A Week In Sapa
Back in Sapa North Vietnam after a few years since our last visit. We are here to
haggle over indigo cloth, hemp fabrics and a few trinkets in between drinks with spectacular views.
Sapa is a little like my home town Katoomba in the beautiful Blue Mountains outside of Sydney. Stunning countryside although Sapa is 1 -2,000 metres higher than Katoomba.
Sapa's population is mostly made up of hilltribes like H'mong, Red Tao, Tay people, Flower H'mong, Dao people and more. In Katoomba our colourful population is made up of tribes of christians, the artistic tribes of musos, artists, poets and writers with alternative tribes like the young born again hippies.
We have been coming to Sapa since the year 2000 and have seen it prosper then dip, new shops and restaurants come and go just like Katoomba. Sapa has a certain shabbiness not unlike Katoomba but ever so endearing just like Katoomba because of it's cultural mix.
People come from all over the world to trek in Sapa as they do in the Blue Mountains
Trading with the Hilltribe women at the markets or on the street of Sapa can be so much fun. But always remember when bartering everyone walks away happy with the final price.
A couple of tough negotiators
The mist rolled in on our last day in Sapa and a post on facebook back home showed the mist rolling in on Katoomba.
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