It was actually quite a nice day when we set out this morning, headed for the Mekong Delta. Mark spent the day with Tra and the orchestra at the rehearsal for tonight's concert, so Edward and I took the opportunity to drive out into the country and do a similar trip to the one we did last year. As the ladies in the paddy fields stopped for a breather, we knew from the expression on their faces that this is indeed back breaking work.

 

Jumping on a small boat in Ben Tre, we enjoyed the ride over the river and were immediately struck by those typically Vietnamese colours of emerald green, cobalt blue, white and scarlet.

 

Fruit at the fruit farm was delicious though the recommended salt and peppery "Ying" to the sweet fruit "Yang" took us both by surprise..perhaps we shouldn't have been quite so eager to dunk that piece of pineapple!

 

As for the elephant fish for lunch...well, we enjoyed watching the making of the spring roll, anyway!

As we rode back over the river on the longtail boat the heavens opened and oh my goodness, did we get wet. To The Skin.

It was still raining when we arrived back in Saigon. Never mind. We are British. We can Do Rain.