Photos from Mekong Delta, Vietnam

banana-plant / Banana plant

boys-playing-mekong-delta / Boys playing in the muddy, fecund, probably not potable water of the Mekong Delta

brick-oven / Women working at a brick oven, transferring bricks by hand, in Mekong Delta factory

bricks / Bricks, not entirely uniform, basically hand-made in Mekong Delta factory

bricks-bricks-bricks / Bricks, bricks, and more bricks created through manual use of a pressing machine at Mekong Delta factory

caged-bear / Bear kept in a downtown cage in less-than-perfect conditions near the market in the town of Vinh Long

cai-be-floating-market / Cai Be floating market in the Mekong Delta, where locals hang fruits and vegetables from the masts of their ships to announce what's for sale

candy-factory-bagging-rice / Bagging popped rice treated with coconut-sugar mixture, a more savory and less sticky version of a Rice Krispies treat, in a Mekong Delta candy factory

candy-factory-coconut-sugar / Mixing fresh coconut and brown sugar to create a coating for popped rice in a Mekong Delta candy factory

candy-factory-cutting-rice / Cutting popped rice treated with coconut-sugar mixture in a Mekong Delta candy factory

candy-factory-pressing-rice / Pressing rice treated with coconut-sugar mixture into a form in a Mekong Delta candy factory

candy-factory-puffing-rice / Puffing fresh rice in a Mekong Delta candy factory

candy-factory-sifting-popped-rice / Sifting just-popped fresh rice in a Mekong Delta candy factory

candy-factory-sifting-rice / Sifting just-popped fresh rice in a Mekong Delta candy factory

cat-planter / This cat planter is either incredibly ironic or indescribably tacky

construction-site-mekong-delta / Mekong Delta riverside construction site

dog-drinking-mekong-delta / This dog is drinking water in the Mekong Delta, where sanitary requirements are rather lax. You shouldn't.

dong-tam-alligator / Alligator, complete with pit of fetid water, on display in the military-operated Dong Tam Snake Farm

dong-tam-monkey / Monkey kept in cage with about a dozen others in noisome conditions in the military-operated Dong Tam Snake Farm

dong-tam-monkey-cage / Monkey kept in cage with about a dozen others in noisome conditions in the military-operated Dong Tam Snake Farm

dong-tam-snake-farm / Dong Tam Snake Farm, operated by Vietnamese military for a profit, which raises snakes including king cobras for food, skins, and producing antivenin or antivenom

dragonfruit-for-sale / Dragonfruit, properly called pitaya, for sale. The fruit has a white, tasty, melon-like pulp with black specks.

eggs-vietnam-market / Eggs for sale in the Mekong Delta's Vinh Long market

factory-carts / Carts used to transport bricks and pottery by hand at Mekong Delta factory

fire-ants / Red ants, a variety of fire ants, which in this case seem to be quiescent until bothered, on tree in Mekong Delta

garden-pottery / Garden pottery being shaped by hand at Mekong Delta factory

kiln / A kiln powered by rice husks at Mekong Delta brick factory

king-cobra / King cobra, world's largest venomous snake, in Vietnamese ran ho chua, on display in the military-operated Dong Tam Snake Farm. It can kill a human with one bite.

king-cobra-snake-farm / Dong Tam Snake Farm, which raises king cobras, the world's largest venomous snake, for food, skins, and producing antivenin or antivenom

longan-fruit / Boat in Mekong Delta apparently transporting longan fruit, a tasty, easily-peeled white-fleshed tropical fruit

longan-fruit-boat / Boat in Mekong Delta apparently offloading longan fruit, a tasty, easily-peeled white-fleshed tropical fruit

longan-fruit-boat-transport / Longan fruit transported by boat in the Mekong Delta

mekong-delta / The Mekong Delta, a lush and bountiful region where the lengthy Mekong River broadens, splits into innumerable byways, and begins to approach the sea

mekong-delta-bank / Muddy bank with mangrove-like roots in the Mekong Delta

mekong-delta-boat / Mekong Delta boat transporting what seems to be palm leaves

mekong-delta-boy-motorboat / Boy on low-powered motorboat in the Mekong Delta region of Vietnam

mekong-delta-bridge / Motorbike on Mekong Delta bridge

mekong-delta-candy-factory / Bagging popped rice treated with coconut-sugar mixture, a more savory and less sticky version of a Rice Krispies treat, in a Mekong Delta candy factory

mekong-delta-children-ferry / Children on ferry in Mekong Delta

mekong-delta-ferry / Ferry near the Cai Be floating market in the Mekong Delta

mekong-delta-gondolier / Think of this woman as the Mekong Delta equivalent of a Venetian gondolier

mekong-delta-houseboat / Houseboat near the Cai Be floating market in the Mekong Delta

mekong-delta-houseboat-bedroom / Bedroom on houseboat near the Cai Be floating market in the Mekong Delta

mekong-delta-kitchen / Kitchen in the local equivalent of an upscale home in the Mekong Delta

mekong-delta-larger-boats / Some of the larger boats that ply the waters of the fecund, muddy Mekong Delta

mekong-delta-powerboat-travel / The best way to travel in the Mekong Delta: a powerboat

mekong-delta-snake / Be warned: Your guide in the Mekong Delta may try to convince you to wear a snake as a boa. This works if the snake is in a good mood.

