Sapa to Coc Ly Market

We headed out of town for a 2 ½ hour drive to the Coc Ly Market, a weekly market for many different tribes who come to buy and sell. The market was on two levels. On the top level they were selling water buffalo. Water buffalo sell for the equivalent of $1,100 each, with the females selling for a little more. The lower level sold many, many things including rice whiskey, embroidered clothing, tobacco (you could try a bong of it to see which flavor you liked), produce, and animal parts of all sorts. It was quite the experience. After the market we saw the bridge that crosses the river to the gate with the Chinese border. We had lunch at a local restaurant back in Sapa. This evening we had our second photography critique. 

Trekking in Sapa

Arrived at Lao Cai train station about 6:30 am and drove about one hour to the beautiful mountain town of Sapa. After breakfast we trekked through terraced rice fields to the scenic villages of Lao Chai and Ta Van, home to the Black H’mong and Red Dzao hill tribe people. From the moment we got off the bus hill tribe women walked with us the entire route trying to sell us their local wares. Although they speak their own language, their English was amazingly good. I guess they have learned it from walking and talking with tourists. These hill tribe people are very proud of their culture and still continue a traditional way of living. Red Dzao women still wear triangular shaped red hats. The Black H’mong women wear traditional indigo blue clothing and a black round hat. We went to a school along the path. It started raining part way through the hike. We found shelter and waited for the rain to pass. We had local fare for lunch along the trail. Everyone was glad to check in to the Victoria Sapa Hotel especially after spending last night on the train. Later in the evening there was fierce rainstorm. Glad to be inside!

Hanoi, Water Puppets, Train

Enjoyed the morning walking around the old quarter and taking photos. The sites, sounds and smells are amazing!! Erika and I had lunch at a local pho restaurant. When I say local I mean local. We were the only tourists in the place. Very authentic! In the afternoon we saw a water puppet show. Water puppets told the stories of daily life of the older Vietnam, when people traditionally worked the fields. After the rice harvest, farmers and the local community celebrated and entertained each other with musical tales using puppets they held up as they stood up to their waists in the water of the harvested rice paddy field. Then we went to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and his House on stilts, One Pillar Pagoda, and Tran Quoc Pagoda. Later we enjoyed dinner at Ngon Restaurant, a delicious local restaurant. After dinner we went to the train station for our overnight train connection on the Victoria Express Train to Sapa, a Northern Vietnamese town in the mountains very close to the border with China. There were four bunks in each cabin. I had an upper berth. Needless to say, it was a real hoot!