Mekong Images 21 images Created 19 Oct 2008
As your boat cruises further from Saigon, urban landscapes give way to green as palm trees droop over bungalows along the Mekong's riverbanks. Floating islands of water hyacinths drift by granny-powered rowboats, while larger vessels transport cargos of melons, coconuts and bananas. Another boat passes by with with 'lucky eyes' painted on the bow. Pet dogs, friendly waving kids and even houseplants sit up on deck. The pace of life on the Mekong River resembles the rhythms of the 19th century rather than the 21st. Like some kind of agricultural Venice, the Mekong Delta is crisscrossed with countless channels, tributaries and canals. Boats of every description are the main mode of transport in these parts, carrying people and the bountiful produce of the region to and from villages, farms and floating markets.
