I think this was my favourite part of our trip, the scenery, people and villages were so interesting and untouched. Everyone was very friendly and didn't mind us taking pictures.
We took the overnight sleeper train from Hanoi to Lao Cai,
near Sa Pa. Our carriage was the Victoria, it was compact and clean
with two attendants who brought cold beer before bed time and returned
in the morning at about 5am with croissants and hot coffee, there was a
toilet to each carriage and I think about 12 compartments with 4 or 6 beds in each.
The beds had clean fresh sheets and
pillows/duvet. Although the track is very noisy and bumpy, with stops
throughout the night, we managed a fairly good sleep over the 8 hour
journey. It's a great way to travel without 'losing' a day and a
fantastic experience. There was a toilet to each carriage!
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| our cosy train carriage, bunk beds with fresh sheets/duvets, wifi charge point, beer! |
https://www.victoriahotels.asia/en/victoria-train.html
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| our friendly, uniformed host who woke us with croissants/coffee at 5am |
We
were met at 7am by our guide and driver/van for the 5km trek. We were the only ones on this trek so had our guide all to ourselves and learned a lot about the country, it's people and that inevitably tourism is impacting on rural life... and we were driven through
valleys into the mountain regions of Sapa, close to the border with
China. First we had some time on our own to expore the town of Bac Ha
where at 8am there was a busy market in full swing, selling wild orchids
(taken from the jungle), charcoal, wood, food, woven cloth and pots and
pans. Everyone was friendly and as interested in us as we were in
them. There were small hotels and guest houses in town with aircon so we
rested and drank coffee.
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| selling wild orchid |
I wished I hand't asked to sit up front on this journey! the driver drove dangerously close to the open cliff edge with a sheer drop into the valley, there were times when lorries or bikes would come towards us on the wrong side. An hour or so drive upwards along this precarious
road with a sheer drop and uneven, crumbly surfaces and we arrived at
the village of the Red Dao. we walked through this and other villages
(Black Hmong, Gaiy, taking in the clear air and fabulous views of rice terraces and the most beautiful scenery. The
villagers were friendly and curious and followed us considerable
distances wanting to sell their woven cloth and bags but also just wanting to be part of the walk, they are learning English and try hard to build a rapport, they are very funny, happy people.
The lady above was in one of the hill villages, her 'shop' sells fresh tofu and she was busy making a batch. The living conditions were fairly basic but they have water, power and cling film!
This lady was not swotting flies, but waving cheerfully whilst resting at the roadside with her sugar cane, I thought it was very nice of her considering the sweltering heat and heavy load!temperatures averaged 36 fahrenheit, humidity was good in Sa Pa but in the towns/beach could be 80%.
There is an
opportunity for a homestay here and there are quite a few new build
homes in progress as this tourist opportunity is realised - but these
aren't the original tribal homes - which are very basic with earth floor,
no lighting or running water with one room serving cooking and sleeping
for a whole family, there are plenty of these and the amenities are
basic, hammocks rather than beds, cooking on small burners, people are very happy to show you inside their houses but I think as they get more tourism this will change.
Each
tribe has it's own traditional costume and they take great pride in
wearing it, not just for our benefit - they live and work in their
beautifully woven scarves and tunics although teenagers are adding Nikes and slogan t-shirts to the mix. The children wear these decorative outfits and can be seen in the main town market area and also in the villages, selling
trinkets like bead bracelets to tourists.
Red
Dao ladies shave their eyebrows and sides of their heads and wrap
their hair in red turbans with tassles and silver coins. In their
village we saw bunched leaves on sticks outside the entrance to a house
which is to ward off evil spirits as a new baby was within the house.
Marriages are arranged, around age 15 and involve a diviner who
determines compatibility.
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| This Red Dao lady was a very noisy market trader |
Our visit to the market was not planned, it was a
'toilet stop' with a spare hour where we wandered off to explore on our own while our guide had a fag break! Yet it was probably the best part
of our entire trip as so many of the hill and valley tribes were here in
their traditional woven 'uniforms' selling their wares. We saw no
other tourists here either so got great photos!
