Can Cau Market




Water Buffalo Section of Can Cau Market

After seven years, my wife and I finally got to experience the sights, sounds and smells of the Can Cau Saturday Market and the Bac Ha Sunday Market in Vietnam.  I had planned on us visiting these two attractions back in 2008 during our last journey to Vietnam.  Unfortunately on that journey, our detailed arrangements were made through a friend and then through a travel agency that subbed it out to another agency.  In the end we ended up pretty much with a standard tour to the Sapa Region albeit a private tour but excluding our specific wish to visit Can Cau and Bac Ha.

This year I personally handled all our arrangements either through the Internet or through the hotels where we were staying.  It was all quite simple and - we got to experience exactly what we wanted.  Vietnam has changed a great deal in the past seven years.  The best change and most welcoming change is the growth and increased awareness for service in the tourism industry.  You still have to be aware of taxi scams and some "fly-by-night" travel companies but the Internet can greatly help you to avoid them and provide reliable and honest alternatives to them.

After spending 36 hours in Hanoi, we boarded the night time train to Lao Cai in the Sapa Region.  We arrived in Lao Cai at around 6:15 A.M. after a sleepless and restless night aboard our "soft sleeper" car.  We had anticipated not getting much sleep based upon our previous trip in 2007.  However as is often is the case in long distance travel to exotic places - the excitement and enthusiasm to discovery new experiences carries you through the day after a night of little sleep.

We exited the train station in Lao Cai to find ourselves in a  large parking area in front of it.  The parking area was filled with vehicles of all types, sizes and condition.  Many of the larger and newer vans and buses were there to take people up the mountain to the town of Sapa (Sa Pa).  Some vans as well as cars were from tour companies waiting for their clients to go to Sapa.  The older and less fit, buses were public transportation to the various towns and villages in the area.

We did not have a reservation and did not know what we were doing other than we wanted to go in the opposite direction from all the others going to Sapa.  That is not a problem.  You do not even have to speak Vietnamese.  But you do have to know where you want to go!  I spoke to a man who looked like he was available to take people where they wanted to go.  We headed across the lot with him towards a newer looking van, I finally got him to give me a price - $50 each.  I did not like the sound of that and told him that it was too much money.  I had read somewhere during the Internet research that the price from Lao Gai to Bac Ha was $18 each.  We wandered through the lot towards the main street at the perimeter of the area.  We encountered another young man and his price was roughly $40 for both of us.  We accepted his offer.  He took us across the street to wait with some people who were sitting around a couple of sidewalk stand selling drinks and food.  The people were friendly and pleasant.  We did not have long to wait before the young man reappeared standing on the running board of the doorway of a small mini-bus.  A mini-bus is a bus type vehicle with capacity for about 20 passengers.

Our mini-bus was most likely at least 20 years old and covered with dust.  It did appear to be in reasonable mechanical condition.  We entered the bus and walked around a beer keg that was in the aisle.  We walked past some seats that were stacked with cardboard boxes and cloth bundles.  We took seats at the back of the bus.  We were the only foreigners on the bus. It appeared that we were in for an adventure.

We headed off in the bus with the young man standing on the running board at the open doorway.  It was obvious that he was looking for more passengers to join us.  We drove slowly towards the outskirts of town and picked up a couple more passengers and their cargo. I was anticipating that we would be picking up crates of live chickens or even a trussed up pig but it never happened - somewhat to my disappointment. The people had been to the market and were returning to their villages and perhaps their restaurant with fresh food.

Twice outside of the town we stopped and the young man got out and talked with some people along the way. He then returned to the bus to retrieve a box for the people.  I was thinking that at our current pace, we would not get to Bac Ha.  After awhile the bus picked up speed to a normal pace and we headed up the hills to Bac Ha.  We made a couple quick stops to discharge people and their cargo including that keg of beer.  Our driver was a good driver and we were able to enjoy the surrounding countryside and sights as we traveled along.

Upon checking in to our hotel, Sa House, in Bac Ha, I informed Mr. Sa that we would like to visit the Can Cau Saturday Market. A quick phone call and 30 minutes later we were on our way to the market.

The Can Cau Saturday Market is located on the main road 20 KM north of Bac Ha and just 9 KM south of the border with the People's Republic of China.  The surrounding countryside is mountainous and punctuated with many rice terraces carved into the mountain sides.

The Can Cau Market is situated on the down slope side of the road that goes to the border.  On a promontory that juts out into the valley below, the Market fully utilizes the available space - the top of the jutting land, its slopes, and the land surrounding its base.

South Side of the Market

 The Market is roughly divided up into sections with each section dedicated to a specific type of merchandise and goods.  The North side of the market - the top as well as slopes and even the base of the promontory is dedicated to buying and selling of animals - mostly water buffalo and a few head of cattle.

Duang Passes A Muddy Water Buffalo On Her Way to Bird Market

At the base of the market, in a small wooded area was the bird market.  In the bird market, many nicely constructed wood bird cages were hung from the overhead tree branches.  Clusters of potential buyers stood and stooped around the cages observing and carefully listening to the songs of the captive birds.  Birds are selected for purchase based upon their beauty and singing skills.

Another section of the market is dedicated to hill tribe fabrics typically embroidered strips of colorful cotton.  In this section, coin purses, handbags, pillow coverings are also placed for sale - either hanging from bamboo poles or on makeshift tables constructed from rough wood or bamboo.



Hill Tribe Fabrics For Sale

Along the steep paths that lead to the various levels of the market, people had set cloths and tarps on the ground upon which they sold surplus vegetables from their home gardens or items that they had collected in the forests.

People Selling Some Produce From Their Gardens

At the east end of the upper market underneath and next to a permanent octagon structure were vendors of clothing.

