Off the Beaten Path in SE Asia

One of the most interesting aspects of our river cruise on the Mekong is that we were off the beaten path most of the time, able to see how the locals went about their everyday lives. As you can imagine, it was often a humbling experience as we toured around in a local boat to see the countryside and its residents.

I found the raised goat pens quite interesting. 

In the picture above, a local woman fried up some fresh corn cakes for us. In the pic below, you'll see the dearly departed resting in peace in the family's front yard.

The fish drying in the sun were rather odoriferous, while the chilis were quite beautiful.

The local markets were a sight to behold, with all of the various smells and noises and sights to behold.

A daily trip to the market is necessary because there is no refrigeration in the little villages. We saw a plethora of rural homes with neither electricity nor plumbing. 

Transportation leaned heavily towards motorbikes. I was appalled at the little ones squeezed in and hanging on like little monkeys with their parents, typically no seatbelt or helmet in sight. The gentleman below was purchasing large bags of rice to pedal home.

 I had to snap a pic of this fellow because it was a rare sight in Cambodia and Vietnam, an overweight person. Looks like he enjoys the wife's cooking!

Finally, here are two videos from the market. You can see the fish are SUPER fresh. And the little boys were a hoot.