This morning we were woken up by through to our phones about Preston LXRP works on Cramer Street tomorrow (Tuesday). Hmmn, perhaps we should unsubscribe from the level crossing removal project notifications while we are on holidays? Not to worry, since I was awake I decided that I WOULD wash my hair this morning!! Besides which we needed to make sure we breakfasted earlier this morning with our excursion for today occurring before lunch.
The sampans arrived before 8.30am to whisk us across the river to a fish farm where we learnt about rearing the fish. It is a long process, taking about about nine months to grow the fish to marketable size. It sure is smelly though. The pong of the fish and rice food that they make up for them onsite was almost gag worthy when we first set foot on the farming platform. Fortunately our noses became deadened to the smell fairly quickly and we were able to concentrate on all of the information we were being told rather than the stench! Also fortunate was that when it was our turn to feed the fish and stir them up into a feeding frenzy, we
did so with pelletised food rather than them turning on the dispenser to pump the wet slurry into their pen.
With water levels very high our next stop A new access point has been organised though – but it goes through someones house! It felt very intrusive being taken through a familys back door and then through their house before going out their front door and into the street. Hopefully the family is for the inconvenience.
In Tan Chau now, we walked along the street to the Taoist Temple. The deitys/saints statues depicted here all looked very fierce! Inside the temple we were given the opportunity to have our fortunes read by one of the monks. This involved quite a process. First we had to drop yin and yang ‘pebbles until we achieved a yin and yang pairing to make sure we were spiritually balanced. We were both well balanced achieving a yin/yang drop the first time.
With our spiritual balance achieved we then had to shake a cylinder of joss sticks to shake free a numbered stick. We then had to select the corresponding ‘fortune card from a numbered slot on the
wall. With our card in hand, we then had to wait for it to be interpreted by the monk who just looked like an old bloke smoking a cigarette! Rather disappointingly he was not dressed in robes. Our fortune was then translated for us by our guide.
Eventually, it was our turn to have a fortunes read and we both asked about the future for our health. The monk barely looked at Bernies card before (allegedly) declaring him to be very healthy and advising him to drink more beer!! He then studied mine in great detail. In fact he studied mine for so long I was getting quite worried. Finally, our guide told me that the monk had said my health is only fair at the moment, but I can expect my health to improve in the New Year. Hmmn, not quite the same robust health endorsement that Bernie received.
After the temple we returned to the sampan to travel a short distance to our next stop. Once on shore again we boarded Xi Loi – sort of like troop carriers behind motorbikes. These vehicles took us to some farming land where we were able to see
the locals working in their fields while our guide explained the crops that they are growing. In these particular fields they were growing two varieties of onion and herbs.
As we walked back to the street we walked past a disgusting looking pot of something cooking over a small outdoor hearth. It honestly looked like a pot of something that you would find boiling away at Rotorua. It certainly did not look appetizing or edible!! It turned out to be a big pot of fish sauce being cooked up.
We climbed back into the Xi Loi which returned us to our starting point where a couple of circuits around the village before finding our sampan.