Clothes Shopping at Can Cau Market

The market area, a conglomeration of some permanent structures but many more temporary booths created from bamboo posts and beams covered with either the ubiquitous blue tarps or recycled corrugated metal roofs, was the place for the local peoples to meet and socialize.  Shopping at local markets is as much a social experience as it is an opportunity to purchase what you need ... be it clothing, livestock, moonshine, vegetables, meat, fruit, knives, machetes, farming tools, tobacco,  kitchen utensils, snack food, and toys from China.

It was a very interesting place with plenty of interesting people and activities going on.

Across the road from the main market area, there was a temporary barber shop set up and doing a good business.  I thought of the old days back in Connecticut when men would get their hair cut on a Saturday morning too.

Scattered about the markets were open kitchens where people could sit down and enjoy a freshly cooked meal and a drink.  The smells of exotic foods and spices wafted through the market area.  Every where groups of men and other groups of women stood about in conversation. It is not the culture to rush in, get what you need and then make a fast track back to your home.  People spend quality time amongst themselves and the vendors.  Most of them linger until around Noon when the market starts to shutdown before headed back.  Like many of the locals, we left at noon to head back to Bac Ha.  Although we were headed back to our hotel, we were not rushing.  There were opportunities and people to meet along the way.  But that is another blog for another day.




Sa House - A Unique Experience

Sa House - Bac Ha Vietnam

We arrived in Bac Ha Saturday morning and left the bus from Lao Cai at the central square.  We were staying outside of the town at "Sa House".  I had spoken with Mr. Sa before we left Thailand and he said to call him upon our arrival and he would come get us.  Unfortunately my wife's phone did not work in Vietnam - no problem - I wandered over to a small pharmacy and managed to communicate with the young woman to call Mr. Sa.  She refused my offer to pay her for the call.  Five minutes later, Mr. Sa arrived on his motorbike.  Duang left him and I started walking up the hill to his place. He then returned to pick me up.


In planning our trip, I wanted to stay in Bac Ha - my plan was to arrive in Bac Ha on Saturday morning, go directly to the Can Cau Saturday Market, spend the night, and go early Sunday morning to the Bac Ha Sunday Market.  I ended up selecting and making reservations at Sa House.  I made arrangements through an Internet discount lodging site and the cost was $9 USD a night.

When we travel our priorities for lodging are: Safety, cleanliness, and hot water.  The overall objective in our travels is to meet and experience parts of the daily life of the local people. We enjoy learning and witnessing other cultures.  As such, we do not seek luxury Western style accommodations.  Why travel to exotic locations to only pay premium prices to insulate, as well as isolate, yourself from the local environment?  Our philosophy has served us very well especially here in southeast Asia.  We have stayed in many $20-$50 a night hotels that we would return to and in some cases we have returned to them.  However $9 a night was to be a new experience ... a fantastic experience.

Dormitory Building of Sa House

Sa House is about 1.5 KM outside of Bac Ha's center and is located in a very small village.  Sa House is more like a homestay than a hotel.  There are two buildings for guests along with Mr. Sa's family home. One building is dormitory style accommodation.  Duang and I stayed in the building pictured above.  The window of our room is shown just left of the stairway.  We had to share a separate bathroom and a separate shower room with the other guests of our building. Everything was very clean and had a very rustic charm - down to our homemade bed with mosquito net.  There were no glass windows or air conditioning.  Open windows and a fan mounted atop a wall kept us quite comfortable.  We never experienced an issue with showering or using the bathroom.  Below our building was a bathroom building with four or five toilet rooms - flush sit down toilets.

Sa House Cook House

We ended up having our meals at the Sa House - cooked by Mr. Sa's wife and his brother in a separate cook house with a large wood fired oven.  As is typical with Duang, she jumped in to help - washing and prepping the vegetables, fresh from the family garden, in the outside scullery.

Our Host - The Incomparable Mr. Sa

I spent the remainder of the afternoon, conversing with the other guests and the incomparable Mr. Sa.  One of the benefits of staying at the Sa House is that the rooms are too small to stay in for other than sleeping.  There are also no televisions.  Guests end up sitting outside under the cover of Mr. Sa's home - the second story of his house creating a nice large patio where tables and chairs are set up to make a nice area to dine, drink, and socialize.  The other guests were quite an eclectic group - a young man from Barcelona on a one year Sabbatical from his job at a hotel, a young woman, a former restaurant manager, from Singapore on a three month journey,  a young unmarried couple from New Zealand, and an older Italian couple along with their Vietnamese guide.  It was great way to spend time eating fresh fruit and soft drinks learning more about local life and his life from Mr. Sa.

Mr. Sa who had arranged our transportation earlier in the morning to the Can Cau Market, arranged transportation to take us to our hotel in Sapa late afternoon the next day.  He is very resourceful and helpful.

On a board attached to the wall of his home, Mr. Sa wrote the menu and price for the evening's meal.  There were six or seven items if I recall correctly.  I do remember thinking as I read the menu that there was food that I would be happy to choose and eat.  All the guests except for the Italians sat at a community table along with Mr. Sa.  I was shocked that we were being served every single item listed on the posted menu - family style!  The food was excellent and around $6.80.  Mr. Sa broke out some specialty that the area is known for ... corn liquor, Vietnam's White Lightning.  The Hmong people of the Bac Ha area are famous for their version of the potent beverage.  The liquor that Mr. Sa served lived up to its reputation - was very powerful.  Mr. Sa also served some plum wine that he made.  It was very good tasting but also strong.  I asked Mr. Sa about if he had added something to it.  He admitted that he had fortified it with ... corn liquor!

After dinner, we and the others at our table, walked down into town.  Someone had heard that there was going to be a party.   We arrived to witness the tail end of a celebration in the center of time - local people as well as a few tourists dancing to Hmong music around a small fire.  The fire burned out and the party was over.  We hiked back up the hill to Sa House and everyone was back in their rooms by 10:00 to rest for the opportunities the next day would over.

