Bac Ha Market

   Every Sunday, the various tribes come to Bac Ha, a small town near In the mountains near China. It was a 3 hour drive to get here by car from Sapa. The market is divided into 3 areas, one for traditional clothing and textiles, one for cooked food and produce, and the third for livestock , farm implements and miscellaneous farm items. 

   The market is big, covering several acres. Although we visited on a rainy day, the weather couldn't dull the vibrant colors these people use in their everyday lives. Our personal guide , Tamay, ( a member of the Black Hmong tribe )   walked us thru the market explaining what we were looking at, how much things cost, and translated our purchases.  She was a huge help and really made big difference in grasping this exotic market.  The food vendors looked tempting but she steered us away from them, warning, the " water wasn't clean".

  Karen loved the colorful textiles. That's her negotiating a price on an embroidered blanket. Everything was very inexspensive, our dollar really went far here. 

   I liked the farm section where farmers dickered prices on everything from water buffalo to dogs. These people are not cruel, their menu is just a bit broader than ours. Those are wood plows for the rice paddies and odd wooden horse saddles. The water buffalo is the single most valuable item these people own, a full grown one is worth $ 1,500. 

   Tamay took us to a "clean " restaurant across from the market that caters to tourists. We had a great lunch ( despite our invitation, Tamay sat separate, with other guides ). We shared a table and chatted with a young couple from Singapore . 

  It was a memorable day.