After having experienced the Old Quarter of Hanoi for a few days, we hopped onto a night train, a 10-hour excursion that would allow us to make our way to the mountainous town of Sapa in the northern region of Vietnam. Arriving the next morning bright and early in the town of Lao Cai, we hopped into a mini-van that would take us through and up the mountains in this haunted-like cloud of mist, along with spectacular views of these majestic mountain rice terraces that stretched from near the top of the mountain all the way down to the valley floor as we made our way to Sapa. One thing for certain, we were very much looking forward to getting out of the hot and humid weather and into the more cool and fresh mountain air. Sapa is also home to many hill tribe people which is certain to make a memorable and lasting impression.
Upon arriving in Sapa, we quickly discovered that the town was perched on a flat area on the edge of a large valley looking out towards yet another string of imposing mountains. As we looked down and into the valley, we could see several people attending to the green lush fields of vegetables that covered the valley like a great big blanket in an array of different shades of greens.
The town of Sapa is simply charming and full of character with all its hotels, restaurants, and shops to please any visitor’s visit to Sapa. Over the last four to five years, Sapa has seen considerable growth, as many other touristy places have, in order to meet and benefit from the ever-growing global travel boom. There is also a good chance that you’ll have an amazing view of the mountain valley from your hotel room window.
From the moment we opened the mini-van’s door on arrival, the presence of the tribe people was very apparent as they filled the streets in their very colourful traditional clothing and head dresses. The tribe people come into Sapa from their surrounding villages, sometimes as far as 12-15 kilometres, to sell their traditional crafts to visiting tourists.
So although there is a market filled with handicrafts, you never really have to go into it because the tribe people patrol up and down the streets asking you if you would like to purchase something, the popular phrase being “you buy from me”. Although they are very aggressive sellers, your experience with the local tribe people will all depend on if you can come to understand that this is their way of life and of supporting their families, as much as it may be different from how we may make our livelihood back home in our western homes with our westerns ways. Groups of several tribal ladies from these villages set up on the sidewalks of the main tourist roads with all their handicrafts spread out for sale as they sit quietly chatting away among themselves knitting away at a small purses, tuques, and blankets.
Many of the tribe people are young girls who speak very good English and who have a fascination with Westerners. It’s a common site to see a dozen of these young girls surrounding a Westerner (particularly fair, blonde ones) for an hour and socializing, but be wary, it’s all part of the “Game” to wear you down and get you to buy something at the end. Only the women and young girls come into the village. The men stay at home in the villages and work and take care of the children. The women are very sociable and also have a good command of the English language because of their constant interaction with tourists. This is not the case for the men who are quiet and reserved and have very little English if any at all. Some say that this is creating social problems among some couples, as the women are constantly being exposed and influenced by western ways through their interactions with Western tourists. Apparently some women are already beginning to waver from their costumes and traditional life.
Knowing that our new friends Anne Sophie and Yannick were in Sapa for their last day, we called them and got together at our hotel to have a little reunion of sorts and to get any helpful advice that they may have to share on Sapa. Afterwards, they brought us through the market where we met a lovely, bright, young girl from a local village who walked along with us for a while, at the end we caved in and bought some small handicraft ( that we didn’t need or want :>)) from her and everyone seemed to be happy.
We then went down to the eating area of the market to have dinner with Anne Sophie and Yannick who introduced us to Olivier, a countryman from France who has been living in Sapa for many years making a living as a trekking guide through some of these beautiful mountain valleys to some of the homestays in the local villages.
After having Olivier explain to us what a homestay excursion entailed, we agreed to acquire his services and to head out on a hike into the mountain valleys to meet with some of the local tribe people through a homestay experience the next day. With that done, we had lunch, which was a rather interesting experience.
As we set out with our personal guide Olivier on our hike to Ta Phin Village, within no more than ten minutes from the center of town, we were already surrounded by nature and enjoying the scenery with absolutely no other tourists to be seen. Our hike, which could easily be done by anyone, would take approximately three to four hours and cover 14 kilometres to reach our homestay where we would be spending the afternoon and evening.
Hiking along, we went up and around one mountain valley to the next passing through breathtaking scenery of terraced fields of rice and vegetables. Along the way we went from walking trails to narrow dirt roads, to paths in and around the rice fields, to make our way to our destination. All along the way we were surrounded by these lush green valleys and mountains, reminding us how much we loved to be amongst nature.
On a few occasions we passed through small and very simple mountain villages, giving us an appreciation for the traditional way of life of the tribal people who inhabit this region.
As we passed these villages, we were often greeted by a rather large group of young children, probably as curious about us as we were about them.