Early Sunday morning I was woken by a thunderstorm - up close and personal.  The rain poured out of the sky outside of our window but did not enter our room due to the long overhang of the roof.  The rain and thunder above the tile roof above the open ceiling of our room was an interesting if not disconcerting experience. Fortunately the storm quickly moved on and the sky cleared up - it was obvious that weather was not going to affect the Sunday Market - much to my relief.

I went down to the patio for my breakfast,  Mr. Sa's four year old daughter came to my table.  I cheerfully said "Good morning!" she mimicked me and replied "Good Morning".  I then gave her a long and drawn out lyrical "Good Morning"  she returned my greeting once again and finished with some Vietnamese or perhaps Hmong words.  Out of the corner of my eye and like a bolt of lightning, I saw a hand come down from above to firmly strike her on her bottom.  Her mother was bringing me my breakfast and had heard what she said. Later I asked her 12 year old brother what she had said. He embarrassingly told me "I can not tell you.  It very bad"  I could not help but laugh.  The little girl ran to the threshold of the door to the family home where she laid down for next half hour - sulking and suffering in silence.  Upon our return from the market, everything was OK and we were friends once again.  It was nice to see that precocious four year olds are the same every where and reassuring to see that some parents hold and discipline their children when they cross boundaries of proper behavior.

Upon our return from the market, I wanted a small lunch - nothing large or complicated.  I actually wanted a sandwich on a baguette - the wonderful breads available in Vietnam.  I had enjoyed the sesame chicken from the previous night's meal.  I asked Mr. Sa if it was possible to have a chicken sandwich with any leftover chicken from last night.  He would not hear of it.  He said that they would make a fresh sesame chicken sandwich.  A short time later he presented me with a delicious chicken sandwich with lettuce, tomato, and cucumber fresh from the family garden. Price?  I was charged roughly $1.40.

Our van arrived at the agreed upon time in the late afternoon to take us to Sapa for the next segment of our visit to the Tonkinese Alps of Northwest Vietnam.

After saying heartfelt goodbyes to Mr. Sa, and his family, we boarded the van and left - happy and grateful for our experiences at Sa House.

I think that I read somewhere that the US government requires some type of relationship disclosure about things that you write on the Internet that could be interpreted as an endorsement of a business.

I think that they really have much better and much more important thing to worry and deal with.  However there is no sense in risking getting into difficulties when you can spend a little, if reluctantly, time and effort to avert it.

I have written many times that I write about what I have seen and experienced. I do not have any business relationship nor do I receive any compensation for what I write in my blogs.  My wife and I are just ordinary people who travel.  After we return home, I share our experiences and photographs.

A New Gallery Is Available

Tavan, Vietnam

The latest gallery of my photography website is now available.  This gallery contains selected photographs from our trip to the Sa Pa Region in the Tonkinese Alps of Vietnam.

               http://www.hale-worldphotography.com/Vietnam-2015

Nothing Stays the Same, Living is Changing - Part 2



Harvesting and Threshing Rice in Tavan, Vietnam

For our first dinner during our 36 hour stay in Hanoi, we took a taxi to one of our old favorite restaurants for pizza - Al Frescos.  Whenever the gang from the jobsite went to Hanoi, we invariably had a meal at Al Frescos.  After a short ride we arrived at Al Frescos - just across the street from St. Joseph Cathedral.  That was a little odd to me, of all the times that we had eaten at Al Frescos, I had never noticed the landmark cathedral.  We entered the restaurant and it looked very familiar even down to the upstairs dining area where most foreigners end up eating.  If there was any change, it appeared that the restaurant was a little bit smaller.  I ended up asking our server and found out that this was actually a new location for Al Frescos!  Yet another change from our previous visits to Hanoi!

The Asia Queen Hotel where I had a run in with a "rip-off" taxi driver on our last visit, is no longer in business as well as Trang An Hotel, where we typically stayed while in Hanoi, are no longer in business - even more changes.

On our second night in Hanoi, we took the overnight train to Sapa (Sa Pa).  We had taken the train seven years before.  Based upon our experience of sharing a roughly 5 foot wide by 6.5 foot sleeper cabin with two strangers along with their luggage seven years ago, I purchased all four beds in a compartment going and returning so that Duang and I could be relatively more comfortable.  This was a welcomed change for both of us!

Speaking of change - there is now a highway from Hanoi to Sapa (Sa Pa).  Buses and charter vehicles offer a six hour alternative to the overnight train.

On this journey to Northern Vietnam, we got to visit and experience the Saturday Market at Can Cau and the Sunday Bac Ha Market that we had planned seven years ago but did not achieve.  On Sunday afternoon after the Bac Ha Market we went to Sapa arriving around 4:30 P.M.

The weather in Sapa is and was very unsettled in early September - with rainy days and most days with some brief showers most days, in between the showers there can be low clouds, fog, and even some sunshine!  I had done my research and tracked the weather for over a month as our planned departure approached.

I was dealing with a dilemma - I wanted to photograph the golden rice terraces of Sapa region and I wanted to photograph people harvesting the rice - most importantly threshing the rice by hand.  From my extensive Internet research I had determined that the best time for what I wanted would be the first week of September - it appeared that the first week is typically when the harvest commences.  I believed that if I had made a mistake in the timing, I still would have great photographs of golden terraces filled with heavy heads of rice ready to be harvested.

Unfortunately early September is typically wetter than later in the month.  I do not particularly enjoy photographing in the rain but I can deal with it.  The problem is ... the rice can not be harvested in the rain.  The rice must be dry to be harvested.  The harvesting typically recommences 24 hours after the rain has stopped and  dried by a combination of sun and wind.

Upon checking in to our hotel, the extremely helpful hotel manager booked my choice of a trek for the next morning.  I expressed my concern about the weather - he assured me that if there was some rain it would be over by noon.  I told him that I was relying upon him to make it happen and I would hold him accountable.

