Life & English: “Floating Market”

(ICTPress) - Our boat moved swiftly down the river and came to a junction of waterways. In front of my eyes, a very large expanse of water with many small boats and many large ships appeared. This was the floating market of Cai Rang.

In the morning, as sunlight spread across the river, we left Ninh Kieu Park in Can Tho City.  We boarded one of the tourist boats that rushed toward the floating market of Cai Rang. The boat passed over large areas of waving water. The wind was wild and powerful. On both sides of the river, green trees spread long and far. Houses dotted the area.  We could see a few petrol stations. Some faced the road to sell petrol to cars and motorbikes. Others faced the river to sell petrol to boats and ships. 

Our boat moved swiftly down the river and came to a junction of waterways. In front of my eyes, a very large expanse of water with many small boats and many large ships appeared. This was the floating market of Cai Rang.

Here, there, and everywhere, boats carried all the fruits of the Mekong delta. Here was a boat full of dark green watermelons. Over there was a ship loaded with many bananas, yellow points scattered in green. The coconut boats were light green. Other ships were bright yellow; they carried pineapple. Every boat or ship had a long stick extending from it. A few pieces of fruit hung from the tip of each sick like a flag or signboard telling you what the boat carried.  They were honest and lively signs.

Our driver dodged a couple large fruit ships and drove our little tourist boat into the empty waterway between.  This was a good opportunity for photographs, especially close-ups.

Suddenly, the scent of coffee, like a perfume, drifted about our boat. Where was the coffee?  We looked around.  The perfume was from a small boat nearby loaded with coffee. It was a mobile café on the waterway! Inside the boat had cups, glasses, spoons, thermoses, small gas cookers…enough for many customers. On a large tray, about twenty coffee pots were brewing. This was the source of the strong coffee perfume. Wind blew it across the river.  The café boat had no long stick or any kind of signboard.  The scent of coffee was an attractive enough advertisement.

Salesgirls on another boat waved to travelers and offered teas, juices and fruits. One girl made a bevel cut into a coconut, put a straw in it, then invited us to taste it. The liquid was very fresh and natural. The tasty coconut milk softened the sun's heat at noon on the way back to NinhKieu Park.

Author: Hien Minh

Editor: Daniel McIntyre