Dale Poter, 58, took off his sneakers to learn how to grow pak choi in Tra Que’s vegetable fields in Hoi An City.
The American tourist and his friends join a tour to Tra Que vegetable village, Cam Ha Ward, Hoi An City to learn farming skills.
“I am excited by the Vietnamese farmers, watching them work in the fields and enjoying the beautiful life of the Vietnamese countryside,” he said.
Poter observed a farmer’s instruction and listened to the translation from an interpreter about how to handle the farming tools.
After that, he had to hoe up the ground in-line and carry the fertilizer on his shoulder. Those simple activities of Vietnamese farmers challenged Poter. He could not do it correctly and made the other tourists laugh.
“You have an attractive country. I am jealous about it,” he said to his Vietnamese friends.
Susan, 64, did not do like Poter. She carefully took notes on the way to grow clean vegetables and the names of famous vegetables in Cam Ha.
“I wish I had more time to learn the farming skills of the people here. You are friendly and hospitable,” she said.
Hoeing up the ground, watering vegetables, harvesting paddy rice, etc… have become activities that lure thousands of international tourists to Hoi An City.
From Australia, France, Spain, Germany, the U.S.A, etc... tourists come to Hoi An, not only for sightseeing, but also to experience cycling to the 400-year-old Tra Que vegetable village while enjoy the fresh air and free themselves in the fields.
The tour was initiated in 2005 by Nguyen Van Khoa, a young man from Hoi An City. This tour bloomed in 2007 when many others learned and applied this way of doing business.
Each tourist has to pay from USD 20 to 25 to join this tour.
Source: VN Express
Translated by Ngoc Hung