![\"one](\"http:\/\/ntham.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/P1030545.jpg\")
<\/a>one of the many terrace fields and beautiful sceneries…<\/p><\/div>\n
It has been almost six and a half years ago and therefore I will try to recall as much as I could from the brief account on that small piece of paper and the photos in our files. It was from 11\/06\/2008 to 15\/06\/2008\u2026<\/p>\n
Day 1 (11\/06\/2008)<\/p>\n
I can\u2019t remember what time we touched down but we reached the Bodega Hotel in Hanoi\u00a0quite early in the morning. As we did not stay overnight, they referred us to another hotel, Democracy Hotel which is in the same Hoan Kiem district. If I am not mistaken, we got 2 rooms just to refresh ourselves and kept our luggage. We took a short nap after taking a bath, then we went out for lunch, don\u2019t ask me where as I have totally forgotten where. All I can recall is a restaurant upstairs somewhere, and walking distant from the hotel. After lunch we roamed around that area, not a free and easy stuff as I remember it was guided\u2026<\/p>\n
One of the places we visited was \u2018Hanoi Temple of Literature\u2019 (or Vestige Van Mieu Quoc Tu Giam as displayed at the ticketing counter) \u2013 from the information displayed in the compound, this is the first relic of Hanoi and one of the first universities in the world. We were told that if one goes to Hanoi and missed out this place, then it is considered as though he\/she has not visited Hanoi at all.\u00a0 It was the first national university in Vietnam with more than 700 years of operation (1076-1802) that has trained thousands of talents for the country. Also based on the information there, it has 2 main vestiges – Literature worship Confucius and Chu Van An- Quoc Tu Giam career.<\/p>\n
<\/a>Vestige Van Mieu Quoc Tu Giam – ticket counter at entrance.<\/p><\/div>\n
our guide (left).<\/p><\/div>\n Yin roaming around the temple area…<\/p><\/div>\n our guide taking a shot for us.<\/p><\/div>\n ann…<\/p><\/div>\n After dinner (or did we had dinner), we were guided by a hotel staff to the Hanoi train station. I remember it wasn\u2019t quite an easy walk tagging our luggage along with a more than average walking pace. We were walking quite fast with those luggages, together with other travelers and local (also with luggages) walking in the same pace in the same direction. We were like in a war zone situation escaping to another town or country like what we saw in the movies.\u00a0 Once at the train station, I was quite confused on where we were heading. We were supposed to take the night train which depart around 2100hr to Sapa, but then I learned about Lao Cai where we were supposed to depart the next morning 0500hr. So which is which, are they the same or different. Never mind, fast forward\u2026<\/p>\n our train…<\/p><\/div>\n posing at the entrance\/exit of our coach.<\/p><\/div>\n ST…<\/p><\/div>\n I was sweating when we finally get into the platform to board the train and in this condition I thought, it\u2019s going to be a long night\u2026 But I was surprised and relieved as I stepped into the cabin. In my mind, \u2018wow\u2019! This is cool \u2013 air-cond, four bedded cabin and look comfortable. To me it was 1st<\/sup> class\u2026 Thanks God!<\/p>\n I was happy with the comfort of my cabin in the coach.<\/p><\/div>\n the ladies too…<\/p><\/div>\n As the train slowly pull off at 2100, I was busy looking out of the window and as it leave Hanoi, the train was passing through rows of houses. They were so near to the railway tracks and as I looked out from the train window, it was as if those houses were just next door! A good experience though. Later I remember someone selling coffee and we had snacks or buns, (I can\u2019t remember), bought from Hanoi. That was why I\u00a0said earlier whether did we really had dinner. The train ride was comfortable.<\/p>\n Day 2 (12\/06\/2008)<\/p>\n We reached Lao Cai station early morning approx. 0500. As the train was pulling slowly approaching the station, I could see outside was already bustling with people going with their business at 0500! Some were pulling carts, some cycling, walking with loads on their back etc. People were busy disembarking, struggling with several huge suitcases and some with children in their arms as they hurried to the exit. Tour guides waiting and mini-vans parked in the far background. I don\u2019t think we took the mini-van, I remember we took a bus. The bus ride was about an hour if I am not mistaken, going along hilly roads till Sapa. The scenery along the way was nice as far as I can remember.