October 28, 2017
Cần Thơ: Work and Play
After breakfast this morning we got on our bicycles and cycled through the riverfront tourist area of Cần Thơ. First stop was to look at an impressive statue of Uncle Ho, the revered Hồ Chí Minh. Leigh and I are currently watching an episode a day of the wonderful yet disturbing series on the war between America and Vietnam by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick in which Hồ Chí Minh is portrayed in much the same light as many South Africans view Nelson Mandela, that of a broad-minded moderating influence in troubled times.
After that we walked the pedestrian bridge across the Cần Thơ river and then stopped by the old prison where the French incarcerated political prisoners during the early days of Vietnam's struggle for independence. Unfortnately, the prison is closed over the weekends but we were just able to peek through into the courtyard.
Then it was off to the Ong Pagoda, a quirky Chinese temple where Buddha plays a secondary role to other focuses of worship.
We finally got to l'Escale Restaurant for supper after neither of us had enough energy the previous two evenings. We enjoyed an evening of relatively fine dining (five courses and passable wines for just over two million Dong) for the first time since Port Dickson. We've taken full advantage of the tourist-friendly facilities here in Cần Thơ. With both of us feeling a bit jaded after almost six months on the road it was probably something that we needed to do.
Today's ride: 4 km (2 miles)
Total: 7,206 km (4,475 miles)
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