Saturday 9 September – Bac Ha
Awake. It’s not quite 6.00am. The good news is, I ain’t getting up. The better news is, I actually don’t feel too bad.
Back to sleep, awake again half an hour later; still feel okay.
Kind of promising.
The lazy morning ensues, and finally a move is made around 7.30am.
First port of call, the toilet.
It’s not great, but it’s better than yesterday.
While I still have whatever it is that I have, there is improvement today, and I’m hopeful that I may possibly be over the worst of it. Fortunately those stomach cramps are no more, which is a huge relief, but I’m left with a washed out type of feeling. A little fragile, perhaps.
Slowly get sorted; don’t want to go too hard just yet; and head downstairs around 8.30am.
Dong is there, and he explains that he needs my upgraded room back. No problem at all, and I was well aware that this was going to happen, as the tourists flock to Bac Ha for the weekend.
But, apparently, I won’t be getting an alternative room at the Ngan Nga, as Mike and I will be staying in a different hotel tonight.
Again, no problem, and more than happy to oblige.
Back upstairs to pack up more comprehensively, carefully separating the clothes that smell good, from the clothes that don’t.
Down the stairs for the second time this morning, backpack left for safekeeping, and laundry bag left to be dealt with, as laundry bags are.
Out the front, and I hear a familiar voice. It’s Mike, and he’s been sitting out watching the passing parade, as I’ve been running up and down the stairs.
We sit for a bit; I need the rest; and then put into action the day’s plan, which is all about buffaloes.
Down in the direction of the market, and then kind of off to the left, and we keep walking.
Around the corner, and what we’re looking for soon comes into view.
I wasn’t really sure what to expect, and while I obviously thought there’d be a few there, I never expected this many water buffaloes.
Then again, it is a water buffalo market.
We head over for a closer look, stopping briefly to watch a couple of locals burning sheets of cardboard outside a restaurant.
It takes a minute to work out what’s actually going on, but as the cardboard starts to disappear, the now hairless pig that had been under it, is revealed.
We reach the main part of the market, and while it’s impossible to know exactly how many water buffalo are here, it is literally in the hundreds.
They’re everywhere, interspersed with a few horses, as well as the occasional cow.
And with the sheer number of them, it goes without saying that there’s also a fair amount of what comes out of them, throughout all of the market.
The decision to wear thongs this morning may not have been my greatest of ideas….
We head off to the right, treading very carefully while making our way through the herd, as well as the throng of people, and then notice a small ‘café’ on the side of the road.
It’s already rather warm, so the opportunity is taken to cool down with a trà đá (iced tea), while just taking in the sights.
There’s a few here!
Suitably cooled, we head off back down the road, once again keeping a close eye on where my feet are landing, as well as trying very hard not to get in the way of these amazing animals.
Down the bottom near the river, and now in a more open area, we just stand and watch the goings on.
Watch your feet…..
Prospective buyers checking the animals, and then what appeared to be the occasional discussion on the possibility of the buffalo changing hands.
While we unfortunately didn’t see a deal get done, the whole thing was just fascinating, and I spent a fair bit of time shaking my head at what I’d been given the opportunity to see.
Taking a break from the market, and doing their favourite thing.
Time to go home.
We make a move a bit before 10.00am, and head back into town. I feel okay, well, better than yesterday, but I do now have some muscle aches which are causing some concern.
Back up onto the main road, and Mike suggests we have a look a palace. While it’s not a temple or pagoda, it still doesn’t fill me with excitement, but since we haven’t done any cultural / historic / religious sites since yesterday, I sort of feel like I really should do the ‘right thing’.
Out towards the Northern part of town, and coming across a couple of Agribank ATMs, we both decide to make use of them.
Mike is successful, but for some reason, I am not.
Second card used, and once again, the machine refuses to play nice.
Money isn’t too much of a concern at the moment, so I give up on the idea with the view that I’ll worry about it later.
It does, however, annoy me, and is a reminder of how caught out you could be, should the money situation be more dire.
Our walk continues, and as it does, some rather ominous looking clouds start to roll in, replacing the heat of the sun that was shining so brightly, not all that long ago.
We reach Hoang A Tuong Palace (20 000 Dong entrance fee) and from the outside, it’s a fairly impressive looking building, with plenty of the character you’d expect from something that was built just over 100 years ago.
Not that old by Vietnam standards, but still rather impressive looking.
We head in and have a look around, even taking the opportunity to try out the camera version of Google Translate, on some of the display information, which always fascinates me, even though I don’t tend to use it as much as I should.
Outside in the ‘backyard’, and those dark clouds are now doing their thing. Discovering an operating corn wine still, we’re prompted by the woman in charge to partake in one or two.
It’s pleasant enough, but perhaps a little harsh.
A bit more looking around, and with the rain now a thing of the past, we make a move towards the exit, stopping briefly to chat with some rather excited young kids who were keen to practice a little English.
