I was so pleasantly surprised when our boatwoman started putting on bracelet bands and rings on our wrists and fingers when we finally reached Phong Dien. She had weaved them using banana leaves while the boat was on auto-pilot mode. We couldn't understand what she was saying, the rings don't cost a cent, but from her earnest expression, we could feel her sincerity. I felt she was trying to tell me "Thank you for riding my boat".

Lord of the Banana Ring

If you're interested in taking a ride along the Mekong Delta, look for this woman at the pier. We realised the agent recommended by Green Hotel (the agent claimed she was her sister) must have swallowed some of the money and wondered if the boatwoman got her fair share of the pie. I wore her handmade gifts for the rest of the day, all the way back to Saigon. I finally understood the meaning of priceless.

more photos on Saigon & Mekong Delta.