The Colours Of Sapa

Sapa in Vietnam offers some of the most incredible scenery and stunning experiences, the town sits on a hillside overlooking the tallest peaks in Indochina.  Sapa is shrouded in mist for most of the day while we are here which just adds to its mystical qualities.  We arrived in Lao Cai after an overnight sleeper journey on the Sapaly Express (quite pleasant for an overnight train journey).  As we take the car trip from train station to Sapa we see the rice terraces sink into the valleys where ethnic minority villages lie.

The various hill tribe people that trek up the valley into Sapa town everyday to sell their wares.  Most of the hill-tribe women carry woven baskets on their backs, the straps are made from Horse hair and some are incredibly heavy - they walk for miles and for many hours.

Before we knew it we were interacting with a group of women from the Red Zao minority and also from the Black H'Mong tribe.  They are generous with their time, trying to establish a relastionship so that they might make a sale.  Despite the overwhelming efforts by many to sell their wares and how irritating it might seem at the time, it is important to remember that they are very real people struggling to make a living in an environment that offers little opportunity for tribal women.

They are persistent and work as a team both the Red Zao and Black Hmong woman, followed us through the streets trying to sell us bracelets, postcards, hand bags and other textiles.  Their efforts are monumental and dignity is timeless.  Some of the younger ones tell the cultural attache "you not pay the money, you not get the honey" in reference to his refusal to purchase a bracelet for me.  These ladies have a wit and charm that is certainly unique.

CAT CAT VILLAGE

We took the 2 km walk to the Cat Cat village from Sapa where the H'Mong ethnic traditional handicrafts such as cotton, linen and woven fabrics and manufactured jewellery can be found.  It was a little challenging at times but very picturesque and we found some children who had improvised some unusual toys for themselves (big dead rats)