We were on holidays in Saigon, Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh City) for one week four years ago. I tagged along with my friend's family. Our group had two old ladies, a couple with their 3 year old son, and I. I guess it was a group not meant for long and difficult rides. It was a pre-arranged travel, so no hassles for transports and hotels. We arrived at around 2am, so no traffic yet on the roads from the airport. Being there for the first time, all my senses are always open, partly for being naturally curious and partly to assimilate a lot of information.
The younger generation want to explore the historical places, the tunnels, etc, but we were only able to avail of the one day Mekong River trip, with a visit to the islands at the middle. Our days were mostly spent eating and going to the market, shopping left and right. But I don't like shopping, so i just join and take photos. These are some of the most unusual things I've seen in the wholesale market. I saw them here for the first time.
These are the dried sea cucumbers called trepang, delicacy for the Chinese, wherever they are in the world. But other Asian countries also use this for food recipes, as influenced by the Chinese. I am so fascinated on how they can be eaten, as i can see fungus already growing on the dried organisms! I guess i captured in photos the three species. Maybe i have eaten it already in Chinese restaurants, but it is very different when you see them in its condition as in the photos.
species 1
species 2
species 3
They are called sea cucumbers because they look like our table cucumbers. They are also called more technically as Holothurians being in the Class Holothuroidea. I am only very familiar with them as living marine animals we see in our rocky shores. Kids play with them because they spurt water on you when touched. However, even as a child I am scared to touch them, being scary, slimy, and gelatinously soft! They even look like short snakes or big slugs! Yaicks! I am sorry for the quality of the photo below, as it is the only one i got from our seashore.
live sea cucumber
