We were in Bac Ha for the Sunday market. This market was for real. By 7 AM all the vendors were set up and the market was in full swing. Native women were buying and selling. A few foreigners had slept in Bac Ha and were also in attendance. The livestock market was the best. Ducklings, piglets, dogs, horses and water buffalo were all for sale. There were lots of wiggling sacks around.
There were at least 20 charcoal stoves set up with various foods available. I tried bean curd for breakfast – It was ugly when served cold, but okay when it was hot. There was an impressive choice of meat cuts for sale. The Vietnamese do not waste any part of a slaughtered animal.
Joan and I bought some wall hangings as souvenirs. We are used to bargaining by now, but North Vietnam is different. The first price the vendors ask is triple to 10 times the going price. You need try a few vendors and walk away to find out the lower range of the goods. We bought the wall hangings for one-third the initial asking price and I still overpaid.
In the afternoon we took a motorcycle ride up into the mountains and walked back down. This downhill stuff is easy.
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