Sapa and Mt Fansipan: cameras, mud, and the North Face.

During my 2nd week in Vietnam we took the night train up to Sapa, a mountain village in Northern Vietnam near the border of China. Our goal: climb Mt. Fansipan. This mountain is over 10,000 feet, the tallest peak in Vietnam. We missed our train stop in Sapa because we turned the intercom off in our sleeper car. Add a torrential monsoon to the mix and luggage that left the train before we did, and well, at least we have a story to tell. We jumped off the moving train and raced down the tracks wearing hot pink plastic rain ponchos. By the time we got to the bus we were soaking wet. Aaron asked (ok, begged) the driver to leave the A/C on so our clothing could dry out while we waited for the other passengers (one long hour). We passed the time by making cold instant coffee inside plastic "La Vie" water bottles.



We stopped at this hillside cafe for bamboo stuffed with sticky rice.

Before climbing the mountain, we went on a crowded day hike up a much smaller mountain. It was a little bit like a Disney land trek. There were Disney character replicas, hundreds of tourists climbing the mountain, and just as many snapping, flashing cameras. Vendors lined the entire way....If you can't beat 'em, join 'em. We snapped about 100 photos that day. Each. 

Ever tried climbing 3000 feet in heels? Me neither.












Yes, that's a credit card lost in a large bucket of crabs. 

 The beautiful market in Sapa...




Th next morning we started a two day trek up Mt Fansipan. There were 5 of us. We had 1 guide and 3 porters. Only 4 of us made it to the top. Luckily, I was one of them (barely). We climbed up into the clouds, but sometimes the clouds would lift for just a moment... and the most incredible views were revealed... absolutely stunning.

When we finally made it to base camp, dinner was served on our sleeping mats inside a hut. I won't talk about the mud, or the outhouse, or the trash. Or what kept us awake all night.

 The challenge of climbing this mountain is not visible in this photo… at one point Aaron decided he was losing his humanity (when we ran out of snacks). I reached that point in the middle of the night when the drunk H'Mong man started screaming at his wife for more money. Apparently he needed more money so he could gamble with the porters. They were all drinking way too much "happy water." (happy water = rice wine with a high level of ethanol)



When we returned from Mt Fansipan (in one piece, alive), we had some very sore muscles. So, what better day than to visit the village where they have the mineral baths!? While we were there, a h'mong woman invited us into her home where she served freshly picked corn on the cob and plums from her yard. Notice her electronic fish tank in front of the fire pit.

 These ladies are from the H'Mong tribe... they were lovely, but very, very persistent about selling their handmade textiles. I wanted to support them though, and their work was beautiful. I ended up with 2 pillow cases, two shoulder bags, 2 stuffed animals, and a hat. I didn't bargain too hard; it was beautifully made! But I still don't think I spent more than $10. They gave me a free bracelet (mass produced in China).

 The mud.... was..... thick.... deep.... and everywhere.....

 Dear North Face, Do you know that in the village of Sapa you have about 100 stores selling your brand, very cheap?? Haha. Yes, it's fake. All of it. Either that or grey market.  I managed to avoid buying a new hot pink fleece, but for some reason we spent a lot of time looking. It's an easy way to get out of the rain.

 The porters climbed this mountain in broken plastic sandles or rubber boots, effortlessly. It was mind blowing.

This is where two rivers become one. Apparently one is dirtier than the other. Ha!

We asked, but now I can't remember what this was.... some kind of root. If you buy enough of it, they will give you the cat for free. Just kidding.

I was afraid to ask. There were other alcoholic potions with a large variety of creatures stuffed inside the bottles.... snakes, etc.

Art and Objects (fire extinguishers, lemons, and waste baskets)

 The Women's museum has an amazing collection of military recruitment posters from the Vietnam war. They are powerful and so strange.

 I think this is a powerful painting... love the use of hybridization. It's made by a contemporary artist from Hanoi. I wish I had written down the artist's name, but I didn't. The gallery was called "Art Vietnam" and it was run by an American art collector/curator who recently lost her dedicated gallery space due to the rising cost of rent in the old quarter (higher than NYC). She is currently showing her collection from her beautiful home, by appointment only.

OK, I can't resist juxtaposing that painting with a freshly painted Lichtenstein knock off, available in galleries all over the old quarter. Yes, if you prefer you can also get a Picasso, Monet, or Van Gogh. All fake and ranging from about $25 and up. You can even hire the artists to paint a photo of yourself painted into an Andy Warhol or Seurat, or commission a pet portrait. Not that I would ever do that. Hut hum.






 The benefit of staying with friends or family is the opportunity to get a glimpse of local everyday life; it definitely provides a different perspective. These two photos were taken at the local super market. Apparently it's important to make sure the lemons are very hygienic, um, I guess? You can close your mouth now, PDX people! You can also never have too many fire extinguishers. 

 I visited a lot of museums and art galleries while I was in Hanoi. This drawing was at the Fine Arts Museum and it's titled "Playing as Little Soldiers." A few Vietnamese people I talked to remembered when children used to dress up like soldiers and play in the streets.

Textiles: There are many native tribes living in Vietnam today. They each have their own style of traditional clothing. The patterns are so beautiful and diverse, and each pattern has symbolic meaning that represents their identity.

 This was a still taken from a video at the Women's Museum. It was a film that documented women who leave their village and families behind to come into Hanoi to sell their wares.

 Is she playing tennis? I guess there is a certain kind of happiness in a waste basket. Hmmm.

This is a window installation at the Women's Museum in Hanoi. I love that the background is made up of the current weather... a monsoon hit soon after I took this photo.

Cock Fighters, Adorned Ox, and Water Puppets

The roosters tied to trees are cock fighters. I guess that means they fight each other. To the death. It made me sad.

 An ox wearing flowers in her hair. So beautiful. That nose ring can't feel good though. I saw this ox in Tam Coc ("Ha Long bay on land"), Vietnam

Water puppets in Hanoi. I went to the water puppet theater on my last day in Hanoi. The show is mostly performed for tourists, however it was interesting to see an old Vietnamese folk tradition brought back to life with sparkly metallic puppets dancing on water... dragons, fish, and rice paddy workers....

Traffic, Fabric market, and Fish...

 When I arrived in Vietnam, we began peddling through the streets of Hanoi on bicycles. This is me on my first day in Hanoi. 

This postcard captures the traffic better than I could manage, especially while steering through the traffic myself. What's amazing is that I actually began to adjust to the neglect of pretty much all traffic laws I have grown accustomed to. Just think: Moses and the sea that parts. 

We wanted to have some custom clothing made, so our first stop was the fabric market. We arrived just after lunch. This is a photo of the vendor sleeping... they were all taking their afternoon naps.

This is "Ba Cha" or fish fried in butter with saffron, herbs, and green onions. This restaurant recently purchased new gas burners. Not too long ago they were cooking the fish over hot burning coals.

The first few days I was in Hanoi, Aaron arranged to have students give me a tour of the city. They wanted to practice their English, and I was happy to have someone orient me to the hectic streets of Hanoi! 

He was an especially young student. 

Thirsty?