Back up the main road, and seeing the Agribank ATMs free, I decide to give it another go, but this time using the other machine, and not the one that failed me earlier.
Success!, and three million is withdrawn for a fee of 22 000 Dong, with me still being none the wiser as to why the other ATM disliked my cards so much.
We head into town, and then down to Binh’s for lunch of stir fried beef, onion, carrot, cabbage, some rice, and because I didn’t order, tofu.
Mike has a couple of beers, while I play it safe with an orange juice.
Lunch done, while chatting about that road trip tomorrow, that Mike mentioned yesterday – it’s definitely going to happen – we head back to the Ngan Nga. Mike wants another beer, so I renege out of politeness and lack of willpower, and have one too.
We sit at two of the few remaining available chars inside, with the hotel now very busy with tourists. It has a very different look and feel to what it was just a couple of days ago.
Beer had, and with backpack retrieved, it’s time for our accommodation change.
Onto the bikes of Dong and one of his staff, and we head off down the main street, before turning off to the left.
Into the road that I walked the other day, and we soon pull up outside what looks to be the very new accommodation of the Bac Ha Legend Home.
We head in, Dong shows us to our rooms, and then around the rest of the complex. A couple of the Ngan Nga staff are actually there, doing a little last minute cleaning, and the reason it looks very new is because it is, with some aspects of it still to be completed.
Dong leaves us to get settled, so I head back to my room for a closer look. The room is fairly simple, but very comfortable, and the bathroom is quite possibly the nicest and most modern bathroom I’ve ever seen in Vietnam.
Which is actually quite fortuitous, as with the health side of things still lingering, I have a need to spend a little time in my plush new bathroom.
It’s not completely awful, but it’s also not that great, and the longer this goes on, the more frustrated I’m becoming.
I lay down to attempt the sleep thing, but it just results in 30 minutes of light dozing, which doesn’t really fix anything.
A big thunderstorm rolls in, which causes the power to go off, and with rain that heavy, the opportunity is taken to catch up on a few notes.
The storm doesn’t last too long, and I head out a bit after 3.00pm. The desire is a cà phê sữa đá, but I can’t help but feel a nước mía đá might be better suited to my current predicament.
Listening to myself for once, I head back into town, passing a couple of cafés along the way, before reaching the market.
I find a nước mía đá cart, but can’t find the person who operates it, so eventually give up and return to one of those cafés I passed, which is just around the corner from the Ngan Nga.
Cà phê sữa đá (30 000 Dong) ordered, and while it’s good, as they usually are, it’s not the greatest I’ve had.
Doesn’t matter, it gives me an opportunity to sit and relax, while watching the world, or at least Bac Ha, do its thing.
Coffee done, and at a bit of a loose end, I start heading back up to my new accommodation. Halfway there, Dong pulls up next me on his bike, and offers me a lift, which I gratefully accept.
Back to the room, and with no sign of Mike, I have a look around the place, even helping a guy who is the process of installing some plumbing pipe.
Good deed done, and with a combination of it now being after 4.00pm, along with a severe shortage of other things to do, I head back into town to do what I normally do at this time of day.
Down to the market, and into Binh’s, who as usual, seems happy to see me.
A few beers while chatting with Binh as he chops up black chickens; they always intrigue me when I see them, as well as talking to his daughter.
Binh and his black chickens.
That not only results in a short English lesson for her, but also a bit of a Vietnamese lesson for me, with her actually being rather impressed with what I know.
But that says more about how easily she’s impressed, rather than any type of Vietnamese fluency, or competency, on my part.
A few beers had, and then it’s back to the room to get organised for whatever it is that we’re doing tonight, with a quick detour to my beer place around the corner.
Back ‘home’, and with there still being no sign of Mike, I send him a message.
He’s back at the Ngan Nga, and somehow, we’ve now managed to avoid each other pretty much all afternoon.
That’s okay, I’ll take the opportunity to do that much needed shower, as there are still remnants up the back of my legs from this morning’s walk around the buffalo market.
But my stomach has other ideas, and not for the first time today, a little quality time is spent on that toilet.
Again, not a great deal of fun is had….
Job done, I go to wash my hands.
But the tap doesn’t supply what a tap is supposed to.
Fortunately there is soap, and fortunately there is water in my drink bottle, so post toilet requirement is awkwardly fulfilled.
I try the shower. It too lacks the water component.
I could say I’m annoyed, but it’s more frustration. And it’s not just about the water.
I’m sick of feeling this way, and now I’m being hampered in what should be a fairly easy task.
Yep, I know, first-world problems…..
I message Mike, but get no response, and in the end just decide to make my way back to the Ngan Nga.
As I’m about to walk out the door, Mike messages to tell me Dong is on his way to pick me up, and sure enough, he arrives a few minutes later.
He’s incredibly apologetic, and I completely get it. It’s a new build, and there’s obviously some teething problems, with his belief that it is a water pressure issue, because the water downstairs is fine, whereas my upstairs room is not.