Our Hmong tour guide, Pang, arrived 10 minutes early at our hotel the next morning.  We set off together headed west out of town along a paved road.  We had hiked along the same road seven years ago only under a sunny sky. For this trek, I had selected a tour that not many tourists take - I was excited about the opportunities that such an itinerary would present for capturing more realistic glimpses of typical life.

Not too long, perhaps 30 minutes, into our hike, it started to rain, not heavily but enough to merit wearing a raincoat and to wet all exposed parts.  In a short time we arrived at the guardhouse to the valley.  To enter the valley around Lao Chai, non-residents have to purchase a permit for a nominal amount - 50,000 VND ($2.25 USD) per person.

Duang Showing Photos On Her New Smartphone

We were met by two Hmong women near the guardhouse.  One woman was young with an adorable baby strapped to her back and an older woman.  They set off along the road and trail with us.  I was prepared for this.  On our previous trip we were accompanied, more like hounded and harassed, throughout our stay by Hmong women and sometimes Hmong children wanting you to buy whatever they were offering.  I do not necessarily enjoy this but if they leave after the third time that I decline I can accept it.  If they persist I then become sarcastic in my conversation with them to be followed by silence.  My annoyance is tempered by the realization that they have a much more difficult life than I have ever experienced and that they are just trying to make a living perhaps to just survive.

I realized that these women would tag along with us along our trek and at the end ask us, if not expect us to buy some things from them.  I was prepared for that and did not have an issue with that as long as they were not pushy ... besides they would be good models along the way.

We set off of the road to travel along an extremely rough trail through a forested area headed towards two small villages where tourists do not often visit.  The rain had picked up in intensity and forced me to place my camera back into my pack for protection.  My typical camera backpack weighs around 15 to 20 pounds.  For the trek I had pared it down to 15 pounds for the scheduled 8 hour tour.  Eight hour tour?  Haven't I heard that before?  The theme song to the television show, "Gilligan's Island" which starred Alan Hale?  Was this a forewarning?

The trail that we hiked along was very steep, in many locations a 30% slope, and extremely dangerous.  The trail was filled with ruts - just right for twisting ankles.  The trail had many loose rocks and stones which created many opportunities to roll an ankle.  There were many streams of flowing water on the trail softening up the surface thereby making it more unstable for footing. But most of all there was the mud - thin so as to not even providing some traction by getting your boots stuck in it, nice thin slippery as snail snot fine clay mud.  How slippery was it?  A couple of times I was standing still and started to slide down the slope.

Trekking the Rice Terraces of Lao Chai District

Very quickly I realized that things had changed over the past seven years.  Sure it was dry back then and it was very wet now.  However it became very evident and personal the thing that had changed most of all was ... me.  At 66 years old (67 years old in Thailand) I could no longer do what I had done 7 years ago when I was 59 years old.

I am not as stable now as I was back then - the problem being my knees.  Pang and the older Hmong woman realized my difficulty and distress.  Pang offered to carry my backpack which I finally relented to allow  her to do - not a matter of masculine pride but rather my policy to be solely responsible for any damage that could befall my camera equipment. In not much time of carrying it after my first refusal, it became very evident to me that the gear was at a much greater risk and that I physically was more susceptible to injury carrying it myself than having Pang do it.

Lysa

My humiliation was not over.  I had intended to buy a walking stick from the children that congregated at the old intersection of the main paved road and head of the trail that descended into the valley.  More changes - that route is no longer used and that jumping off point has been abandoned.  As for the children ... Pang told me that since it was Monday, all the children were in school.  We came upon a bamboo fence along the trail, we ended up "borrowing" a piece to be a walking stick for me - something to stabilize my gait and a device for me to lean on to resist falling down or to the side.  The walking stick definitely helped and I carried it for 3/4 of our trek.  However the walking stick was not all that I needed to safely navigate the trail and slopes.  The older woman who turned out to be 47 years old, Lysa, offered me her hand.  As it turned out we ended up holding hands for almost one-half of our trek. Lysa, several times, saved me from falling down or slipping over.  She was strong and most importantly very sure footed.  I know that without her help as well as Pang's help. I might have injured myself or even worse - damaged my camera gear.



Duang and the Others On the Trail

It was miserable and I suspect it was almost as bad for the others.  I saw Duang almost fall a couple times and we were all getting rained on.  I was furious and livid.  Without doubt Duang and our trekking companions were aware of this. I was furious and livid.  The weather? No.  The steep trail? No. The dangerous conditions? No!  I was furious and livid with the painful and fearful realization of the changes ... my changes that were making it so difficult for me to do what I had done seven years earlier, changes that now dictated and forced me to rely upon others along with the assistance of others. Perhaps I was also upset with the perceived loss of some independence and self-reliance.

I made it a point to convey to our fellow trekkers and ensure to them that I was not upset or angry with them but I was angry with myself.

We came to a fork in the forest and stopped.  Pang said that we could continue on the trails that we were on, or take an abandoned road that other tourists take for about another hour at which point we could continue with the remainder of the scheduled trek to Lao Chai Village and Tavan or at that point we could be met by a vehicle to return us to our hotel in Sapa.

I decided to take the road more traveled with the option of returning to the hotel being a very definite possibility.  We made it to the abandoned road and walking became somewhat easier.  Shortly before arriving at a small hut overlooking the valley but more importantly a place where you could buy ice cold drinks and sit under cover, the rain stopped and the sun almost came out.

The Girls At the Best Refreshment Stand In Sapa region

Goal #1 - Achieved, This is one of the photos that I had as a goal

After a nice rest at the refreshment stand, with no rain I was able to take photographs once again. I thought of all the people that I have known in my life who did not live long enough to be 66 years old let alone to be 66 years old and to attempt such a trek in such a beautiful place.  I thought about how few issues I do have and of those how minor they really are albeit annoying.  The more photographs that I took, the more fortunate I realized that I was.  My mood improved even to the point that I was able to joke ... "You know why not many tourists visit those villages?  It is too damn dangerous!"

