work and an older lady finishing it. This man has been doing this kind of work every day for the last 35 years!
He told us that he does approximately 50 a day and they sell for $1.25 each! We couldn't believe it! So much for it to go next to nothing!
It took him about 3mins to make the pot and then it was passed on to the woman and after that it goes in the oven for 48 hours! All that for a buck?!?!?!?!?
Anyway, our guide for the day asked if anybody wanted to try and of course I said yes! Haha
I got next to the guy and started doing my own BBQ! I got many compliments in Vietnamese from some older guys sitting behind us! ... I got yet another career just in case!
Our next stop was at a weaving place where two older sisters make mats out of dyed dead grass. These two women have been doing this job for 50 years! They do everything from beginning to end, they grow the grass, cut it, dye it and make the pieces!
I did not try it but most of the other people did and thought it was a lot of hard work!!! Those old ladies must be in great shape! Haha
After not buying anything from the ladies we went to a bar by the water but the main attraction was the man made bridge right next to it! Apparently the bridge is private property and everybody has to pay for toll to go through. Our guide also told us that during bad rainy season the bridge gets washed away and they have to build all over again, therefore they have to charge to re build a new one.
Then we went to LONG SUN PAGODA where I was able to get a better understanding of pagodas and what to do when you get there.
Many pagodas ask you to take your shoes off, then in front of the altar you put your hands together and bow three times and then make a wish! Our guide explained a little more on the history of pagodas and Buddhism. Many of us noticed the nazi sign all over and it was explained to us that they were unrelated and It had been a sign of Buddhism for a long time.
The best part of this pagoda was the huge Buddha on the top! We had to walk 500 steps to get to it since in Buddhism it is well known that one has to work hard to reach what they want, so up we went to see the giant Buddha. Half way up the steps we encounter a super cool sleeping or laying down Buddha... It was massive!!!!
Then we headed towards the CHAM TOWERS, a red temple made out of bricks that I saw during the bike ride. In there, there there was a small prayer tower that is supposed to bring you love when you pray in it so Sophia, Dini, and I went in... You never know ;-)
After some praying we saw a show with traditional dancing, girls were holding pots made out of clay and then putting them on their head and dancing around:
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