More Sapa and the Hmong Cat Cat Village--June 2013

It was a good thing I had a big lunch because at darkness came so did the deluge that lasted for hours.  In the morning it was very foggy so that I could not even see the overhead wires just outside my balcony. After just a few hours, the fog cleared and the rain became just drizzle with temperatures in the 70s F.

I then headed to the Hmong village, Cat Cat.

Instead of getting a guided tour, I just started walking down to the nearest village, Cat Cat which was also in a national park. It was a 6 km round trip tour. I walked by a number of typical homes as well as tourist offerings ranging from crafts, embroidered pictures to apple wine.

I picked the apple wine which was more like brandy than wine which the golden butterfly found very attractive. These butterflies were taking sips from my glass as well as directly from my hand. You can see these golden butterflies everywhere.

Here is where two rivers meet in Cat Cat village.

My new "best friend" lets me know that there will be a Hmong dance performance in the power plant as she stands before the Flower waterfall.

Several Vietnamese groups wanted to take pictures of me with their friends---kind of like me taking pictures of the ethnic people. I am an ethnic American. I must be in over 100s of their photos. I told this couple I also wanted to take their picture as well at the power plant in Cat Cat.

 

Here is the high bridge as we leave the Cat Cat village with about an hour more of climbing back up to Sapa.

Here are the freshly planted rice terraces as I am returning to Sapa.

 

It seems like the little kids are in charge of taking care of the water buffalo after they are used to plow the rice terraces. Some walk behind and some ride aboard these huge animals.

Here is my little buddy entertaining me at a rest stop on the way up to Sapa.

Another buffalo tender.

More views of rice terraces.

Funeral carriage returning from the ceremony.

More "best friends" helping tourists.