mekong-delta-stilt-house / Stilt house in the Mekong Delta

mekong-delta-sunrise-hut / Sunrise in a Mekong Delta hut, with chicken and laundry in the background

mekong-delta-tugboat / Tugboat-like vessel in the Mekong Delta

mekong-delta-washer-women / Washer-women cleaning clothes in the useful, fecund, but not necessarily entirely sanitary waters of the Mekong Delta

mekong-delta-whole-fish / Meals in the Mekong Delta may involve a deep-fried whole fish, plus some lettuce and rice paper to make fish rolls, crustaceans, and deep-fried spring rolls

mekong-delta-woman-water-taxi / Think of this woman, who provides water taxi services, as the Mekong Delta equivalent of a Venetian gondolier

mekong-delta-women / These women are the Venetian gondoliers of the Mekong Delta

nep-thai-rice / Nep thai, a variety of rice for sale on the street in the town of Vinh Long, for less than US$0.50 per pound

pig-transport-by-boat / This Mekong Delta pig is being transported by boat: there aren't many roads here

pigs-for-sale / Pigs for sale in the Mekong Delta's Vinh Long market

pigs-transported-on-motorbike / Lacking automobiles due to the cost and tax laws, the Vietnamese have become unusually inventive in transporting anything, including live pigs, on motorbikes

pigs-vietnam-market / Pigs for sale in the Mekong Delta's Vinh Long market

pigs-vinh-long-market / Pigs for sale in the Mekong Delta's Vinh Long market

plant-nursery-mekong-delta / Plant nursery in the Mekong Delta

pottery-for-sale / Any of these enticing products could be yours, if you visit this Mekong Delta brick and pottery factory

pottery-wheel / Pottery wheel in use at Mekong Delta factory

rice-husks / Massive piles of rice husks, used to fuel brick and pottery furnaces, in Mekong Delta factory

rice-noodles-for-sale / Rice noodles for sale in the Mekong Delta town of Vinh Long

rice-paper / Drying rice paper, which could be used to make spring rolls or candy wrappings

rice-warehouse-vietnam / Rice warehouse near the town of Vinh Long

unbaked-pottery / Unbaked pottery at Mekong Delta factory

viet-cong-hotelier / This aged gentleman, described by an interpreter as a onetime Viet Cong, is now a hotelier who caters to American tourists in the Mekong Delta

vietnam-market-stalls / Market stalls, and woman wrapping fabric with string, in town of Vinh Long, Vietnam

vietnam-pho-restaurant / Pho restaurant, serving a rice-noodle soup, kind of the equivalent of a deli counter, in Vietnam's town of Vinh Long

vietnamese-deli / Vietnamese equivalent of a deli in the Mekong Delta town of Vinh Long

vietnamese-pho-restaurant / Vietnamese Pho restaurant, serving the famous rice-noodle soup, kind of the equivalent of a deli counter, in the town of Vinh Long

vinh-long / Vinh Long, a town on the Co Chien River, part of the Mekong Delta

vinh-long-boat / Boat leaving the market area of Vinh Long, a town on the Co Chien River, part of the Mekong Delta

vinh-long-crabs / Crabs, lobster, and other seafood, caught in the waters of the nearby Mekong Delta, for sale in the Vinh Long market

vinh-long-crustaceans / Crustaceans, namely large shrimp caught in the waters of the nearby Mekong Delta, for sale in the Vinh Long market

vinh-long-deli / Vietnamese equivalent of a deli in the Mekong Delta town of Vinh Long

vinh-long-fish-alive / Fish for sale, still alive and freshly caught, in the Vinh Long market

vinh-long-fish-for-sale / Fish, freshly caught in the waters of the Mekong Delta a few steps away, for sale in the Vinh Long market

vinh-long-fresh-fish / Fish for sale in the Vinh Long market. Some seemed to be mildly alive.

vinh-long-fruit / Fruit and vegetables for sale in Vietnam's Vinh Long market

vinh-long-gold-store / Gold jewelry for sale in the Vietnamese town of Vinh Long, where severe inflation has led locals to turn to precious metals

vinh-long-market / Fruit, vegetables, fish, pigs, and more for sale in the crowded Vinh Long outdoor market

vinh-long-market-fish / Fish, freshly caught in the waters of the Mekong Delta a few steps away, for sale in the Vinh Long market

vinh-long-market-fish-chopped / Fish for sale in the Vinh Long market, chopped into cross-sections

vinh-long-market-fresh-fish / Fish for sale in the Vinh Long market. Some seemed to be mildly alive.

vinh-long-market-seafood / Fish, eel, and other seafood, caught in the waters of the nearby Mekong Delta, for sale in the Vinh Long market

vinh-long-outdoor-market / Fruit, vegetables, fish, pigs, and more are for sale in the crowded Vinh Long outdoor market

vinh-long-seafood / Shrimp and other seafood, caught in the waters of the nearby Mekong Delta, for sale in the Vinh Long market

vinh-long-shrimp / Shrimp, caught in the waters of the nearby Mekong Delta, for sale in the Vinh Long market

vinh-long-squid / Squid, freshly caught in the waters of the Mekong Delta a few steps away, for sale in the Vinh Long market

vinh-long-squid-for-sale / Squid, freshly caught in the waters of the Mekong Delta a few steps away, for sale in the Vinh Long market

vinh-long-street / Crowded street in the town of Vinh Long, with fruit and, courtesy of the onetime French colonials, fresh baguettes for sale

vinh-long-town / Town of Vinh Long in the Mekong Delta

water-taxi / This Mekong Delta woman provides a kind of human-powered water-taxi service, though careless tourists run the risk of falling in the muddy water

water-taxi-mekong-delta / This Mekong Delta woman provides a kind of human-powered water-taxi service, though careless tourists run the risk of falling in the muddy water

women-working-brick-furnace / Women working at a kiln, transferring bricks by hand, in Mekong Delta factory

women-working-brick-oven / Women working at a brick oven, transferring bricks by hand, in Mekong Delta factory

women-working-kiln / Women working at a kiln, transferring bricks by hand, in Mekong Delta factory