<\/p>\n We checked-in to the Royal Hotel in Sapa. The view from our rooms were fantastic, all rooms sharing a long balcony facing the mountains. The environment was like Genting back home, cool. We had breakfast at this hotel before visiting the minor ethnology market.<\/p>\n ladies checking out their rooms…<\/p><\/div>\n one of our rooms.<\/p><\/div>\n Stanley & ST in their room.<\/p><\/div>\n ann at the balcony of our room, notice the scenery behind…<\/p><\/div>\n view from the room’s balcony.<\/p><\/div>\n another view…<\/p><\/div>\n Hill-tribe people from surrounding villages go to the Sapa market most days to sell handicrafts and ethnic-style clothing. We learned that Saturday is the busiest day, and every day the market’s food stalls are popular for breakfast and lunch.<\/p>\n street of Sapa.<\/p><\/div>\n drizzle when we reached Sapa.<\/p><\/div>\n Ann & ST enjoying a coffee at the hotel.<\/p><\/div>\n We went further beyond that market into the interior where those terrace fields and village houses were. By then it began to drizzle again. I remember passing through those terrace fields, walking along a hilly road, then a stairway down to a village with houses left and right. Their buffaloes use that stairway too together with their pet and farm animals \u2013 dogs, chicken, ducks and even pigs. Below are some of the photos we took along the way.<\/p>\n yin with her reliable raincoat.<\/p><\/div>\n farmers busy tending to their fields…<\/p><\/div>\n Low… or Loh, can’t remember.<\/p><\/div>\n even buffaloes used the path…<\/p><\/div>\n pigs…<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n We stopped by a wooden house and we were allowed to go in to take a look and explored. A simple wooden village house. Finally there was a hanging bridge over a stream with a row of stalls selling souvenir stuffs at the other end. I can\u2019t remember what tribe were those people we came in contact with.<\/p>\n the house we were invited in…<\/p><\/div>\n their kitchen…<\/p><\/div>\n the owner???<\/p><\/div>\n our Sapa’s guide…<\/p><\/div>\n found this behind the house…<\/p><\/div>\n around the house.<\/p><\/div>\n saw this again…<\/p><\/div>\n Later in the evening, was sort of light and easy for us, strolling and roaming around the streets of Sapa. There were many shops selling handicrafts, backpacks, clothing and other souvenir stuffs. We had our dinner in the hotel as well, and I remember, after dinner we were out at the streets again continuing our shopping spree. By the way, the food in this hotel, be it breakfast, lunch or dinner were nice and tasty.<\/p>\n love the view…<\/p><\/div>\n albino buffole???<\/p><\/div>\n leaving the house…<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n the bridge linking to the row of stalls opposite the stream.<\/p><\/div>\n the waterfall…<\/p><\/div>\n the ladies posing by the fall…<\/p><\/div>\n a photo with the local kids…<\/p><\/div>\n the row of stalls…<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n Day 3 13\/06\/2008<\/p>\n After breakfast (again in the Royal Hotel),\u00a0another guided visit, a short drive to a hilly road then some trekking to another terrace plantation, in addition to what we had done a day earlier. The views of the terrace fields, hills and far mountains again were simply spectacular, not to mention the cool air environment. Another wet day for us as we were caught in a drizzle again. We came by a coffee shop beside an untarred road just next to a stream. We take 5 in this shop, had coffee \u2013 Vietnamese coffee before heading out. On the way out, I remembered passing through some fields again, with their village houses scattered in between.<\/p>\n the mini van we took on this second day in Sapa…<\/p><\/div>\n the hilly road…<\/p><\/div>\n stopped for photos…<\/p><\/div>\n the hilly road…<\/p><\/div>\n look at them… our guide behind.<\/p><\/div>\n Beng & Low or Loh???<\/p><\/div>\n Yin chatting with one of the villagers…<\/p><\/div>\n molly…<\/p><\/div>\n some of the villages\/tribe we came across…<\/p><\/div>\n the shop we stopped for coffee…<\/p><\/div>\n the lady who prepared our coffee and served us, with our guide.<\/p><\/div>\n the stream by the coffee shop.<\/p><\/div>\n on the way out…<\/p><\/div>\n before…<\/p><\/div>\n after…???<\/p><\/div>\n their country road…<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n one for the record…<\/p><\/div>\n After the guided trek to the interior, we had some time roaming around Sapa town before leaving at 1700 to catch the bus to Lao Cai train station for the night train back to Hanoi. I remember walking along a few lanes with shops and came across a Church. Later I learned that it is a Catholic Church.<\/p>\n Sapa Stone Church<\/p><\/div>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/a>
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