Vuon Co Thap Muoi – white stork bird sanctuary

After our brief visit to Cambodia, we were off to a wildlife sanctuary (Vuon Co Thap Muoi) for what turned out to be a boat tour. We were loaded on to a long, narrow canoe sort of thing. Lots of white storkss (revered here as symbols of wisdom and love, and rapidly disappearing elsewhere in the country) and dozens of other varieties of birds.

Stopped for lunch in the middle of the refuge at a thatched roof wooden building on stilts above the water. Snake head fish (see picture of my host holding my lunch) roasted on an open fire (whole, as the guts are supposed to be the best part – which I believe is a matter of opinion), served on lotus leaves pulled from the water. Lotus stems (up to ten feet long) were also gathered for eating (lotus blossom seeds are a common snack served at dinners).

An observation platform gave us a great view of the entire area. It wasn't until I was partway up that I realized just how high it was, and how step the steps were. Being afraid of heights, it was a stupid place for me to be!

I’m in HCMC for the night, and off to Hanoi tomorrow late afternoon. I’m splurging tonight (a new word for my translator that he wrote down after I spelled it) and paying $48 a night at the Bong Sen Number 1. I’ve been here a couple of times before and now know the immediate neighbourhood. This is a big step up from the $10 and $23 rooms I’ve been in. For $48, you get a room that is clean, has pictures on the walls, a soft bed, and no cockroaches or geckos (or at least none that I’ve seen yet). Such is my simple approach to luxury.