Tuesday November 25, 20143 days 121 miles After a rest from the crazy bus ride we were on the road again with the goal of reaching Laos later in the week. Neither my Garmin GPS nor Jocelyn’s “Maps with Me” on her phone showed the road west until several miles later. It was a bit confusing but as usual Jocelyn found our way. We started climbing immediately and passed through many small villages. The big bonus is that the sun is out now and the temperature in the 80’s! We were so tired of the cold. There was no rain either. At the end of the day we cycled into a larger town and found a guest house for the night. We immediately named it the “No” guest house as everything we asked for or used the point-it-book for was answered “no”. They did have very cold beer though.
We also saw the most disturbing things we have ever seen. As we were walking our panniers past the open kitchen a man had a gas tank fueled torch and was torching an animal that looked like a child. This stopped us dead in our tracks as it turned out to be a monkey. In fact there were three monkeys in the process of hair removal – one being torched, one in hot water and being scraped with a knife and one just sitting tied up on the floor. Our curiosity was peaked so we took pictures that we will not post. This is the real world though where everything is eaten. We have seen some strange things on this trip but this tops it. Sometimes reality is sad. We have also seen raw meat sitting outside for sale throughout Asia. Animals are killed, butchered and sold right on the street with no refrigeration. In this part of Vietnam communication is non-existent except for hello and bye, bye. The locals don’t understand pictures with our point-it-book either. It is difficult to order food without meat and we have sent many dishes back once we have seen it. Most of the touring cyclists seem to ride to Hanoi and then east to the beaches. As usual we take the roads less traveled and have been rewarded with beautiful jungle mountains, small roads and villages, and very friendly people.
It is so nice to once again not be on a schedule and will enter Laos in a day or two or maybe three. It all depends on if we find an interesting spot for the day.
We are down to one map panel until this portion of our world tour ends.I have never been a candy eater but a Snickers bar does wonders for getting up that next steep hill.An interesting shrine outside a Vietnamese hotel. We were out of little bananas and these looked great to take but the Buddha quickly changed our minds.Monday morning rush hour through this village.The ducks seem interested in Jocelyn.A typical Vietnamese school. We are very impressed.They all have this mural. This must be Vietnam’s leader.This looks like a rocket monument. Really cool.Another valley of rice paddies.In China and Vietnam the paved road always seems to end at a certain elevation then picks up again at about the same elevation on the other side.At the top of the picture there is a river and two bridges. We started our day at the last bridge.I heard a rustling when riding by and stopped. This water buffalo ducked out.A typical mid-morning or afternoon bia (beer) break market. We love stopping at these spots. There is always meat sitting outside but the cooler is full of cold beer and soda.We thing this live rodent is for sale outside a house.Where’s Waldo?Another bia break.
Majestic riding.
These are ridiculously cold. After months of very little refrigeration in Asia Vietnam has the cold beer.These school girls walked doing their after school chores.We ate in this house. The bed is covered with a curtain. After the cook washed our fresh vegetable in a tub she put her kid in the tub for her bath. The food was delicious.This guest house ($12) has mosquito netting over the bed.Our breakfast spot. She is making rice noodles that are mixed in a broth then topped with two fried eggs.The mornings have a low cloud covering.A water buffalo at work.These people are each carrying a sack, filling it with filtered dirt and carrying it back to a construction site.In Vietnam we have witnessed large groups of people working on a common goal. Here a new path up the hill is under construction.The town of Dien Bien was our goal for the day. We made it.Bamboo power poles.A typical mountain village.
Our view from another Bia (beer) break. Across the street are some kind of sliced root that is spread out to dry.These two ladies were walking to a wedding. Very pretty dresses.This spot had everything – a pool full of live fish, raw meat, vegetables and fruit and an assortment of other goods.Bicycle traffic in Vietnam. Where’s Waldo?A view from high atop the mountains of northern Vietnam.More bike traffic.
