Trip to Sa Pa
Trip Start
Jan 04, 2008
1
11
13
Trip End
Ongoing
Sapa,
Vietnam
Saturday, October 25, 2008
We traveled by over-night train form Hanoi, leaving at 9:15 and arriving in Sa Pa at about 7:00 in the morning. After a quick breakfast in one of the town's many restaurants, we headed off for a 5 km walk through a couple of the local H'Mong villages. Many of the women still dress in traditional clothes and have become experts in selling items to the increasing number of foreign tourist who visit the area. They are very persistent, but at all times respectful, engaging and friendly. On any walk, they literally attach themselves to an individual, talking to you about where you come form, how old you are, if you have any kids, etc, etc, Most of them have picked up a reasonable amount of English from the tourists, They walk up and down the trails plying their trade on every tourist that comes along.
We did manage to visit a local village school and see some of the kids working in their classrooms. Never will I complain about conditions again. Our guide told us that the Government is supporting these minority groups in maintaining their culture and staying in their local villages though schools, medical services and business grants.
Sa Pa is high in the mountains and for most of our stay we were enshrouded in thick fog or light drizzle, so umbrellas or raincoats were essential. That didn't stop us from getting out and experiencing what the area had to offer. It is the sort of place you need to see on cloudless days to really appreciate the scenery of both the mountains and terraced valleys. Perhaps we need to go back there during the spring on 2009.
Comments
cool sapa
mystical sapa...looks great..im booked for 09 for sure...
counting down the weeks, days, hours till im in the nam! love g xxx