Walking around the house after wake up in the morning as breakfast not served yet. Feel very relax and free while walking around. The air is fresh and the temperature is around 24 degree Celsius. How great i can stay here for longer? I think i have longer life if continue to stay here.
Power meter,
The dog guide me around the village...... :)
Breakfast served, mean my trekking will start soon. Having rice for breakfast a bit odd to me but i do need the carbohydrate for the trekking. White rice, Vietnam deep fried spring roll, egg omelette, stir fried water spinach (kangkung) and not to miss the Vietnam coffee.
Day 3 Trekking Start
Day 3 - 16 kmOn Day 3 you will know when it’s time to wake up when you hear the patter of feet on bamboo heading up the stairs to the bathroom. After a filling breakfast in the homestay we will walk 3km to Nam Toong village, home to the Red Dao minority. We will then follow a buffalo trail through sprawling rice terraces, taking in the spectacular views of Halong National Park as we make our way to My Son village. Here you can meet the Xa Pho minority, one of the smallest tribes in the Sapa area. We will spend the night in the village of Thanh Phu, where you enjoy local food and a warm bed in a Tay minority stilt house. Credit - http://www.sapaochau.org/
Thanh Phu Village
At last, we reach Thanh Phu village where our last home stay at. Is not a very long trekking but a lot of climb up and down of slope. Thanh Phu Village is on the mountain than we need to trek up and is extremely tiring specially with the hot weather. The hot weather almost kill me.
The host using some special tool to smash fruit for us as snack. It taste very bitter but with the salt add on, it give a unique taste. Bitterness with salty taste but still not my cup of coffee.
Happy family, i really can see and feel how happy they are. I do not see this anywhere in Malaysia or Singapore. Poor life is hard but they are happy. Money do not guarantee happiness, buy smile yes. Even we can't communicate with them as they do not know English but they try their best to chat with us. A lot of unofficial sign language used with common human understanding. As long as patient and no heart of harming, everyone still can communicate with each other without need of a common language.
Happiness where money can't buy. This is the power of love.
He getting ready to go to the farm after chit chat with us. He need to walk 5 KM down the hill to reach his farm. Life is hard but smile is never fade from their face.
Is not easy to maintain clean and dry of the show after trekking pass mud trek and middle of the farm.
Video of the house
Pig Barn - get to know that, they only slaughter pig when in New Year celebration. So they usually eat vegetable except got guest come.
This pig is for next New Year.
Here we will have our dinner. Too bad, because of hot weather, many bug around. Bee, caterpillar, mosquito, and some unknown flying insect.
She taking fire wood to cook dinner.
Unfinished pork from New Year, they smoke it and hang on top of the area they cook. So the smoke from the wood they burn to cook will keep smoke it.
Their stove.
I request to try some of the smoke pork belly, they very ready for me without any extra cost.
They will cut the smoked pork belly and throw it into the fire to burn it. It will be burn until black in color. after that, they will use water to wash all the black ash away. Than they will cut it in slide to serve on the table. They also will ready some fish source to dip with it.
She cutting port meat that my guide buy from market in the village.
Unknown chili, not dare to try.
The Kitchen
Video of cooking dinner
This is the smoked pork belly, i do not see any meat on it. Just fat and skin. Is too sinful to have it but wait, we at Vietnam, this is where can we really tried local culture. If i skip it, i may not have the chance to have it again in future. Plus we have trek for so many hours, should be no problem. It just have smoke taste, so need to dip with fish source to eat. The fat texture is hard and chewy, not the soft pork belly type we used to have in Malaysia or Singapore.
My another favorite dish will be lard stir fried pork meat dip with fish source. Never imagine the pork meat is so tender, with some pork meat after taste add up the sinful lard oil smell and saltiness of fish source with a bit of fishy after taste that bring it to heaven level of taste. Is like where sea smash on the land and bounce to heaven. This is where heavenly taste come from. All other vegetable is very fresh and sweet. I never can imagine a simple dish can be so tasty, much better compare to restaurant.
I never forget the smile and the warmness of this host family. Their smile will stay with me forever.
End of Day 6