There were more slippery and dangerous descents to survive before we reached the valley floor.  Although I was still resisting and not accepting the changes to my body, I was in a better mood helped a great deal by seeing people in their 20's and 30's with large mud stains on their bodies from where they had fallen.  I could not help but think that if they had used a walking stick and held the hand of someone like Lysa they would not have fallen.

The Trail to Lao Chai and Tavan

I decided that we would continue on with our scheduled trek especially the part about having lunch in the village.  The weather was manageable now.  The rain stopped around 11:00 A.M. almost as promised by our hotel manager! Things were literally and figuratively looking much better.

As we trekked along the river at the valley floor, I realized that I had chosen the right time to photograph the harvest.  The harvest had just started perhaps one week long that had been slowed by the weather.  The rice terraces were a bright gold from heavy headed rice stalks awaiting harvest.  Some terraces had been harvested and were quite ugly - denuded mud flats with short stubble of harvested rice stalks - not great main subjects for a photographic composition but a useful element, albeit a small element, of an interesting composition.  For me, the opportune time to photograph Sapa rice harvest is just before or just after the start of the harvest rather than later in the harvest.  We had hit the right time.

As we were walking along the flat road towards the village of Lao Chai, I told Duang that our travelling companions were going to ask us to buy some things that they were carrying in woven baskets.  I told her that we would not bargain with them because they had really helped us out and we needed to show our gratitude.  We entered the Hmong restaurant and were brought to a large table at the back of the restaurant.  We invited our trekking companions to join us.  Lysa and the young woman with the adorable baby on her back showed us some items for us to consider purchasing.  I had a certain amount of money that I thought was good amount for each of them and good for us.  We purchased sufficient items from Lysa and met my budget.  She, on her own, tossed in some items for free.  With the other woman we ended up spending a little more than Lysa and she also gave us some free items.  It was a good feeling to have paid what we were willing to pay and what we thought was fair and to get something from them as an expression of their gratitude.  I realized that we had purchased more from the young  woman who had not really helped us compared to Lysa.  I asked Lysa if she was satisfied and happy with what we had done.  She said that she was happy and her smile confirmed it.  The young woman said good bye and left.  Lysa and Pang left us to join the other Hmong eating their lunch at a long table at the front of the restaurant.

After a delicious and abundant lunch of 6 different dishes, we continued or journey to the village of Tavan.

Goal #2 - Achieved, This is one of the photos that I had as a goal

After 9 hours, we crossed back across the river to the meeting point for the vehicle to take us back to our hotel.  After a couple of nice ice cold Pepsi, our vehicle arrived.  We gave Lysa a ride up the road a ways where she got out to walk down to her house.

Handmade Clothing For Sale In Lao Chai

If an artist must suffer for their art, I was definitely in that category after a full day trekking.  However on the first full day of three scheduled days in Sapa, I had gotten the specific photographs that I had planned on and hoped for on this trip.  It was a great relieve to know that whatever happened in the next two days would be "icing on the cake".

We arrived back at our hotel to face the stairs up to our room on the fourth floor room.  I struggled up the stairway - my knees aching and my quadriceps screaming from the exertions of the day.  Duang had a cold and needed some medicine, so I made it back down the stairs to the ground floor in search of a pharmacy.  The desk clerk directed me down a flight of stairs to the restaurant, out of the building, down two flights of steps to a street below, and across that street to two adjacent pharmacies.  After painfully making may way back to the hotel, I stopped at the restaurant for a simple meal of a ham and cheese sandwich on a great fresh baguette and three Pepsi.  Duang stayed in the room for a simple meal of fruit and fresh cake provided each afternoon by the hotel for their guests.

The next day was a washout - literally and figuratively as well as thankfully!  It rained just about the entire day.  I could hardly walk.  Duang was exhausted.  We were content to stay in our room with the curtains open and watch the ever changing cloud formations obscure and revel the surrounding mountains.  I spent the day on the Internet - since we had an upgraded room, there was a computer in the room for Internet access.  I had vowed to be off the grid for our entire Vietnam trip, but the previous day's physical exertions changed all that.  I was happy to check up on the outside world as I contemplated all the changes in my current life.

After a great night's sleep, I was not all that accepting of the changes that prevented me from doing what I had been able to do seven years earlier but I was now determined to adapt to the reality of the changes.  I wanted to return to Lao Chai and Tavan.  As it turned out Duang wanted to return too.  Although she had been very busy taking photos with her new "Appo"smartphone, the day before she wanted to return to have lunch one more time at the Hmong restaurant - as good a reason as any to return!

I spoke with the hotel manager about hiring a taxi, if the weather was acceptable the next day, to take us to Lao Chai village and to return us to the hotel.  I knew that we could see and do everything that we wanted to do, by getting dropped off and hiking along the roads rather than hiking down the rice terrace trails to get to the roads. We would then meet our vehicle at the rendezvous point that we used two days before.  It was possible and the very helpful hotel manager made it happen for us - but that is all for another blog entry.

Those who follow me know that I have written about the Buddhist belief that all life is change and changing, along with the impermanence of things.  I have also stated that the ability to accept and adapt to changes is the key to happiness.  This is easier said than done, but not impossible.  I had to practice what I preached.  Knowing, if not quite fully accepting, the changes that prevent me from doing some of the things that I could easily do seven years earlier, I focused on adapting to the reality.  In the end our day with using a taxi and using roads much more travelled, we had a great day that exceeded all our expectations and made us both very happy.

Nothing Stays the Same, Living Is Changing - Part 1

Feb 23, 2007 - Red Beer Microbrewery



Dec 9 2007 - Painted Baskets In Old Quarter of Hanoi

Buddhists do not believe in a permanent and fixed reality.  To them everything in this world is subject to change as well as alteration.  Impermanence and change are truths in our existence according to Buddhism.