Another interesting scene that we came across on a number of occasions was the children attending to the rather large water buffalo. Some of these kids were probably no older than seven to eight years old, so it was rather surprising to see these small children almost playing with these great big giant water buffalo, well they were certainly giants in comparison to the kids anyway.
The most interesting aspect of our walk was without a doubt the interaction we were able to experience with the Hamong tribe people. Approximately 45-60 minutes into our hike, we came across four Hamong women simply sitting on the hill by the path working on their handicrafts. Olivier knew these women as he is no stranger to this part of the valley, in fact, one of the women was his girlfriend. After a short break, we continued our hike, and the women decided to come along with us. The next thing we knew they were taking care of us, as they opened their umbrellas to shade us from the sun, we felt like royalty or like a great Egyptian pharaoh being tended to. It was enjoyable to observe the interaction between the women as well as with Olivier who spoke their native language. Like any encounter with the tribe people, we felt the heat at the end of our visit to buy some of their handicrafts! And once again, we caved in but it was really our pleasure as they truly did enrich our trekking experience.
Eventually we arrived at the homestay which was purched up on a side of a hill. At first sight, it was very evident that the hill tribe people lived very simply and without most of all the comforts and conveniences that we are fortunate to have and often take for granted back in Canada.
There was no convectional oven or microwave here to prepare our meals, it was up to the old fashioned fire pit to cook things up around here, and it was going to take more than five minutes.
But we have to admit, our host prepared some “French Fries” for us, yes French fries, and they had to be the best fries we’ve eaten, it just goes to show that there is a lot to be said for simple living.
Lori Ann had a great afternoon at the homestay. She spent it hanging out with the neighbour’s eight year old daughter who was very shy and didn’t speak English, but eventually loosened up to enjoy a great afternoon of fun. Lori Ann taught her to play hopscotch and a rock game we learned from young kids in Bali. She showed her photos on our digital camera which totally facsinated her. She then took Lori Ann on a little personal guided walk where she pointed out all the different insects which she caught in her little hands so she could give Lori Ann an up close and personal look. When they arived back at the homestay, Lori Ann treated her to a few bites of her chocolate she had brought in her backpack which pretty much sealed the friendship for life right there!
Upon arriving at the homestay, we noticed that there was this rather large steel wok full of green leaves and things unknown to us boiling away. It turned out that what was boiling over the fire pit was an array of fresh herbs that had been collected from the surrounding area for our benefit. As we would discover, our host was preparing a “Herbal Bath” for us to soak our sore muscles and to get rid of any aches and pains.
But where were we going to take this bath, there was no Jacuzzi or even a bath tub in the homestay. Not to worry, our host guided us to this tiny room in the corner of the homestay where stood a large barrel, yeap, we were going to soak it all up in a barrel. May not sound to luxurious or inviting at first sight, but once you stripped and jumped into the barrel, that was all forgotten, because once in, you just didn’t want to leave, as the herbal bath felt so good and you could almost feel those aches and pains melt away.
The next morning, Olivier arranged a few motorbikes to ride us back into Sapa, but as we waited by the roadside for our drivers to arrive, we observed something somewhat out of the ordinary for us. A group of Hamong women were working away at their handicrafts and socializing, and suddenly, one of the women complained of a headache. Well, no one offered a Tylenol in this group, instead another lady started doing traditional medicine techniques that are known to relieve headache pain. Basically it consisted of pinching the body in specific areas in the back of the neck, shoulder and forehead until it was so red that it looked like red lipstick. It looked very painful, and apparently it is, but I guess it gives the desired results.
After we were once again in the town of Sapa, we laid back and took it all in one last time, as this evening we were boarding the night train back to Hanoi once again. All in all, Sapa is a charming little town with energy that is fuelled most notably by hill tribe people that fill its streets and the beautiful natural mountain environment that the town finds itself in. The cool refreshing temperature found up in the mountains was a relief from the hot and humid weather in much of the other regions of Vietnam, but this is the hot season, so what is one to expect, right? We could have done without the honking horns of the commuter vans that were transporting visitors in and out of Sapa from Lao Cai, but with streets full of tourist and hill tribe people, I guess they don’t have much of a choice in order to get their clients to their hotels or to the train on time.
Nothing could have prepared us for Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) but HCMC certainly prepared us for Hanoi which also has millions of motorbikes swarming the streets but at a slower pace. Thank Goodness! The Old Quarter of Hanoi, where we spent our time, is where the old Asia many of us have dreamed about meets the new modern Asia. There is a strong colonial French influence in this city which is filled with character and buzzing energy. Hanoi has been a place of commerce for almost 1000 years. One cannot say they have been to Vietnam if they haven’t been to Hanoi in our opinion, and one hasn’t experienced Hanoi unless they have done so as a street vendor, as Lori Ann discovered.
