Day 6

Today we had a day trip. We went to a cocoa farm and learned how they prepare the cocoa beans we saw how they dried the beans on this large drying rack and the machine they use to ferment them as well. In order to grow cocoa trees they must plant them under some other crop. In most cases they use coconut trees to help raise the cocoa plants. They let us sample some milk, dark, and white chocolate that were made from the local cocoa plants. It was the most delicious, rich chocolate I have ever tasted before. I wish I could bring some of it back to the states but it would just be all melted and messy. So people back home will just have to take my word on it. We did get a chance to buy some of their products. They were selling chocolate bars, hot cocoa powder, baking cocoa powder, and cocoa wine.

Cocoa and cocoa beans

The best chocolate EVER!

Posing by a pile of Cocoa...pretty standard.

After that we went to the Delta where we were able to purchase some of the conical straw hats that the Vietnamese wear called a nón lá. Then we went on a boat tour of the river. We learned that they do a lot of catfish raising there. Everywhere you turn there seemed to be a catfish farm. Then we made a stop at this little island where they were growing coconuts and we all got to sample these really sweet and chewy coconut candies.  They also had these little side vendors that sold really pretty souvenirs which gave us all a chance to shop. I got some things for my parents and friends here.  We roamed around for a while to gaze at the scenery. There was a place to feed crocodiles and walk across really skinny bamboo bridges. It was so beautiful there.

Cool boats on the Delta

I have one of those cone hats

Rocking the cone hat and peeling a coconut at the same time

More cone hats

On the Island

GATORS!!!!!

Walking across the bamboo bridge.

For dinner we went to the restaurant Kichi Kichi with some students from UEF for Alex's birthday. Its just like the Melting pot in the US except for there was a much more bizarre selection of items to cook in your hot pot. Each person got to choose what type of broth they wanted. The broths were Japanese, Taiwanese, and Chinese ranging from mild to really really spicy. I tried a lot of different things like squid, prawn, clams, and and other shell fish. Everything was all fine and dandy until Maia tried to eat an egg, and when she opened it a baby chick came out of it. Everyone was freaking out, it was really gross looking. Tuan told us though that it was very common to get a baby chick and that it meant you have good luck. After that nice surprise everyone sang happy birthday to Alex and ate birthday cake. 

When we got back to the hotel we all freshened up to go to this club called Lush, that is owned by the same people that own Glass Egg Digital Media, the company we will be visiting on Tuesday. It was really cool inside. They had a dance area and then a sit down are where you can just talk. There was a great DJ and really cool strobe lights and black lights everywhere. There were a ton of kids our age there too which made it really fun.