Between a blog and a hard place

My shins are killing me. We hiked 14km on Saturday, all downhill thankfully. From Sapa we followed a trail through the countryside that took us to three villages in the valley below the towering presence that is Mount Fanispan. The red clay gets slick underfoot and makes the going slippery when the trail gets steep. And it gets steep often. The steepness serves to underline the rice patties that are built like descending staircases from the top to the floor of the mountainsides. Some still filled with water glisten in the morning sum and there is a haze in the air that makes everything shimmer. 

As we wind our way through the mountains we pick up villagers hoping to sell us a trinket, a blanket, bracelet, anything really. It's difficult to say no but if you don't resist you will be swarmed. By the time we stopped for lunch I was just handing out two thousand Dong bills, pennies, to the kids. How can you not?

Two days and one night in Sapa is not enough time. Three and two would be just right. The Victoria Express back to Hanoi doesn't run on Sat nights so we came back on the overnight train this time with   Livitran. By buying all four berths we had a private compartment. No roommate this time. Livitrans is to Victoria Express what Motel 6 is to the Westin. But with 14km in the books for the day and a pop of the sleeping pill the hardness of the bed faded and we made our way back to Hanoi. 

Mr. Cham met us on the train platform at 4:30am when we arrived in Hanoi. Even at that time there's lots of street activity. Pho broth is already steaming on street corners and the motorbike madness is beginning. I'm beginning to know my way around Central Hanoi. Yes it's dirty, overcrowded and noisy but the chaos is organized in a way I can only describe as zen like. The street food is made on sidewalks and served at low tables on plastic stools about a foot off the ground. Elderly people in silk pajama outfits do their morning exercises. Ca Phe, strong and perfectly brewed is served black or with sweet condensed milk. The city awakes.