What makes the Old Quarter of Hanoi so interesting and vibrant is without a doubt the sight, sounds and smells of the “street life”, a true indulgence for the senses. As you step out of your hotel and onto the streets, you are instantaneously smack down in the middle of it all. In these narrow windy streets of the Old Quarter, the sight and the noise of the mopeds and cars making their way in an organized ciaos, often in both directions, honking their horns all at the same time it seems is simply a sight to behold.
As if this isn’t enough, add to this the hundreds of pedestrians making their way to their own destinations. But that’s not all, you also have the street vendors directly on the sidewalks selling all kinds of food and drinks that provides much of the smells that fill the air with spices, herbs and pastries, making your mouth water and always wanting to eat something.
The streets are very much a part of the integral part of life in Hanoi, as much as by day as by night. You will see many of the Vietnamese at small street stalls enjoying noodles, rice and other find dishes…along with a cold beer of course. At night time, everyone seems to come out onto the streets, as much as the locals as the tourist, so much so that in some places it can be difficult to make your way down the streets. With all these people enjoying each others company and chating away over food and drinks, the atmoshpere is simply electric. 
Within the Old Quarter is the Hoan Kiem Lake which is surrounded by green space with benches and narrow streets. Land is very expensive so most buildings are tall and narrow.
Like most Asian cities, Hanoi is a shopping mecca with numerous extensive markets and oodles of streets selling pretty much anything such as handicrafts, jewellery, silk products and clothing, herbal remedies, cosmetics, fake sunglasses, and much, much more. There is an extra special twist to the Hanoi shopping experience which really fancies any organized person’s dream. Most shops selling the same type of items are all grouped together on the same streets.
Hanoi is also a great place to experience the tasty Vietnamese cuisine, and believe us when we say that there is more to Vietnamese cuisine than their sping rolls. One such place where we truly enjoyed the food was at the “Little Hanoi Restaurant”, and we didn’t seem to be the only ones, as we returned on a second occasion only to find that the place was packed once again. Tucked away down a little alley, this place has all the charm and atmosphere that one could possibly want.
We visited the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology which has a showcase of art and everyday objects gathered from Vietnam’s tribal people. Vietnam’s cultural diversity certainly comes alive in this museum. Outside the museum around a winding pathway and gardens, homes built by the diverse tribal people of Vietnam are on display.
Hanoi is also the home of the Temple of Literature which was dedicated to Confucius in 1070 by an Ambassador. It was later turned into a university for the education of mandarins.
The numerous structures are extremely well preserved and a great example of Vietnam traditional architecture with their roofed gateways.
Ricky also found a huge drum to play with in a far corner of the temple complexe, the energy from this traditional drum was amazing, it seemed to want to resignate and sing forever. 
The grounds also include five courtyards filled with pleasant paths to walk down in complete tranquility from the busy city that surrounds it, as well as a few enclosed pools to gaze into. After this pleasant temple visit, we went to Koto, just across the street from the temple complex, which is one of the cafes in Hanoi that run vocational training programs for street kids. Koto stands for “know one, teach one”. It’s hard not to enjoy a great meal with a great cause. Brilliant idea!
We took in a great experience at the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, which is one of the holiest sites in Vietnam for many Vietnamese as it’s the final resting place of Ho Chi Minh’s body. His body is in a glass sarcophagus deep in the centre of an edifice built between 1973 and 1975. Ho Chi Minh did not get his last wish for a simple cremation. Many Vietnamese give full credit to Ho Chi Minh for the liberation of the Vietnam people and this is taught to children all throughout school. 
We stood in a line up for an hour and inched our way around the entire complex with hundreds of Vietnamese coming to pay their respects. When we finally got to the room, we only got to spend but 15 seconds inside as armed guards in white uniforms took us by the arm to ensure we kept moving quickly through. It was more interesting to watch the reaction of deep admiration on the faces of the large numbers of Vietnamese coming to pay their respects, than it was to experience the Mausoleum itself.
Near the lake, we took in a water puppetry show at the Municipal Water Puppet Theatre. This is a fascinating art form which originated in Northern Vietnam and dates back 1000 years.
The puppeteers are hip high in water behind a curtain and manoeuvre the colourful puppets which sit on the end of a long stick. After three years of training, these puppeteers are ready to perform and can move these puppets gracefully across the water as though they were alive. Live rhythmical traditional Vietnamese instrumental music plays in the background and adds a wonderful excitement to the performance.