People
all over Vietnam like keeping songbirds, they use very small wicker cages as in the
picture below and take their birds out from the home, as at
this market, because they like the birdsong and the older people 'compete' one birds song against another', which is undoubtedly
beautiful (although the quality of life for the bird is sadly
restricted).
although
these people are making an honest living selling wild orchid, they are
taken from the jungle which is not particularly eco friendly.
*
Not
all orchids are being taken from the jungle, this was a small market in
the hills; we also saw the most spectacular orchids in flower markets
all around Vietnam
... which I will show you in future posts ...which were commercially
grown on 'farms' of gigantic polytunnels to provide for the demand in
cities.
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| young generation wear their tribal clothes with pride but a mix of western influence is seen here and there |
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| Baby in backpack! |
We
stopped at a little cafe/ home stay with a kitchen and a
few tables, the toilet was a hole in the ground affair(!) Our guide chose the traditional Vietnamese coffee. I shared his, which was delicious -
made with sweetened condensed milk in the bottom, the very strong
coffee filtered through these steel pots - it takes about 10 minutes so the glass is seated
in a bowl of hot water to keep it hot. The coffee has a strong
chocolate flavour.
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| traditional Vietnamese coffee |
It takes about 10 minutes to brew but the
wait is all part of the experience, sitting watching our coffee brewing,
chatting and watching a funeral group in progress in the valley below us, we were told this deceased was a prominent figure and would have many mourners so a buffalo was being prepared for the funeral feast. We
didn't take pictures as the locals would not have appreciated this but
it made an interesting spectacle of a whole village of Black Hmong men
lined up to show their respects, the buffalo in the background awaiting
his fate and the backdrop of the green rice terraces, the odd giant
tropical butterfly gliding by and heat haze of the early morning giving
way to bright sunshine.
We
were met at the end of our hike by our vehicle and taken up to the very
top of the mountains for two nights at the Topas Eco Lodge. The most
beautiful, calm surroundings, birds and butterflies, no tv or technology
(wifi in reception only). Minimalist yet luxurious in its simplicity,
bungalow style accommodation with spectactular views, rainforest shower
and fresh crisp sheets on the bed, an infinity pool looking out over the
rice terraces cascading below us like an endless stairway from heaven.
The sunsets and sunrises here are spectacular and unforgettable. So glad we stayed here rather than in town as this Lodge is very special.
http://topasecolodge.com/gallery/
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everyone in the mountains has an umbrella nearby for rain or shine
it gets very hot up there even early in the morning |
This lady missed a tourist opportunity to sell some of her lovely woven bags. It's a very slow pace of life in the hills. I asked if the Government supports them or buys their rice but was told the people farm the land only for their own needs, there is little profit to be made so they are on the look out for sales opportunities with trekkers to boost their incomes, many want to leave and work in the cities, try, but then return as they don't have the skills to find work, nonetheless this way of life may not be sustainable much longer. Homestays houses were being knocked up by the dozen when we were there but the investment is coming from small business men and not the locals.
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| Cock fighting goes on here although officially it is illegal |
Disturbing for us Westerners, some areas of Vietnam still eat dog. The meat is expensive, the dogs are bred specifically and considered a delicacy, so it would seem it is not extensive, but we saw some dogs being transported on mopeds on a major road to the North in awful cramped conditions and their fate was confirmed by our driver. It's one of the few things we may not understand or condone, but in another country you have to show tact and respect for their way of life methinks.
Mopeds are used to transport anything and everything, kids as young as 10
can be seen riding around with all kinds of things on their bikes (it is illegal for children to ride mopeds but that doesn't stop them up here).
I may have some more pics of Sa Pa so will do another post if they turn up. Next I think it's Cu Chi Tunnels and Halong Bay.
Useful tip: In vans/cars ask to sit next to the driver to get the best pics and don't be shy to ask them to stop if you want to get a really good picture sometimes, they soon get the idea.
