Christmas 2009 will not soon be forgotten. While many of my cohorts in Ha Noi opted to spend the holidays back home or at some tropical beach resort in Viet Nam, I decided to head north into the mountains with two friends and find the coldest town in Nam. Destination: Sa Pa.
View of the town from our hotel
We took the overnight train on Christmas Eve and crammed into a 6-person hard bed cabin for a few hours of sleep (the bottle of wine on the train definitely helped) and arrived 6:00am Christmas day at Sa Pa, near the border with China. We spent the next few days eating and walking our way around the small town and nearby ethnic villages. Although cold and blustery at night, the days were beautiful and sunny and allowed for some spectacular views.
Space was a little tight on the overnight sleeper train
Sa Pa was formerly a resort town for wealthy French colonialists and military personnel and comes complete with quaint villas nestled into the picturesque mountain landscape. Today it is a stronghold of ethnic minority groups such as the Hmong, Dao and Tay. You walk the streets among fellow tourists decked in Goretex jackets and giant packs, and shoeless children dressed in traditional garb of bright colors and dangly jewelry. As a popular tourist destination, the constant chorus of "You buy from me" adds to the background sounds of nature.
Typical grilled sweet potatoes, pork, rice, and eggs from the area
And when in Sa Pa, why not try the traditional hotpot of horse meat (lau ngua)? Well, horse pieces really. So while most of you were eating your turkeys, potatoes, and pies, my two friends and I sat down to a giant boiling vat of horse intestine, liver, kidney, and other parts. I can now say I've eaten horse...and it probably won't happen again.
Season's greetings from Uncle Ho Ho Ho
