Today our hotel arranged an excursion to a local Hmong market. In typical Vietnamese fashion, they also threw in a hike up to a village and luncheon in a Hmong house.
The market was small, but there were a number of booths selling yarn and embroidery...cross stitch and the colorful Hmong costumes were charming.
It was so hard not to buy it all, but of course I don't need any. I ended up buying some cross-stitch for making pillows, but I secretly wanted more!
I see now, Christmas colors! I am thinking pillows. They came in sets, we believe in order to construct clothing. Two square pieces and six of the rectangular. Love it, blew my budget.
We went on a bit of a hike through dusty and rocky land. Where the stream ran, great stands of watercress grew. I wanted to eat it, but thoughts of giardiasis and other worse ailments stopped me.
We eventually ended up in a Hmong village where they were spinning and preparing hemp? Or bark? Unclear.
We had a delicious lunch including tea and a shot of corn hooch...love these people, can't see this ever happening back home. Highlight for me was perfect cylinders of sticky rice rolled in banana leaves and steamed over fire so it has a smokey taste.
A child's skirt, all embroidered, a belt, and 4 meters of fabric that is batik at base with ribbons appliqué. This was a huge bargain. I felt guilty buying it!
Scintillating piles of yarn for cross stitch at the market. How could I not buy?
A beautiful Hmong family in matching outfits
Love these water buffalo - my sign in Chinese astrology
Hemp thread? There was also a woman spinning, but light an issue. I bought a scarf that was made of this..I think.
Hemp batik scarf
Tea-- the villagers recently began growing tea. Our guide told us that they sell Vietnamese tea in bulk to Japan...it is high quality and Japan doesn't produce enough. He says the Vietnamese don't know how to market their very good tea.
What fabulous photos and reports, Julie! Thank you for sharing the stories while "fresh."
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