The genuineness in his apology, along with his simple solution to my problem, which is to use one of the showers downstairs, makes me a little annoyed at my initial frustrations.
Yep, first-world issues….
Back to the Ngan Nga on the back of dong’s bike, and Mike is sitting out the front waiting for me.
Dinner quickly arrives, which is some more of last night’s horse meat, spring rolls, sweet and sour pork, greens and rice.
It all looks really good, but just as I start worrying about how we’re going to get through it all, it then gets worse, when the cook delivers a chicken dish.
There is no way we are going to finish it all, and in the end, we don’t. I hate that, and again, I feel really bad leaving food.
We sit there for a bit, and as we do, a local, probably Hanoian, girl, walks past.
She glances over at us, and makes to come across, but nerves get the better of her, and she continues walking.
I know what she wants; well, I’m pretty sure I know what she wants; and as she glances back a second time, I smile and indicate for her to come over.
A huge smile appears on her face, and she races across.
And yep, as suspected, she just wants a selfie.
One with me, one with Mike, she’s extremely appreciative, and she’s quickly on her way.
It was nice, and I’m glad that I pushed to her to have the courage to go through with her desire for a photo. I’ve been there before, and have many ‘photo’ regrets over the years, when I either didn’t think, or was too ‘scared’, to get it done.
And honestly, I get just as much enjoyment out the whole interaction as they seem to.
Mike gets chatting to a local Sapa guide he knows; blows me away how many people he knows up here; before we head down to the Saturday night cultural show.
First a palace, now a cultural show, with both things, or terms, never really filling me with excitement.
We get down there, and it’s madness, with people everywhere.
It’s colourful, bright, but also dark, and vibrant and noisy, and while it’s not really my thing, it is all very interesting in that completely different world way.
It feels a bit surreal; almost like you’re on the set of a 1960s James Bond movie; and I’m not sure I saw one other western tourist.
We walk past a couple of Vietnamese tourists in the process of doing a video call with a family member ‘back home’, and we’re quickly dragged into their conversation.
It was funny, although I do struggle a little when a video camera is trained on me.
Bit more of a walk around the cultural show and market, and I’ve probably seen enough. It’s nice to see and experience, but yeah, it’s not really my thing.
To be fair though, I tend to avoid similar, not that it’s anywhere near similar, stuff back home.
We head over to Binh’s for a beer, and not surprisingly, due to the number of people around, he’s busy. But he finds room for us.
Beer enjoyed, while the topic of heartburn and indigestion, mainly Mike’s, comes up, which is probably just proof that we’re now both rather old.
One beer had, and Mike’s ready to pull the pin, so we bid Binh farewell, and head back up to the main street.
Past the Ngan Nga, and up near the turn off we need to get to our new digs, Mike decides to make use of the pharmacy over the road.
We both head across, and seeing as we’re here, and seeing as I still have my own problems, I decide to make use of it as well.
Mike speaks to his pharmacist, and before I’ve even managed to get my point across to my pharmacist using Google Translate, he has his heartburn medication.
And it’s the exact same stuff that I take, with the only difference, well, apart from the obvious cost one, being that he got his without the prescription I require at home.
I love this country!
Back to my issue, and wanting to keep it really simple for all concerned, and with trying not to make it a ‘eewww, too much information!’ moment, I simply punch in ‘diarrhoea’.
The look on her face immediately tells me she knows what I need, and within seconds, like two or three, I have a blister pack of ten tablets in my hand.
“How much”, I ask, using actions rather than Google.
“Five”, is the answer.
Finding 5000 Dong (~30 Australian cents) hard to believe, I resort to Google.
And yep, it is indeed 5000 Dong.
Dosage is then worked out; “One each day?”
Back to Google; “No, two each day”.
Done!
Transaction complete, and I’m stunned at how easy it all was, and also, obviously, how cheap it is.
But more than that, I’m incredibly appreciative of her help, which was done in such a caring and genuine way.
Back over the road, and as Mike heads off, I make a quick detour to my beer girl for beer (15 000 Dong), which probably goes without saying, as well as a packet of chips (10 000 Dong).
‘Home’ by 10.00pm, towel retrieved, and I make my way back downstairs to partake in that long overdue, and much needed, shower.
Back upstairs for those beers along with the usual on the bed.
It’s been one of those days, with aspects of it really good, but then also parts that were just a bit, I don’t know, not so good.
Certainly not bad, but just kind of perhaps ‘ho hum’, as well as a little frustrating, at times.
Yep, can’t be ‘Disneyland’ everyday…..
The good news now, however, is that I actually feel okay. Whether I’ll feel the same in the morning, well, who knows.
One can only hope.
Bed at 11.30pm, with alarm set for 6.30am for market day.
Bac Ha market day. Which, essentially, is pretty much why I find myself here.
And then, tomorrow afternoon, that road trip.
Will be interesting to see how the whole day pans out.
Cheers,
Scott
seriouslynot 