To get to the highlands means an overnight trip on the historic train built
by the Vietnamese and their French "supervisors" from Hanoi to Kunming,
China in 1910.
We had a very cozy time in the mahogany lined sleeping compartments
After arriving at the Chinese border at about 6AM, we had a bone-jarring
road trip of three hours to the beautiful mountain town of SaPa, filled
with Black Hmong, the first of many tribal minorities we encountered.
These people are very friendly, especially to children
and quite petit in stature.
On our second day in the highlands, we made our first trek, into Cat Cat valley.
A really beautiful place,
where terraced rice paddies
define the mosaic of daily life (time here to weed, plough, and transplant)
and the water buffalo is an affectionate house pet.
Between the paddies are groves of enormous bamboo
inhabited by butterflies like fallen leaves
and jewel-like scarab beetles.
Although the scenery is picturesque, the life of the Hmong is very rustic,
but this doesn't seem to stop them from being hospitable
and very gregarious.
Although Cat Cat is dominated by the Black Hmong, there are also a few
of the more Chinese Tsai minority, like this girl at a small trade store.
Yes, that is a live butterfly clipped into her hair, flapping listlessly while she sews.
Finally, Cat Cat is named for its torrential river, with many spectacular
cataracts and vertiginous footbridges
After Cat Cat, our next trek was to the great regional market of Bac Ha.
This is a place tribes converge on every Saturday, some traveling more than a
day each way with their wares, livestock, and eligible young men and women.
As usual in today's tribal regions, women of all kinds are the visual standouts
(three different minorities in this picture)
while men wear the same boring shirts and slacks the world over.
Bac Ha is dominated by tribes of the so-called Flower Hmong minority,
who fell for a crazy plaid pattern given to them by missionaries
and have incorporated it into the headgear that goes with their fantastically
detailed embroidery. Along with pendulous earrings, the effect is visually stunning,
whether the wearers are fetching maidens
or sagacious matriarchs
The market itself offers everything you need to live up here in the farthest reaches,
including tough little ponies
and bewildered tourists.
Also there are delicacies, like eels, snails, chicks, ducklings,
and bullfrogs (you can't see them in the white pan above),
and essentials, like bean sprouts,
very hot chili peppers,
and a good smoke.
After Bac Ha, we had a final trek up steep jungle paths
to the highest peak in the region
Then down past a spectacular, 500-foot cascade
and back to the border town. While waiting for the train in a
local restaurant, Adrian played with his food (a fly),
and Cybčle noticed two girls playing jacks with five pebbles and no ball.
By nightfall, half an hour later, she was on her way to becoming an expert
when, finally, the overnight train was ready to leave.
We began the return journey in high spirits
and returned to Hanoi, very cozily,
the next morning at daybreak.
What could this little girl be dreaming about?
Travel, travel, dreams and memories... That's what.
If you are interested in such ideas (which my friends will recognize
as the "Lemon Gelato Syndrome"), here is a very nice Chinese poem
on the subject, written about 1300 years ago.