Travels in Vietnam

Spending a few days in Ho Chi Min City (Saigon) leaves many images in your mind - mostly of a bustling, energetic city. The hundreds of thousands (millions?) of motorbikes are a sight to behold; and there are no traffic rules!

And then there is the Mekong Delta - an area of 15,000 sq miles (larger than Massachusetts) and with a population of about 18 million, most of whom are involved in fishing and farming.

The delta is a geographer's delight with all the issues of physical geography (stream action, erosion, precipitation, and of course, temperature) intersecting with cultural adaptations, using local knowledge to create a thriving region. This is a common scene on the delta, taking agricultural produce (rice, vegetables, coconuts) to market.

With so much to take in, this scene of kids swimming in the Mekong, reflects the commonalities that all share.