Day 3

11 Dec Tue

Our cabin. We booked the entire cabin for privacy.

The rattle of the train would have been ideal to rock us to sleep except that the irregular rocking was interrupted by stops along the way (12 in all ). By 5am when we reached Lao Cai, we were tired out by fitful sleep.  Foresight had us waking up early to wash up at the train wash area  that came complete with hot water! To play it safe, the train master woke us up, from cabin to cabin.

Travelers , bleary eyed, were picked up by meet and greet drivers at Lao Cai station. Our driver gathered all 9 of us in a mini van, after a painful 40 minutes wait for the last 2 stragglers.

Hotel is located immediately behind the sign board, Ham Rong Mt base.

Hmong girls with all the modern amenities, like mobile phones. Most have email address and goes to the internet often,

 The ride to Sapa took us 60 minutes. We saw silhouettes of banana trees along pitch dark mountain road and tribal girls walking uphill to work in Sapa as trekking guides. By the time we reached Sapa, the glory of the morning sun showed from behind the Fansipan range. Low lying clouds masked the true height of the roof of Vietnam. Until the mist cleared, we did not know that the huge mountain range  loomed over  us.

Hotel located at the base of tourist mountain , Ham Rong.

Hotel's reception

The only cathedral in the square, located near the hotel. Bells toll at 5 am everyday.

My favorite vantage point, off Cau May Rd.

We reached Thai Binh Sapa at almost 7am. Breakfast was not ready and host Nam Hong suggested a walk outside. We wondered down the town square along Cau May street, unable to locate the 'lake' we saw along the way. The view from sections of Cau May St would have wowed us more had we not been dazed from lack of sleep.

Sapa coffee has a delicate taste that Hanoi coffee did not have.

I'm sure it has to do with the altitude. These baguette are seriously good, cottony soft and moist inside , with delicate crispy crust outside.

Back at Thai Binh, we ate our first Sapa baguette,  a delight because the crust was light and thin and insides cotton soft. After that, we were 'forced' to explore town again while waiting for the room to be available at 10.30am.

I stole many beautiful moments here, off Cau May Rd.

Sapa Lake

Lake had a raw feel, being still under construction.

Lakeside blooms

The lake is a business community effort but it is ill placed off the town center.

We went beyond the lake area, a quiet place outside Sapa's main tourist belt. I did not like the place a bit despite the tranquil lake that was still under 'upgrading' because the area lacked the bustle and energy of a new town center. 

Luxurious family room. Bedroom 1 is nearest the door, ensuite.

Bedroom 2 comes with its own TV,bathroom, balcony.

Bedroom 2 was promptly selected by our girl as her HQ.

 Back at Thai Binh, at long last, our family room, the only one in Thai Binh Sapa, was cleaned and ready. It was a huge surprise to find that we were given 2 connecting rooms  which came with 2 full toilets. The inner room, which H 'reserved' came complete with balcony that looked into  a  'forest' of coniferous. They did not come cheap, at $70 per unit, since most rooms there cost only $30 or less.

 

Smells and sounds of Sapa

Restaurant NatureView comes with a fantastic view. The food? Blah!

Sapa beer takes nicer than Hanoi beer. Could it be due to the altitude ?

NatureView's lunch was so-so with a not so-so price tag. Oh well, the view was what we paid for!

A much needed shower and then we were off to Nature View Restaurant at Cat Cat Rd. The restaurant hugged the edge of the cliff, looking into a valley of rice terraces. The view was stunning and would be even more so if the mist did not hang so low . Set lunches was the costliest at $18. I knew Sapa was resort town but the charges took me by surprise.

We stayed as long as our eyes could open before exploring the nearby market by local tribal people. I bought 3 dragonfruits  for 20 000 d , a steal, after haggling over prices. It was a good 1 kg on my backpack while we went around town for perhaps the 3rd time.

Sapa B&B, offshoot of Thai Binh Sapa Hotel, at 6pm was all foggy and cold. Background was a HUGE garden with pond and pavilion.

By 4 pm, we surrendered to our fatigue and had a shut-eye for about an hour. 6pm, Nam Hong got us over to his other BnB for a homestyle buffet meal for $8 each. I would only say the food was tasty and healthy ,being home cooked by mum, but nothing to shout about. In fact , atUSD $8 each without replenishment, I thought it was not exactly value for money. The company proved more interesting though. We had a chat with the other 2 Singaporeans who came over from Thai Binh and ate with us before we parted ways in 2 cars back to Thai Binh Sapa.

What a long draggy day!  We were very confused because of the overnight train ride . Perhaps we should forgo the thrift mode and opt for early checkin if another similar occasion should arise. Moral of the story - No point saving the money and lose the day being zombies with inadequate rest.