Weather: Cooler. Low 80's. Cloudy
Just when we thought we were all wowed out, we found there was more wow! We just got back from four days way up in the mountains in the Ha Giang Province of northern Vietnam close to the Chinese boarder. Special permits required. This was a bit of a gamble again, as we didn't exactly know what we were getting ourselves into. Very much off the tourist trail. 14 different ethnic minorities live in this rugged and spectacular landscape and scrape out a meager living, farming rice and corn on these steep mountainsides. Everything is done by hand or animal and no machines. Clouds and mist made the mountains appear ghostly. On clear days it must have been spectacular, and the road even more hair raising. The towns were without electricity from 6:00am until 6:30pm by which time it was very dark. We needed flashlights and candles in our hotels. We slept on the hardest beds ever. Just a sheet on top of a few boards - We loved it all!
Harvesting rice
Doug showing the Vietnamese how to separate the rice. Sinh, our guide, laughing.
Buffalo sees strangers!
Ha Giang mountain pass first day.
Ha Giang road
Ha Giang road and steep terraced rice paddies.
This little girl suddenly appeared over the ridge. She was about 7.
More mountain road
Goat on top of the market bus.
Foreigner at Meo Vac market
Colors in Meo Vac Market
Young Dao girl at the market
Purple or pink?
A Co Lao woman selling incense in Meo Vac market
Shopping for skirts
Tu, our driver, helping a Tay couple load a pig on their motorbike.
Breakfast for two at our hotel in Ha Giang.
Coffee
Mountain children - no TV.
In the Opium Lord's Palace. Ha Giang.
Completely amazing! Can't wait to see you guys this weekend. Wait until you see Simon's business. Those guys are really making some big moves!
ReplyDeleteLove you!
Kim
Also, Doug's Beard look sweet! And Kristin says she better be getting a sparkly head dress. The dog says, nothing.
ReplyDelete-Kimmy