Berry's SEAJ trip Day 17: Sapa exploration (6/22/15)

Got up early to Skype Dad and the family as it was fathers day back in the states. After that, I get on a bus and head to Sapa. I slept most of the ride on the bus as I was still exhausted from the previous days on castaway island. We get in and I check into my hostel ( the third backpackers hostel I have stayed at – Hue, Hanoi and Sapa). After check-in, I walk around the city a little bit before heading down to the Cat Cat village.

On the way up to Sapa. Starting to get into the mountains with the rice fields and clouds rolling on by.

We are up in the clouds going through the passa nd the clouds are all around us. Visibility ~10 ft.

Yet another iteration of the awesome hostel I have stayed in on this trip (this one way maybe 6 months old - still construction going on). Thought I think Berry likes this one the most.

View from the hostel window and Berry is loving having the clouds rolling on through the windows. Something surreal about being high enough for clouds to be rolling by you when you grow up in a city flatter than a notebook paper.

Sapa city map. Today I will explore the city and the Cat Cat village.

Central city with the church in the background and a shrubbery depiction of the city name. 

Berry likes the central lake with the views of the city that comes from walking along the lake.

Just in case you woke up not knowing where you were or what year it was.

On the way down to the Cat Cat village and this resort restaurant towers over the landscape. Sticks out like a sore thumb but still looks awesome.

Getting closer to the village and start seeing other houses set up in the valley. 

Berry is starting to see the cascading rice terraces this region is knowing as you get down in the valley. Amazing! 

Panorama of the view down in the valley. 

Berry seeing more of the terrace rice fields. Really is cool how they use their environment to still be productive.

Berry seeing more of the terrace fields across the way. So much greenery. 

The way there is down a steep hill and this local village is mostly them just selling their little trinkets. Was nice to see I guess but could be avoided easily. Near the end of the village there was a guy who asked me if I wanted him to drive me back to town. I said no. Of course that means please follow and harass me as I will change my mind. So this prick follows me for at least 100-200 m (if not longer) continually asking. I get to the end of a bridge and hes on his bike still asking. I walk past not even making eye contact and after a few seconds I hear him start his bike up. I figure he is leaving and I am free from him; not the case, as he pulls up next to me and offers another ride. He eventually gets the message and leaves. I often wonder the laws in Vietnam regarding tazing and/or pepper spraying people and what constitutes harassment cause these insistent people need to be stopped (but don't worry there are more stories in the future).

Berry wanting to get the in waterfall in the Cat Cat village. Saw those other people and got jealous.

Berry waiting for these people to get out of the way so he can cross the bridge. What a gentleman letting them get their pictures.

Berry loves the waterfalls. Feel like I should have taken him to Niagara before this trip.

Though he also likes these bridges so he just seems to have eclectic tastes. 

Berry trying to decide whether to cross the danger bridge :)

Panorama with the valley and the terraces all in one. This was as I was making my way back up to the town.

I get back to the hostel and recharge and find out that Andrew, from the pub in Phong Nnha, was in Sapa that same night so we grab some beers and watch the locals play various games in the town square (soccer match, the foot badminton I saw in the Mekong, etc.). While watching we had some Asian ladies ask to take pictures with us. After a few beers, we part ways and I go back to get some sleep. Room is nice but stuffy (no fan/AC) as the hostel is still being put together.

Every night, these people meet up in their town square and games happen. People play rudimentary soccer without goals, frisbees get thrown, toys are played with, etc. It was pretty cool being in a town where the main square was a social hot spot for everyone. 

bustling center square of Sapa.