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Published: March 9th 2009
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After the trip back from Halong Bay, we spent a night in Hanoi before taking the sleeper train to Sapa. It is eight hour trip in a 4 person sleeper car. OMG, who will be sharing this car, hopefully not another roaring snoring Aussie like in Chiang Mai!. Fortunately, it was a young couple from Paris who we shared some great conversation. However, when we told her we were from Northern California, she told us that her parents had met in San Francisco during their hippy days before they moved to Paris. Just seems like yesterday when we were the ones cruising the trains as the couple with the backpacks!
During our time in Sapa, we did a trek, a homestay and visited the Bac Ha market. There are several ethnic minority tribes in the area including, Black Hmong, Red Tzao, Tsay. and Flowering Hmong. They all speak diferent languages and all wear distinctively different clothes. It was about a 12 km trek through rice fields, bamboo forests and up down the moutains. It wasn't rigorous but the footing was treachorous due to slippery mud. The rice fieds are terraced on the hillsides and the "path" can be only about
Sapa
Mama pig and the four little ones 4 inches wide of slippery mud with a 4 foot drop. Saw one poor chap lose his balance and do a swan dive into the mud. If you go, make sure you bring grippy boots. Sapa itself was shrouded in fog and clouds while we there, however, when we got below them, it was breathtaking picture postcard material. Gorgeous valleys with bamboo forest, terraced rice fields and the river going through valley. The homestay was great. Not nearly as rustic as in South America and the family was very warm and welcoming. They were Red Tzao and included Grandma, Grandpa, mom and dad and three kids. The water buffalo and chickens were right outside the door and, yes, they still use the water buffalo to plow the rice fields! Our guide, Dat, was Red Tzao and was very personable and was very good at explaining the customs and history of the tribes. The majority of them came to Vietnam approx 400 years ago from China to find better land for their agrarian way of life.
The Bac ha market was somewhat of a disappointment in that a a lot material was typical tourist junk. There was also a lot
of everyday foodstuffs that one does not see at home. How often do see fresh whole uncleaned unsliced bamboo shoots at Safeway at 4 for 50 cents. You also see the animal market with water buffalo, horses, pigs, chickens and dogs for sale. It was rather heartbreaking and disturbing from a Western viewpoint to see eight dogs literally stuffed into cage knowing they will be slaughtered. Leona particularly had a rough time with this.
The second night in Sapa we stayed in the Chau Long Hotel which is supposed to have a beautiful view of the Valley and Fanispan Mtn. But due to the pea soup (a term Dat learned from a previous British tourist) we couldn't see any of it. It was a very nice hotel considering where we were.
After another overnite train (this time with a Danish couple), we came back to Hanoi. Another place we visited was the "Hanoi Hilton". It was prison that was used by the French during thier colonial times and later by Vietnam during the what is termed here as the American war. There are pictures and memorials of the patriots against the French and the American imperialists. Lots of
Sapa
You never know what you might meet! pictures of American pilots and how well they were treated and and how Vietnamese patriots shot down thousands of American planes. I would say it was definitely not an unbiased portayal of a very conflicting period of history.
We are at the end of our Southest Asia adventure. We were surprised at how different the four countries are from each other. A year ago, we both thought of this area as being very homogenous. The cultures, language, personality, and food are very different. Also, it has had a long history of confict with colonial powers as well as among themselves and China. It has only been recently that there has been peace. Corruption is rampant as has been related by the locals in several countries, but like they also say, it is better than war. There also is a sense of optimism, and considering thier past, that also is very understandable. We were also amazed by the knowledge and genuine support for Obama from people from all around the world.
We will post pictures when we have capability as the computers here do not have SD/USB slots. (Pictures posted 3/10)
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