After the most amazing experience in Hoi An, it was time to make our way to the Imperial City of Hue. We got together again with Anne Sophie and Yanneck and hired a car and a driver to take us to Hue. This would allow us to stop along the way to admire Marble Mountain and to drive up and over the mountainous terrain rather than through a tunnel at the bottom if you take the bus. We are so thankful to have met Anne Sophie and Yanneck at this time in our travels, as without them, we would have missed out on a few amazing experiences, including Marble Mountain which we had previously decided to skip.
How best to describe Marble Mountain? At first glance, it truly does look like any other small mountain, but as you get closer, you realize that it is not made out of the usual sandstone or granite. It is made of marble to a large degree. As you set out to explore this place, you must climb up a few hundred steps to arrive to the first of a few temples that adorn this special mountain. This is also the home of a rather large and Happy Buddha, too much rice I guess!
From there we walked along a dark stone corridor to pass through a stone gateway that lead us to another temple deep into the mountain itself. This place had many special features along with various carved figures that guarded its entrance. The energy we felt in this cave is undescribable.
Moving onward, we made our way to the Temple of Heaven, which is this strickly beautiful seven-tiered temple made of stone. It lays in a beautiful garden area which is very peaceful and tranquil.
A little ways from the Temple of Heaven is another lovely temple as well as a striking statue in a gazebo-like structure; we are starting to see why they called this place the Temple of Heaven.
We then made our way to another cave and garden that houses what seemed like a 1000 marble statues of all shapes, sizes, and colors. We learned that marble comes in many colors and quality. There were of course many statues of Buddha, but also of what seemed like wise men, various animals, stylish contemporary carvings, and much, much more. Impressive to say the least! 
As we were leaving the “Marble Garden” as we like to call it, a beautiful statue of the “Buddha of Abundance” wished us well on our journey. What an amazing reminder this was for us, that we do live in a world of abundance, whether it be an abundance of beauty, wealth, friendships, happiness or anything else for that matter, it all exists for us NOW, we simply need to stop seeking for those things, and to realize that they are all around us in this very moment. We continually work at believing in abundance versus the scarcity mentality most of us have been conditioned to believe in and we continue to be amazed by the results.
Leaving Marble Mountain, we walked through the village streets where we heard sounds of drills going everywhere and white flowery dust in the air and on the ground as amazing marble statues were being created by the artists hard at work. From stone to beautiful art, the possibilities are endless… 
Having truly enjoyed our visit to Marble Mountain, we then got into our car to make the mountainous drive up and over to Hue, which afforded us some beautiful views of this area and the coastline. A few hours later, we arrived in Hue from our adventurous drive to settle into our small hotel for the next couple of days in order to explore this imperial city. The most dramatic and striking feature and attraction of Hue is without a question the Citadel which you cannot miss with its imposing fortified walls measuring some 10 km square. The Citadel is further defended by a 30-meter moat which encircles it, it would actually be long enough for a beautiful leisurely evening cruise.
Being that this place was so huge, it wasn’t practical to walk around in the Citadel to explore it, unless you had a week to simply lose yourself in the place. Therefore, we acquired the services of a few men to ride us around this massive place in their Cyclos (see picture of a Cyclo above), so we could just sit back and take it all in.
As we rode along in our Cyclos, we came upon an interesting site that was making its way towards us on the road. In a very impressive fashion, a local lady was carrying this HUGE load of empty straw baskets on her bicycle, in fact, there were so many baskets that they completely surrounded her. On both sides, from her feet all the way above her head, the baskets completely engulfed this tiny little lady.
After our entertaining and pleasurable ride in and around the Citadel on our Cyclos, our drivers dropped us off at the massive main entry gate. We then made our way to the centerpiece of the whole site, which is the Forbidden City, a citadel within a citadel within a citadel if you will. This sacred place was solely reserved for the personal use of the Emperor and his concubines, along with a select number of servants. Walking amidst this garden of ancient temples was very peaceful and relaxing. It was interesting to learn about various historical events and to explore the architecture of the various temples and gateways in their multitude of colors.
Like everywhere else in South East Asia, street food stalls and small restaurants are everywhere and are likely to provide you with some of the best tasting food you’ll eat. While in Hue, we found one of these small street restaurants close to our hotel, where we ended up going repeatedly to eat its delicious crispy fried noodles and spring rolls to go along with their amazingly refreshing fruit shakes. Two thumps up for the “Phuang Nam Cafe” on Tan Cao Van Street.
Spirit Quest 