As a non-Buddhist, I struggle with both the changes as well as accepting many of the changes I realize and encounter in my life.  Change is inevitable - we all know that yet we spend a great deal of time fighting change and spend a great deal of resources to resist the effects of the changes.

The ability and skill to adapt easily to changes are keys to happiness.

Earlier this month, my wife, Duangchan, and I returned to Vietnam for the first time in seven years.   Our last visit to Vietnam in late April 2008 did not go as well as we had expected or even planned.  For that trip, I had planned to visit the Can Cau Market and the Bac Ha Market.  I trusted someone to make all the arrangements for me since they were Vietnamese and involved in the travel industry.  In the end my wife and I adapted to the changes and enjoyed ourselves despite not getting to see the markets.  Duang, based upon that experience and some others while we lived in Vietnam, vowed to never to return to Vietnam.

On the late April 2008 trip, we visited the rice terraces of the Sapa (Sa Pa) region.  The terraces were filled with water and covered with newly planted stalks of  rice.  After seven years respecting Duang's vow, I determined that I wanted to return to Sapa to photograph the rice harvest and to finally visit the Can Cau and Bac Ha markets.  I told Duang that I was going and that she could come with me if she wanted to.  She changed her long standing vow to never return and agreed to go with me.

Unlike eight years ago, I handled all the arrangements myself.  After extensive research on the Internet I had found some highly recommended inexpensive lodgings and restaurants for our entire trip.  Our trip would be 9 days with 7 days in Vietnam.

After flying and staying overnight in Bangkok, we flew on an early flight to Hanoi.

Everything in this world is subject to change as well as alteration.  Impermanence and change are truths in our existence.

Upon arrival at Noi Bai Airport, our introduction to the changes in Vietnam commenced.  We arrived at the newly opened (8 months old) international terminal, "Terminal T-2".  Terminal T-2 cost almost one Billion US dollars to construct. It was bright, immaculately clean, and extremely efficient.  We went through Immigration with no troubles at all.  Duang, being Thai, did not need a visa - since our last visit the ASEAN community has evolved to the point where citizens of member nations do not need visas to enter other member nations.  I still needed a visa which I had obtained prior at the Vietnam Consulate in Khon Kaen, 90 minutes drive south of our home.

Upon arrival in the Immigration area of Noi Bai, there was a large line of people waiting to be processed due to the arrival of several international flights.  Off to the side I saw some officials surveying the situation. Two minutes later, 5 uniformed people hustled through a door into the processing area and quickly set up 5 additional processing stations.  A Supervisor motioned me to stand in line at a station designated "Vietnamese" - it was obvious that their goal was to speed up the processing for everyone.

Processing was quick and efficient - conducted by pleasant and friendly government agents - an unexpected surprise and welcomed change. After clearing Immigration, we went to the baggage carousel and found our two bags circling along  the conveyor - it could not have been more than 15 minutes after docking of the plane at the terminal.

After meeting our car and driver from the hotel, we left the airport to encounter more change in Vietnam.  The old secondary roads from Hanoi to Noi Bai have been superseded by a new super-highway (Vo Nguyen Giap) - wide, smooth and fast.  Vo Nguyen Giap is 6 lanes wide plus 2 lanes for emergency stopping lanes. Rather than crossing the Red River using the old historical bridge Long Bien Bridge, we crossed an extremely modern suspension bridge, Cau Nhat Tan Bridge, 8.93 Km long and cost $639.2 million US dollars.  The bridge was financed by Japan and resembles the modern bridges of Japan as well as the New San Francisco Bay Bridge in the USA.

Surrounding the superhighway are small villages, bright green rice paddies and vegetable gardens.  On small country roads, people on bicycles and motorbikes could be easily viewed going about their daily life.  All in all it was quite an impressive introduction to Hanoi as well as Vietnam ... even for someone who had been there a few times before.

The weather had not changed much from when I first arrived in Vietnam in September 2007 - heavily overcast with scattered showers.  Just as before, the weather was constantly changing throughout the day.  From previous experience and my Internet research, we were prepared physically as well as mentally for the less than "ideal" weather.

We stayed at a small, highly recommended, hotel in the Old Quarter.  Upon checking into our room, I was shocked to find a computer in our room.  I excitedly pointed out to the clerk that someone had forgotten their computer in the room.  Very tactfully, he informed me that we had a "Family" room with free WiFi which includes a computer in the room (pretty darn good for our $21 a night room) $21 a night?  That's correct - that is what it cost us.  Using the appropriate Internet discount lodging websites you can get rooms for 40-60% off listed/walk-in rates!  It is the only way that we travel!

Duang Resting At Our Hanoi Old Quarter Hotel

The hotel staff was extremely friendly and more importantly, helpful.  In the end, they arranged transportation for us from the hotel to the train station on the night of our last day at the hotel.  More importantly they arranged for their car and driver to pick us up at train station 6 days later at 5:30 A.M. and drive us to the airport.  We were charged the going rate for the transportation but without the risk and worries of arranging it on your own.  The increased service and friendly attitude of hotel and restaurant workers was definitely a change that we could easily accept - a much welcomed change!

Some things have not changed ... yet.  A traveler has to be aware and cautious of transportation scams in Hanoi - especially with taxis.  On our last trip I realized that we were being taken for a ride one night when I recognized that we had passed the same location along the lake for the third time. I confronted the driver and when we got to our hotel I refused to pay him.  We ended up inside the hotel with a heated discussion.  He threatened to call the Police.  I said "Good, I want to talk to the Police!"  I then paid him what I thought the trip should have cost it had been direct.  The hotel staff then said some things and the driver left.  Unfortunately, this still occurs in Hanoi. Arranging transportation through a highly recommended hotel is one way to avoid such problems.  I had also determined the names of some reputable taxi companies on the Internet.  On this trip we had no issues - even when got confused, or was it lost, on our walks throughout the Old Quarter - we hired "cyclos", Pedi cabs to get us back to the hotel.

