The black H´mongh and the Red Dao

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Sa Pá, Vietnam

We spent the night on the train from Hanoi to Lao Cai and arrived early in the morning (5.00). We had a quick coffee at ”Le Bordeaux” in Lao Cai before we got on the bus to Sapa. The road was very winding and we climbed almost 1000 m before entering into Sapa town.

The Bamboo Hotel served us a great breakfast before we once again got on the bus for a little trip down in the valley below.

When the bus let us out we were surrounded by women from some of the villages. They wanted to sell their handicraft work to us, over and over and over again.

We started the descend down to the first village and halfway down we were invited by an elderly lady to ”inspect” her house. A very simple house with floor of stomped soil and walls with very good ventilation. A room for cooking and sleeping and a big ”living room” with TV and food storage. Just outside were the stables for the buffaloes and other animals.

Further down the road we passed some boys in the fields. The were trying to catch some sort of fish in the muddy rice paddies. Side by side with them were the buffalo family having a little rest.

We saw at least two schools and a local ”supermarket”. On the narrow ”streets” in this area the best way of transportation is moped or motorcycles, and there is a lot of them, everywhere sometimes with a whole family in the saddle.

After that walk we went back to Sapa-town for lunch.

The afternoon was spent at the market in Sapa. On the counters people displayed everything you could want in the kitchen. Vegetables of all sorts, lots of different meats, fishes, mollusks and other unmentionable things. On the next floor they sold clothes and fabrics, ”genuine” fakes and original brand names.

After a nice dinner it was bedtime to gather strenght for next days hiking.

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