Operation: Pen

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There is one thing I have to do while in Sapa. I have to find Pen. Pen is one of the hill tribe people living in a village outside of Sapa, and a friend of Karen’s. The only clues for finding her are a photograph and this letter:

Dear Sherry,

As soon as you get to Sapa find someone dressed the same as Pen. They will know her and send word for her to come into town to see you. She has 3 sons now including a new little baby boy. Her village is 5-7 kms from town. If you go out there take your own water and eat first. Pen speaks English and is gorgeous...Don’t try to get police permission to visit her village, it will take too long. Just plead ignorant if you are asked where you are going. I am happy to buy Pen some animals, please ask her what would be good, chickens or pigs?

Love,

Karen



I love my Secret-Sapa mission. And it doesn’t take long to find a villager in town who knows Pen. They send word for her to meet me the next morning at 8am.

Now just a word of advise, if you find yourself in Sapa, and Pen asks you to come over to visit, not only should you bring your own water and eat first, but you better bring a healthy dose of endurance. The journey takes more than 3 hours, one way. It is 5-7kms to her village, but then you have to walk down to the bottom of the mountain, and then make your way up to the top of another. It’s damn hot but I’m not complaining, because I am very aware that Pen not only wears her village attire composed of multiple heavy layers, but she also has a baby on her back.

Being here with Pen affirms my belief that not having money does not mean not having happiness, and if you met Joe in a previous blog, vice versa. I spend the afternoon enjoying Pen's children and the local life of a villager. This life is simple and beautiful. Pen speaks decent English and tells me stories like how her husband paid her family 2 million VND (app $125) to marry her. I also get an up close and personal tour of the rice terraces. Lunch was cooked over a fire in a pit in the kitchen which would complete my visit and what I thought were mushrooms I was stirring in with my rice, were not mushrooms at all, but pig’s feet. The room was dark, oh well.

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