Journey of Northwest Loop Vietnam -Chapter 2

It was not a misty morning scene but a hazy afternoon caused by open burning

The serenity of the country side and ways of life brought us back in time. The setting was just perfect for an old movie except the few dis harmonizing satellite dishes and antennas sticking out from the roofs like sore thumbs. 

Purchased a bundle of vegetable in exchange
for a photo shot with a Black Tay lady :)

The parched plateau of Sonla in the dry season was no less colorful and interesting. Nevertheless, the richness of its diverse hill tribes residents has painted this land with vibrant colours when the weather is wetter. The markets were a perfect place to experience the local flavours. We visited markets by the roadside, in open and enclosed areas. We had fun buying vegetables which we brought to the restaurant later for cooking and chasing after the Tay ladies for snap shots on them. The problem was I used a normal digital camera; with no fancy zoom lens, I could only capture the objects from a near distance. I was afraid of offending them, being rejected and warned by them; hence most of the time I tried to take photos without being noticed.

Cheers, got you!

The Tay was the most distinctive to me with their hair tied into buns and head cloth. My sister and I thought it was pretty cool. I wonder how long they take to wash their hair each time.

 Mama Bun                 vs                     Baby Bun                      vs                     Trendy Bun

The shooting continued when I explored the market with my head cloth on. I was annoyed and I felt uneasy. I was not a local, why take my photos? Then, I realised and empathize with the local.......
I had fun buying the Tay head cloths and other sewing accessories used to make their costumes in a small market not long after we left the Son La town. A Tay lady helped me to set the head cloth on me. A tourist with a sophisticated camera found his new subject and started taking pictures of me while I was posing for Tyng in one of vegetable stalls.

Unidentified ethnic group in an eatery place

In the same market, we spotted these two ladies, I presumed they were mother and daughter. I couldn't identify which minority group they belong to, but I guess it might be from a branch of the Hmong. There were similarities in the batik fabric, embroidery and applique. Their costumes were really nice with the layering and I really love the small vests. And it was uncommon to see a hill tribe with short hair. There are 54 ethnic groups in Vietnam and some ethnic groups have sub branches and locality differences. Whenever, I met a new ethnic group on my trip to Vietnam, I will get excited. Today, I have met about 13 ethnic groups and it will take a long time to meet them all.

A visit to a Tay village in Son La - Tay girl enjoying the snack from us.

We enjoyed meeting children on our trips. In our backpack, we carried with us some old toys, stationary, hair accessories, candies and snacks. By sharing with them these things, we could easily break ice with the local kids. Those little things always come in handy. We never pay for photography even if we were asked to.  This was to avoid cultivating the habits among them. 

As our journey on the Northwest loop was somewhat brief, we omitted visiting pagodas, waterfalls, museums and relics, focusing mainly on markets and remote villages. For my next trip I will visit the museums in these areas to have a better understanding on their history and diverse ethnic minorities. 

Goodbye Sonla. Tyng and I continued our journey to Tuan Giao.

P/S: to be continued in chapter 3