Hekou Border, Fansipan Cable Car & Summit, O Quy Ho Pass and Cloud Dragon Glass Bridge
The train arrived early at Lao Cai station. Our new guide, Mr Vincento picked us up from the train station and brought us to a nearby restaurant for breakfast. He introduced himself in fluent Mandarin. Then suddenly in one breath, he blurted (in Mandarin) "I am happily married with 2 kids, stays 60 km away, and takes about 2 hours motorbike to reach the train station. During COVID, when tourism was shut down, I switched to becoming a farmer. But what I really love is to be a tour guide!" After that hilarious introduction, everyone had a good laugh and I knew we had gotten ourselves a good guide. Soon our piping hot pho soup arrived!
China-Vietnam border
The driver brought us to a Den May To temple located on the Border of Vietnam and China. Standing at the edge of the temple I saw people crossing the border. There were also some old folks relaxing by the temple chairs but nothing exceptionally interesting. This brief stop-over happened to be along the way to our next destination, i.e. the cloud dragon Skywalk Glass Bridge!
Cloud dragon skywalk
This glass bridge stands at a height of about 2,200 meters above sea level. To reach this, visitors enter a cave and take a glass lift. When I got out of the lift, I was stunned to see myself surrounded by clouds. Walking on the glass floor and peering down hundreds of meters made my knees wobble. The strong winds made it much colder so I was grateful to Vincento who insisted that we bring a warm jacket. The glass bridge is way longer than I expected, and spacious enough to accommodate large groups of visitors. Every step was a chilly but fun experience! You can watch me explaining more about it here! My dad found a small cafe at the top and we sat for a while to enjoy the view while sipping a hot chocolate.
Our next stop was Cat Cat Village, which is home to the Black H’Mong Hill tribe. The village is built on a slope and some steps lead you down the valley. Along the way, numerous tiny shophouses sell accessories, looms, and brocade fabrics. H’Mong women still create these fabrics the traditional way. They use indigo plants and leaves to dye the fabrics, then roll them around with wax-covered wood to make the colors more durable.
How do I know so much? Thanks to our guide (Mr. Vincento) who is well-versed in the local geography, culture, and history of the area! Vincento was not just knowledgeable, but also attentive to our needs. He arranged for my grandma to wait comfortably at a cafe while he led us down the valley. I’ll keep a mental note of how he made us feel welcomed and assured. Good customer service is always worth emulating…
As we went further down the steps, I saw a big waterfall and an old Hydro Electric Power Station that was built by French people back in the 1800s. When you reach the bottom, you will see locals putting up traditional performances as well as activities for visitors to take part in. I saw other tourists wearing tribal costumes and thought of joining in the fun, but as the floor was a little wet from the light rain earlier, I passed on it. A pleasant surprise was seeing hundreds of white doves standing on the roofs. There were also many custom-made birdhouses, which is probably why these doves have decided to make this valley their home.
Lunch was back in town in a local restaurant that specializes in Vietnamese BBQ chicken dishes. The restaurant was 2 stories high, very clean, and generous in its servings. The staff even cooked the food for us! Bonus points.
After that, we checked into the KK Sapa hotel. I was amazed at the scale of the hotel. It had two lobbies, with several amenities such as a pool table, a spa, and even a swimming pool! When we checked into our rooms, I went over to our large balcony. From there, I could see a juxtaposition of modern city lights on the far right, in stark contrast to the scenic rural lifestyle on my left. At the same time, clouds were floating into the room from the balcony. It felt like I was living in a mythical place in the sky, like Studio Ghibli's Castle in the Sky. See an ocean of clouds dance before my eyes was such a surreal experience.
Dinner was at a fancy fine-dining restaurant with Western theme dishes. The restaurant itself looked amazing. It was the Christmas season, so I wasn’t surprised to see that the restaurant was decorated with Christmas ornaments and playing Christmas music in the background.
With our tummies filled, we explored the streets of Sapa. It felt as if I was walking in Chinatown. The alleys were filled with stalls, accompanied by the lanterns hung above them. I temporarily forgot that we were situated in the mountains! The city was far more modern than I expected. The juxtaposition between the buildings and the mountains shows how even at such a high altitude, humans can transform the area into a bustling town.
There was only one downside which was seeing some very young children begging in the street corners. Technically, not begging as they were playing among themselves. But they were dressed in rags and had a little bowl in front of them. Some adults were lurking nearby casting glances. These I assume were the children's guardians. My parents reminded me that we were just visitors here and should not cause trouble. So, with a heavy heart, I continued walking back to my hotel.
Chia Howie
10 December 2023
Comentarios