I had developed a walking trip of the Old Quarter from my Internet research.  The end product was a three page Google map with notes added  for what the street was once famous for, locations for specific items, and recommended highlights.

Life Along Hoan Kiem Lake

Early into our first walk around the Old Quarter changes were apparent.  The French pastry and ice cream stands at the southwest end of Hoan Kiem Lake are gone.  My plan was to have lunch a beer or two at Red Beer Microbrewery at #97 Ma May Street.  When we got to #102 or some number close to that, I realized that we had walked by what was THE PLACE in 2008 to enjoy some beer and food.  We turned around and realized when we got to #87 that we had missed it again.  Once again we reversed direction and stopped where it should have been.  Perplexed I asked some people where was "Red Beer".  Most people had no idea what I was talking about even despite my best efforts to pantomime the signature poster for the brewery. Perhaps if I had taken off my shirt when I struck this pose they might have understood.

Signature Poster for "Red Beer" in 2007

Eventually, one man said that he remembered the place, that it had moved, and he did not remember where it moved to.  This was a change that I had not anticipated but I could easily adapt to.  In my research that had confirmed the location of "Red Beer" (????) I found an appealing restaurant with good recommendations called "Moose and Roo" also on Ma May Street.  We were hot, thirsty, and hungry so we went into the restaurant.

Duang With Her Lunch and Eventual Dinner at Moose and Roo Grill

We enjoyed a very nice lunch and I also enjoyed a free beer because of their promotion that day for Pulled Pork Sandwich.

We spent the remainder of the afternoon wandering about following my walking tour map.  Wandering following a map?  Yes.  I know it had to be me but it was like  there was some reversal in the magnetic fields that was interfering with my internal navigation.  For the two days that we were in Hanoi, I was dazed and confused.  I was following the map but after a block or two, sometimes three, I would realize that we were headed in the wrong direction!

Some Things Have Not Changed - Thankfully!

Perhaps my inability to precisely and efficiently navigate the streets of the Old Quarter was attributable to the confusion and distractions all about us.  The narrow streets of the Old Quarter have not changed.  Many of the streets change their name Hang Bo becomes Hang Bao, Hang Be becomes Hang Dau but not to be confused with Hang Dao which is on the west side of the lake and not the east side!

The throngs of cars, vans, motorbikes and buses still clog the streets and constantly honk their horns - honking to tell people to get out of their way, honking to tell people that they are going to turn, honking to let other people know what they think of their driving skills, honking and honking some more.

The sidewalks are clogged with either parked motorbikes or "cafes" set up for people to drink tea out of glasses.  I was often left wondering if anyone actually worked in Hanoi other than shopkeepers and "café" workers.

More than once I have offered advice to people about crossing streets in Hanoi - "Don't expect anyone to stop or even slowdown for you to cross the street.  Watch the traffic very carefully.  When you anticipate that it will be safest for you to cross, make eye contact with the oncoming traffic, and give body language that you intend to cross, then commence crossing the street in a steady and determined pace - do not slow down and do not speed up - the traffic is aiming(?) to be where they have calculated where you will not be when they get to you"  That has not changed and remains very good advice.  However it did seem to be a little less difficult than our last visit - I suspect because there may be more one way streets - less confusing when you only have to be stressed out in only one direction.

On the second day in Hanoi, we went to another restaurant that I had researched over the Internet.  I did not plan to go there but there was an intersection of time and place in our wanderings which made it a good spot for lunch.  In the back of the restaurant, on the wall of a staircase leading upstairs, I saw four old and dusty hand painted baskets - the first ones that I had seen during this trip.  In 2006 -2008 these handicrafts were everywhere, often covering the entire exterior wall of a building.  I asked our server about why I had not seen any and where I could find them now.  She replied that people weren't able to sell them before so now they do not make them very much.  The Free Market making changes - no doubt!

One change that has taken place in the Old Quarter which I do not like, or rather struggle to adapt to, is what I call the homogenizing of the area. Before, even in 2008. the various streets retained their unique craft (guild) identity. Hang Bac - "Silver", Hang Bong - "Cotton", Hang Bo - "Baskets".  Along the streets you would find shops catering to a specific commodity or product.  Today the streets are becoming less and less unique with one street being pretty much as the other street.  One transformation is the proliferation of two types of shops - small travel shops offering tours of Halong Bay and Sapa and specialized coffee shops.

Coffee Shop - Selling Weasel Coffee

The specialized coffee shops sell various coffee paraphernalia, ground beans, and whole beans.  The rage now is selling "Weasel Coffee" - coffee beans that have been eaten by a certain animal (I believe more like a civet than a "weasel"), digested, and eliminated.  The "processed" beans are collected and processed by people to produce a very special and expensive coffee. These shops seem to be on every street ... both sides of the street.

Hat Shopping in the Old Quarter

The quaintness of the Old Quarter is evolving, albeit changing for the worst in my opinion however there are still many pockets, oasis, where a vision and flavor of the past remain.



Bamboo Vendor Enjoying One of the Fruits of His Labor

The Beer Man Cometh

Hanoi Delivery Man

Hanoi, despite the changes, remains an exciting and extremely interesting place to visit.  It remains one of my favorite destinations for people watching and interacting with the people.

The Huc Bridge

There were additional changes to discover during this journey ... changes of places, things, and people - some of them much easier to accept than others, some of them much more personal than others, but all of them offering opportunities, rewards, and alternative adaptations.  But that is for Part 2 to be shared.

Feeding the Spirits - Wan Kao Saht 2558 (2015)



A Villager Makes Food Offering At the Base of A Tat for the Spirit of a Departed Relative

Sunday was a special day in Isaan.  September 27 2015, 2558 BE, was Wan Kao Saht.  It is the Mid-Autumn Festival or Moon Festival.  For Westerners it is the "Harvest Moon".

