Vietnam Hilltribe Market Day!

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Hi everyone,

Well, its been a while since blogs so I have a lot to catch up on.

I am writing this sitting in a little village on the wooden balcony of a fairly basic homestay with the sounds of roosters crowing and pigs snorting around me! Of course there is no wifi here, so I’m writing this to post later.

The village is in a mountain highlands area of north west Vietnam very close to the Chinese border. It’s famous for its ethnic groups in their colourful traditional costumes and today is the weekly market so I’m looking forward to walking up there after breakfast.

I saw a few ladies working the fields in heavily woven and colourful clothes on my ‘guided walk’ around the local villages yesterday. It was with a local English student arranged by my homestay. She is presently doing work experience at the local tourist information office, was very sweet and took me to her home to try the local corn liquor.

So potent and high in alcohol content you can set it alight! As she demonstrated for me after pouring me a cup to drink from a plastic jerrycan… I wasn’t sure if it was a drink or a form of fuel!!

Her village is apparently known for its corn liquor – it probably has about 500 houses and apparently the home brew is the main product of the village which they sell at the market.

I think I’ll stop writing now, and do a few more yoga stretches before breakfast. Yesterday afternoon’s walk was long … the homestay man suggested I go for a 4-5 hour walk around the countryside the way we would suggest a 20 minute stroll. Plus I’m a bit stiff as last night’s bed was so hard, I might as well have been sleeping on the floor.

However, it’s hard to complain when I look at how simply the villagers live. They’ve installed a flush toilet and hot shower for the tourists, but its clear that most of the homes around don’t have such ‘luxuries’.

Until next time … cheers, Alison.

P.S - Have included photos from the amazingly vibrant and colourful market.

It had some touristy sections, but many sections were very local and authentic ... such as areas selling buffalos, horses and farm implements... not too many tourists interested in buying those! I took hundreds of photos until my camera battery went flat!?

P.P.S - Don't forget to scroll down to see more photos below each blog...there's lots attached to this one as I couldn't choose which ones to include.

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Photos

Part of what I came to see...
The terraced rice fields I saw on my 4 hour walk through the villages surrounding Bac Ha is the scenery which draws tourists to this remote part of Vietnam.

Maylee - my student guide
Pouring me corn liquor in her home ... she showed me where they boil up the maize in a huge permanent pot about 80cm wide above a wood fire.

A quick way to get drunk
I think about 3 of these shots would have most people rolling drunk. My guide lit some with a lighter like an oil burner! It must be at least 60% alcohol

Homestay Bed
My not so comfortable bed for the night. An older French couple occupied the other end of the big room.

Dinner was a feast!
Dinner with the extended family + the French couple's guide. The only family member who could speak English was the son who manages the tourist information office - the homestay is in his mothers house.

Colourful market
I took hundreds of photos - the costumes were amazing.

A cutie...
Even some of the little girls were fully dressed in traditional clothes

Want to buy a horse?
I loved seeing the women in traditional clothes and motorcycle helmets!

The local 'food court'
Many locals were eating at the market ... not a good idea to look too closely at some of the food, particularly the meat and sausages!

So colourful...
I know what's in those gerrycans ... but no way I was lining up for more of the local brew!

Noisy too...
Lots of groups of women laughing and chatting... the market is obviously a social chance to catch up with friends too

Or perhaps a buffalo?
Parts of the market were touristy selling souvenirs and handicrafts, but the animal sale yard areas were definitely not!