Saturday, December 6th, 2003 – Day 291
We arrived in Lao Cai on time at 5.30am. I was groggy but Ok. I slept Ok. I could take a 25,000 Dong bus to Sapa, Stay in Lao Cai or take a bus to Bac Ha which is off the tourist trail. There are various ethnic minorities in this region including: H’Mong: 10,000 people, Dao: 56,254 people, Tay: 61,034 people and Thai: 37,703 people. More information here
I decided to walk to the bus station from the train station. It was a small 10 minutes walk in the dark. Lao cai is only a few minutes from the Chinese border and I would need to come back here in order to cross over. I was lucky as there was bus going at 5.30am and was just about to leave. The price should be 40,000 Dong for the 2.5 hour journey but the conductor wanted 5 Dollars (75,000 Dong). I bargained him down to 60,000 Dong. I was a bit tired and pissed off. I let it show. I was slow to pay him and did it in front of other passengers. I should have not have done so. I gave him a 10,,000 note. After 15 minutes on the road he had still not given me my change. I walked up to the seat beside him and offered the correct 60,000 in notes if he gave me back the 10,000 Dong. He refused and then started pointing at the 60,000 saying I had not paid him. He wanted another 60,000 Dong. I said NO in a loud voice and he went a bit crazy pointing to his nose and eyes for a minute and then screaming at the bus driver to stop the bus which he did. He wanted me off the bus. Again (twice now) I said no and retreated to my seat. Bugger it. I handled;led it all wrong. Twenty minutes later as we picked up more passengers, the bus driver came down with my 40,000 change. It was a long journey and the bus was packed when we arrived in bac Ha at 8.00am. it was full of minority people and it was very colorful.
It took me about 20 minutes to find a nice hotel for 5 USD per night. I t was a nice big room with hot water and shower. I then headed out and agreed with a moto driver to take me to Can Cau market 20km away, wait for 2 hours and take me back for 45,000 Dong. It is one of the most exotic tribal markets in Vietnam. It is 20 km north of Bac Ha, and just 9 km south of the Chinese border. The market only runs on Saturday. The scenery was fab as we climbed over mountain apses to get there. I should have hired a guy with a bigger bike. There were rice terraces all over the place and local people with farm animals ,like oxen pulling tree trunks.
The market was out of this world. I expected a normal market with animals and Vietnmaese and Chinese traders but in a small field there were about 800 Flower Hmong. These are the most colorfully dressed of that tribe. There are four other sub sects including the Black Hmong of Sapa. About 80% of the market were women buying clothes and jewelry. There was a small animal mart in the back. I saw only two other tourist here.
As the indigenous peoples of the Central Highlands, the Montagnards are completely different in their culture and language from the mainstream Vietnamese. The Vietnamese arrived much later into what is now Vietnam and came primarily from China in different migratory waves. Primarily lowland rice farmers in the south, the Vietnamese have been much more influenced by outsiders, trade, the French colonization, and industrialization than have the Montagnards. Most Vietnamese are Buddhists, belonging to varying strains of Mahayana Buddhism, although Roman Catholicism and a native religion known as Cao Dai also have large followings. Part of the Vietnamese population, especially in larger towns and cities, maintain Chinese traditions and language. The ethnic Chinese constitute the largest minority in Vietnam. Physically, the Montagnards are darker skinned than the mainstream Vietnamese and do not have epicanthic folds around their eyes. In general, they are about the same size as the mainstream Vietnamese.
It was amazing. I was engrossed by the color. Many were selling and buying wheat whiskey. I had some and it was strong stuff. I stayed there for about two hours.
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Click on the picture to see it in its original size
Hac Ba – Can Cau (06-12-2003)
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Click on the picture to see it in its original size
Hac Ba – Can Cau (06-12-2003)
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Click on the picture to see it in its original size
Hac Ba – Can Cau (06-12-2003)
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Click on the picture to see it in its original size
Hac Ba – Can Cau – Tobacco Water Pipe (06-12-2003)
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Click on the picture to see it in its original size
Hac Ba – Can Cau (06-12-2003)
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Click on the picture to see it in its original size
Hac Ba – Can Cau (06-12-2003)
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Click on the picture to see it in its original size
Hac Ba – Can Cau (06-12-2003)
Note: I took over 200 photos at the Market. These are just a few….
I was back in Bac Ha by noon. Bac Ha is located to the north-east of Sa Pa. Its tourism industry lags behind that of Sa Pa but things are improving. The town’s main industry is the production of rice wine, cassava wine and a highly potent corn liquer. The lively Sunday market is a good place to pick up handy crafts, or you can just wander around and admire the colorful dresses worn by the H’mong women.
The town itself is VERY boring. I wandered to another village during the day and while it was scenic but there where no other tourists, no place to drink etc. I ate in a real nice restaurant thought. Fried rice with mushrooms and I had spring rolls and a pancake with honey and WITH a beer (litre) for 30,000 Dong.
Still, it was boring and I went to bed early.