Oct 28, 2009 - Sa Pa

We have just returned from a trip to Sa Pa. ... We were then taken a further hour in a mini bus high up into the mountains to Sa Pa itself. ... Even before we reached Sa Pa we passed barefoot children in traditional, tribal dress walking miles to the local school as early as 7 am and local people walking around in the costume of their particular tribe (of which there are several just in this area). ... The women carry their babies in a sling on their backs and we saw a little girl, no more than 6 herself, carrying her sibling on her back! A visit to the market in Sa Pa was a real eye opener - we saw huge live fish plucked out of a bucket and chopped up, pieces of dog (complete with head), large caterpillar-type grubs (still wriggling!). ...

Jul 8, 2009 - Sapa

Took the night train from Hanoi to Sapa - very fun.Took the night train from Hanoi to Sapa - very fun....

Jun 24, 2009 - Sapa

Sorry I,ve been out of touch, Vietnam is crazy.Sorry I,ve been out of touch, Vietnam is crazy....

Apr 27, 2009 - Sa Pa, Vietnam

Sa Pa is a mountainous area north west of Hanoi near the Chinmese border. ... The trek thru the national park was scheduled for today but the rain has made the trails to slippery and we headed back to Sa Pa where we take a sleeper train back to Hanoi. ...

Mar 22, 2009 - Sa Pa, Vietnam

A delayed flight and the need to make the night train to Sa Pa made arriving back in Hanoi Friday night quite a chaotic experience. ... We arrived in Loi Cai a little after 6 am and took a 50 min bus ride up the mountain to Sa Pa. ... Sa Pa itself is a bit more touristy, which many of the local H’Mong people following you, asking “you buy something from me?” At first, I was a bit turned off by the chaos and commercialism of it all, but that quickly changed once we started trekking to a local village with a local guide. ...

Mar 19, 2009 - Sa Pa

Today we had a free day to wander the hilly streets of Sapa.Today we had a free day to wander the hilly streets of Sapa....

Mar 18, 2009 - Sapa hill station

We took yet another minivan up some tortuous winding roads to the hill station of Sa Pa. ... The town of Sa Pa itself is also built on a mountain slope. ... I suppose it would be Vietnam's version of Banff.We took yet another minivan up some tortuous winding roads to the hill station of Sa Pa. ... The town of Sa Pa itself is also built on a mountain slope. ... I suppose it would be Vietnam's version of Banff....

Mar 8, 2009 - Sa Pa - in den kalten Bergen Nord-Vietnams

Im übrigen verlassen wir Hanoi nicht ungern, denn es regnet hartnäckig und zwei Deutsche, Mutter und Tochter, die wir in der Halong Bay getroffen hatten und nun im Wasserpuppentheater wieder sehen, kommen gerade aus Sa Pa zurück und versichern uns, das Wetter sei dort schön. ... Das Wetter in Sa Pa ist enttäuschend: Ein kalter und grauer Nebel liegt über der Stadt und den Bergen, was die tüchtigen Hmong-Händlerinnen aus den umliegenden Dörfern in ihrer schönen schwarzen Tracht aber nicht an der Arbeit hindert. ... An unserem ersten Tag in Sa Pa glauben wir noch an den Morgennebel. ... Im Winter schneit es manchmal in Sa Pa. ... Wenn wir das nächste Mal nach Sa Pa kommen, werden wir nur die Bahntickets in Hanoi kaufen, denn von Lao Cai kriegt man immer ein Auto hierher. ...

Feb 25, 2009 - Sapa

The overnight train to Sapa was fairly decent.The overnight train to Sapa was fairly decent....

Jan 12, 2009 - Water buffalo trails and more!

Well today was an adventure! Hiep, our guide, was taking us a similar hike that we took this summer in June to the village of Ta Van.Well today was an adventure! Hiep, our guide, was taking us a similar hike that we took this summer in June to the village of Ta Van....

Jan 10, 2009 - Hello Vietnam!

We arrived in Hanoi at 4pm and the students were very excited for finally be in Vietnam.We arrived in Hanoi at 4pm and the students were very excited for finally be in Vietnam....

Jan 1, 2009 - Sa Pa, Vietnam

by Lora Ater crossing the border at Lao Cai, we took a minibus to Sa Pa, a French hill station built in the 1920s. ... The climate of Sa Pa is chilly, with the rice-terraced mountains often covered in thick mist. ... Upon arrival, one thing we noticed right away were the number of foreign tourists - we were everywhere! It was such a dramatic difference from China, where we only saw a handful of foreigners during our month-long stay there.by Lora Ater crossing the border at Lao Cai, we took a minibus to Sa Pa, a French hill station built in the 1920s. ... The climate of Sa Pa is chilly, with the rice-terraced mountains often covered in thick mist. ... Upon arrival, one thing we noticed right away were the number of foreign tourists - we were everywhere! It was such a dramatic difference from China, where we only saw a handful of foreigners during our month-long stay there....