Lao Cai and Bac Ha

The overnight train from Hanoi to Lao Cai was from 9 pm to 5 am. In Lao Chi we were able to have a quick shower, change of clothes and breakfast before we took off on an hour drive to the Sunday market in Bac Ha. We got to the market by 9 am before any of the other tourists. And even when we were leaving the market a few hours later we felt we were in place that has not quite started to cater to foreign travelers. The market was so colorful with most women in their traditional tribal clothing. There are many tribes in the mountain regions of northern Vietnam that speak in dialects that even the other tribes don't understand. We were told there are about 87 dialects within Vietnam and each tribe has their traditional garb. The ones in Bac Ha were from the Flower H'Mong. Again hard to pick about 15 or so photos. We are now in Sapa that is only about 2 hours from Bac Ha but a totally different tribal situation. Photos from after we left the market to follow in another blog entry. Needless to say we are having an amazing experience and just the right amount of site seeing, hiking, eating,learning and downtime. On the road to Bac Ha Starting to get up into the mountains Old and new in Bac Ha The market in Bac Ha The Flower H'Mong at the Sunday market. Buying the knifes that they use to harvest rice and sugar cane and just about everything. Ah, this is where you can find a fresh pig head. A woman trying out the tobacco And of course you have the men watching the cock fight Find Waldo (Annie). It helps to be tall in Asia.