Water buffaloes are the symbol of Vietnam. They represent prosperity, happiness, and bravery.
https://asiasociety.org/sites/default/files/inline-files/Day04_Vietnam%20Water%20Buffalo.pdf
Adventure Cows are Texas Longhorns.
Longhorns are sturdy, gentle, and smart.
https://longhornroundup.com/f/why-raise-texas-longhorn-cattle
Longhorns will take advantage of almost any food or forage. Here, AC takes part in a Food and Drinks Tour of Hanoi.
Barack Obama had when he
visited Hanoi – but he did not eat on a
little, plastic, stool on the sidewalk.
Obama went to the version that had sit-down tables.
https://jackytravel.com/bun-cha-obama/#:~:text=Bun%20Cha%20Vietnam%20with%20President%20Obama%3A&text=%E2%80%9CMr.,take%20away%20from%20the%20hotel.
It was still the Lunar New Year, year of the cat in Vietnam, when we arrived in Hanoi. Here, AC poses with handmade, wire, money trees. Sure to bring good fortune in the coming year. While the water buffalo is a symbol of prosperity, we did not see any displayed with the money trees.
Look how sturdy AC is as he climbs a tree hanging out over Hanoi’s Hoan Kiem Lake. https://vietnamdiscovery.com/hanoi/attractions/hoan-kiem-lake/ He does not see any water buffalo here.
While in Hanoi, AC quietly watched the Water Puppet show, before jumping up on stage for a quick photo.
https://youtu.be/XZy3q5-x03c?t=52
Did he see water buffalo here? Watch the sample video to see for yourself.
After the water puppet show, AC knows it is time to eat. A beautiful restaurant had been spotted during the food tour – back we went for dinner.
Maybe it is a taco.
On a tour at the Ha Long Whisper Nature Bungalow in the Viet Hai Village of Cat Ba National Park, AC is brave: with only a little help from our guide, Tra, he completed the “Monkey’s Bridge” over the small river. He does not see any water buffalo here.
What is a Monkey Bridge? https://incountrytours.com/monkey-bridge/#:~:text=A%20Monkey%20Bridge%20(‘c%E1%BA%A7u%20kh%E1%BB%89,either%20with%20or%20without%20handrails.
See our gentle AC admire the farmer’s work in Viet Hai Village in Vietnam’s Cat Ba National Park. He did see water buffalo here – but where?
The water buffalo are taking a break, right across the road from these fields.
AC is brave. He leads our small tour boat to the Cua Van Floating Village Museum as we take in the sites of this section of Ha Long Bay. This water is too deep for cows or buffalos.
As our tour group travels from Vietnam to Siem Reap, Cambodia; we are welcomed to the country with tasty drinks and Apsara dancers.
Adventure Cow might be about – is this a water buffalo?
The picture is not clear because AC is being banged on the table.
But, AC is sturdy and was not hurt by this attention.
Our next day in Siem Reap brought the Vespa Tour with a chance to see the Cambodian countryside and meet local families.
Another day, AC was able to join the group for lunch. It was his job to collect the rice cones that came with our lunch.
Our tour took us to several historical and religious sites. Neither Adventure Cows or Water Buffalo are allowed in most of these locations. Below, is a picture of AC on the causeway (entryway) to Angkor Thom, one of the significant religious areas in Cambodia. This bridge was the only place he could compare himself with the carvings.
https://helloangkor.com/attractions/angkor-thom-thvear-tonle-om/
The next morning, we got up very early to join hundreds of other folks who come from all over to see the sunrise over Angkor Wat. Angkor Wat is the largest religious site in the world and dates back to the 1100’s. More information: https://helloangkor.com/attractions/angkor-wat/
Another outing took us to Tonle Sap. The largest fresh water lake in Cambodia. It is in the middle of the lake that alligators are raised for export to China. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tonl%C3%A9_Sap
This is a short video from our Tuk Tuk ride in Phnom Penh
Again, there are no water buffaloes in sight.
Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, during the day – a visit to the Royal Palace.
While there were many other interesting sights to see in Cambodia, they were not appropriate for Adventure Cow. He learned nothing of the Khmer Rouge with it’s schools turned into prisons and cemeteries turned into killing fields. It is time for the river cruise ship and sights along the Mekong River. https://www.britannica.com/event/Cambodian-Genocide
One stop along the Mekong River was the weaving community of Long Khanh in the Dong Thap province. This village is a weaving center, turning out thousands of scarves for sale on the streets and towns of Vietnam – and to tourists who visit from cruise ships.
And, it is so noisy. These machines still work, but they are old.
Next stop in the province was a coconut farm. Here, we enjoy fresh coconut milk straight from the trees.
On the way back to the ship – AC spots a chilli farm. What a fun place to hide.
https://sakasaka.net/thanh-binh-dong-thap-high-quality-chilli-plantation-in-southern-vietnam.html
As our ship gets closer to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), we must pass through the Song Tra Canal. Today will be filled with things to do on the ship – no tours to the shore. https://heritagevietnamairlines.com/en/where-canals-run-through-the-countryside/
We finally reach Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Once there, AC joins local tours to get a bit of Vietnamese (war) history.
Leaving the Tunnels entrance area, AC is surprised to see Water Buffaloes as part of a depiction of more ordinary life and times.
Such serious topics, but the gift shop had many fun toys.
More about the Palace and the role it played:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independence_Palace
The trip is almost over. He is happy to spend some of his time in Saigon, taking part in another Food and Drinks tour.
Adventure Cow has come to learn why he may be called a Water Buffalo while in Vietnam – he has been brave and he has brought happiness to many people.
he says goodbye to the Water Buffalo painted on a hallway wall.
They are not so different afterall.
Goodbye AC. See you on your next adventure!