On this special merit making is performed in offering food to the Phii (ghosts).  People also earn merit through offering a special treat called "Kao Tawtek" to their local Monks.  Kao Tawtek is a mixture of freshly popped rice, caramel, peanuts, shredded coconut and millet.  It is made in backyards, front yards, and side yards throughout Isaan just prior to Wan Kao Saht - typically in huge woks over wood fires. It is also traditional for older people to give gifts of Kao Tawtek and money to children.

Like many things here in Thailand, Wan Kao Saht seems to be adapted and amalgamated from other cultures. The Chinese celebrate a Hungry Ghost Festival and "Ghost Day" around the same time.  In Vietnam, the second biggest holiday with an emphasis and focus on children is celebrated at this time of the year.

I drove out to Tahsang Village, my wife's home village, early this morning to be able to participate in the daily merit making ritual of offering food to the Monks.  Although I left early in the morning, I was not as early as Duang.  She left our home at 6:00 A.M. to prepare for the ritual at the Wat outside of the village.  I drove through the bright green rice paddies, "high as an elephant's eye" sugar cane fields, and muddy fields lying in fallow, before I arrived at the "Outside" Wat (Wat Pha That Nong Mat).

On Wan Kao Saht, in addition to earning personal merit, the participants earn merit for the spirits of their dead relatives.  In the Lao Loum culture, as well as other Southeast Asia cultures, the people have to take care of the spirits of their family as well as other ghosts.  Spirits need merit in death as well in life to assist them in their journey to enlightenment.  Merit is the basis for determining what form and status a person will be reincarnated as.

Typical Daily Ritual of Making Food Offerings to the Monks

The villagers, in addition to the normal offerings of food for the Monks, had brought baskets of special foods wrapped in banana leaves.  The baskets were carefully placed on the floor of the incomplete Viharn (several years under construction but it does have a tile floor now) next to a concrete column.  A sai sin (sacred cotton string) was placed across the tops of the baskets.  The sai sin ran up the column, across the Viharn and ran down a second column near where the Monks sat slightly above the villagers.  The sai sin terminated in a ball placed on a plate at the side of the Wat's senior Monk.  The sai sin connects this world to other worlds, the laypeople to the Monks and conveys the merit making to the deceased people.

Baskets of Food Offerings for the Phii (Spirits)

Many of the women were dressed in white uniforms like the attire that Duang wears just about every night when she conducts her ritual upstairs in our home where my roll top desk has been converted into a shrine.  The women, including Duang's mother, were participating in a women's retreat at the Wat.  They spent the remainder of the day and most of the night reading and studying the scriptures and receiving lectures from the Monks.

In Buddhist Rituals, You Can Smile and Even Talk If You Want To

The offering of food to the Monks was a typical daily ritual with one exception, while the Monks ate their one meal of the day, the women in the white costumes along with a couple of Brahmans chanted in Pali for most of the time.

At the end of the ritual, the villagers gathered up their baskets and went outside.  The villagers scattered throughout the Wat grounds selecting specific trees to stop at.  My mother-in-law and several other women selected a large bohdi tree (Ficus religiosa).  She squatted down next to the exposed roots of the sacred tree.  It is considered sacred because it is said that Buddha sat under bohdi trees while meditating.  Yai Puh, Grandmother Puh, laid out food for the spirits of deceased family members.  The food was placed upon banana leaves and consisted of peeled fruits, sticky rice, chili sauces, dried fish, and other typical Isaan foods.  Off to the side was a banana leaf with betel-nut chewing items.  After the foods were laid out, water was poured over them as the family members said things along the lines of "You come down now to eat.  Good for you.  I miss you.  You look after family.  Good luck for you.  You go back up to Buddha. 



The offerings to the spirits also included two lit yellow candles and two sprigs of "dogkhut" - I suspect Thai jasmine buds.  When offerings are made to the Buddha, three of each item are offered - one for Buddha, one for the teachings of Buddha (Dhamma), and one for the Buddhist religious community (Sanga).  For spirits the offerings are in pairs.



After the family spirits had been offered food and drink, the people hung filled thin banana leaf packets in the trees throughout the grounds.  The banana packets contained food offerings to the other spirits.

Placing Banana Leaf Packets of Food for Phii

Duang and some other women, made food offerings to the spirits of relatives whose bones are kept in highly decorated steeple or spire shaped structures called "Tats".  Tats are reliquaries for bone chips of departed ancestors.  More affluent villagers have a free standing tat and those less affluent will often have a niche inside of the block walls that surround Wats.

Food Offerings At A Family Tat

Duang Making Food Offering to Her Father's Spirit

After a while, perhaps ten minutes, one of the men rang the Wat large bell three times signifying that the spirits had completed eating.  The small banana leaf packets were quickly removed from the trees and returned to the family baskets.  The packets will later be placed in the sugar cane fields, rice paddies, and other lands to feed the spirits (ghosts)  that inhabit them.  In return for feeding the hungry ghosts, the people ask that the spirits watch over the land and its crops bringing success as well as good luck to the owners.

Offerings to the Ghosts

The villagers returned to the Viharn to have a community meal with the food leftover from the offerings to the Monks.  There is always too much food offered to the Monks and since they are allowed to take only what they can eat that morning for their one meal of the day there are always "leftovers". The food, that the Monks have not taken, is eaten by the laypeople in a community meal in the Viharn after the Monks have left.

We returned to our home for a relaxing afternoon.  In the late afternoon, Duang offered food and drink outside our home to the spirits of our land.  After dinner she put on her religious attire and performed her nightly ritual which lasts about one hour.

Life goes on here in Isaan measured in part by the seasons of the crops and the cycle of religious events.  Whether it is the seasons of the crops, the cycle of religious events, or personal life milestones, life here always is interesting and is often "enlightening".