Ha Giang Day 2

We woke up in yen Minh today.  Our host, Lu, was so excited when Ami asked to view his garden.  The property is pretty big. He has lychee trees for at least an acre, onions, lettuce, pineapple, and plenty of other fruits and veggies I can’t remember. He kept using his phone to look up words so he could communicate with us.  Crazy to think he was party of the Vietnamese army and we were at war w them not so long ago.  I wish the world had more people like Lu.

In Lu's Garden

The ride today was so beautiful. Zigzagging through the mountains, where few foreigners ever visit.  The culture is genuine, not for show, although they do enjoy their tourists money.  Girls and women dressed in traditional tribal wear walk on the sides of the road.  Everywhere people sit outside, on the sides of the street, on the hill tops, outside of homes.  Children walk with their arms around each other.  People seem genuinely happy. No one on their phones, even though it seems like a lot of people have them.

Scooters zoom everywhere. Buses fight for road space because two vehicles can’t fit down the roads at the same time.  The view of the mountains is incredible, rice patties everywhere. A lot of the homes look like just concrete blocks. Many of the restaurants are also the families home.

I dropped my bike 3 times today. First stalled on a hill and fell over.  Next, I left the kickstand down and then ran into a ditch. The third time, one of our friends had fallen into a ditch and I stopped to help but fell off my bike instead haha. Oops.

We went to the northern point of Vietnam today and also crossed into China for a minute.  On the border, there’s a market set up where they sell Chinese goods.  We were able to just walk across the border.  Guys were outside just shooting off really intense fireworks too.  A few times, people stopped to take pictures w me and a few girls we were traveling with.

Friends

Evi (same girl who gave me her sweater)

Check out the kids outfits

Stops for photos!

Can you spot Ami in his camo?

Toilet on the mountain

This little girl wanted a photo with us so I asked for a photo with her too.  People like to take pictures with the white people lol

Crossing the Chinese border

So much trash

Outside the hostel

We stayed at Green Karst hostel.  The people in our room absolutely stink...gasoline and nasty shoe smell. I want to barf.  I like the food here but I’m also getting tired of the same meals... so we got eggplant clay pot tonight, which was yummy.  They forgot to bring our food, so then we got a free beer.  This little town is pretty cute.

Oh and the restaurant owners wife is also a nurse so she cleaned and bandaged my knee.  Apparently she sees a lot of wounds from riding.  Overall incredible day but I’m exhausted!

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